As I was studying about servant leadership this week, the description of servant leaders and their far-reaching effects on society and culture was truly striking. Servant leadership is initially considered counterintuitive, as being a leader is not often associated with actions of servitude. However, the characteristics of servant leadership include empathy, listening, commitment to the growth of people, and healing (PSU WC, 2018). These characteristics intend to lead followers into becoming servant leaders themselves, producing well-nurtured individuals who in turn nurture others.
As described in our lesson material, the servant leader-follower relationship can be understood as something similar to the relationship of parent and child (PSU WC, 2018). The parent responds to the child’s innermost needs, assisting them in their development into healthy adults.
Servant leadership is often discussed on a large organizational scale as described in the Northouse (2016) case studies of Northwest Airlines and Partners in Health, however, servant leadership is often something that is intimately life-changing and deeply personal. In the servant leadership model, the antecedent conditions create the environment for servant leadership to take place, the servant-leader behaviors describe the behavioral mechanisms that are applied to the individuals in the environment, and the outcomes describe the powerful, positive impact that servant leadership leaves behind (PSU WC, 2018).
Servant leaders put the needs of their followers before their own, supporting the followers’ development for the betterment of society as a whole. When I reflect on the true servant leaders I have experienced in my own life, my thoughts instantly go to my grandfather and grandmother. Both of them lived lives of service to others, often forgoing their own comforts for the sake of others. “Putting followers first” and “helping followers grow and succeed” (Northouse, 2016) are signature aspects of servant leadership, and were true testaments that both of my grandparents lived by.
An antecedent condition for the far-reaching effects of my grandparents’ servant leadership attributes was their placement in my life. As their granddaughter, I was receptive to their leadership attributes and behaviors, and responded to their continued interest in my development. As described in Northouse (2016) follower receptivity is a highly important aspect of antecedent conditions. Without follower receptivity, the servant leader can not create a lasting impact. The follower must be open to the vested interest the servant leader has in their development, before servant leadership behaviors can have their effect.
Once the antecedent conditions become a supportive environment for servant leader behaviors, then a positive effect can begin to blossom between the leader and follower. These positive effects include emotional healing and empowerment, which promote well-being and confidence within the follower (Northouse, 2016). The constantly supportive presence of the servant leader inspires the follower to be healthy and whole, which instills a desire to support others in their own growth and wholeness. Thus, the cycle of servant leadership takes hold, reaching the final stage of “outcome” the aspect that holds the potentiality of creating a lasting effect on individuals and society (Northouse, 2016).
Servant leaders surround us, both in the organizations and institutions that serve us, to the family and friends that support our development over the course of our lives. It is important that we are receptive to being served so that we can serve others; through unwavering empathy, ethical behavior, and empowerment. As my grandfather said, “no matter how bad you think you have it, there’s always someone who has it worse. So be in service of others always with dignity and respect.”
References
Northouse, P. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Pennsylvania State University World Campus (2018). PSYCH 485: Lesson 11: Servant Leadership. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1972967/modules/items/25704976