Servant leadership may seem oxymoronic in its name but has become one of the modern leadership trends around the world. I work for a large automotive group in Pittsburgh that has an owner/operator, that I will call Bob, who is the epitome of servant leadership, but to show how he embodies a servant leader, first one must understand what servant leadership is.
The traits of servant leadership are very widely disputed which is a major criticism of the theory (Northouse, 2016, pg. 241), but there are a few unifying characteristics. The culture of the workspace must provide an avenue for servant leadership (Northouse, 2016, pg. 231). There are a certain set of leader behaviors (Conceptualizing, Emotional healing, putting followers first, helping followers grow and succeed, behaving ethically, empowering, and creating value for the community) that must be a part of the leader’s repertoire (Northouse, 2016, pg. 234-236). Finally, there are a set of outcomes that usually come from servant leadership (Northouse, 2016, pg. 236-237). When all these characteristics come together, you get a broad outline of the Servant Leadership theory that is largely based in service and ethics.
Bob conceptualizes his business and knows what he wants for the long term. He can conceptualize big topics and make them easy to understand for each employee, so that everyone understands their role in the success of the business goals (Northouse, 2016, 233). Bob also donates several thousands of dollars to the greater Pittsburgh community, but most recently, donated money to the Tree of Life Synagogue after the horrific mass shooting in 2018. At our annual Christmas party, he allowed a Tree of Life member to speak on the horrific events and help some in the company mourn those that were lost. He fostered emotional healing, but also built value for the community in one action (Northouse, 2016, pg. 233-235).
Bob refuses to use the word employee and will only call his workers team members to foster a team spirit and a team mentality. He always puts his team members first, whether it be a Christmas bonus, or trips to the Bahamas for top performers (Northouse, 2016, 234). He has an allowance for each team member to gain training and knowledge and provides workshops every month to make sure that his team members can grow and succeed in the way they wish to (Northouse, 2016, pg. 234).
Bob also prides himself in behaving ethically and not doing business the way the rest of the car business does. He marketed transparent pricing for everyone, and brought no hassle, ethical pricing to the Pittsburgh market. Bob is focused on his customers and team members and refuses to be anything other than transparent and ethical with them (Northouse, 2016, pg. 235). When I read, “Servant leaders do not compromise their ethical principles in order to achieve success” (Northouse, 2016, pg. 235), I immediately thought of Bob and his strict moral standards. Finally, Bob is empowering to his team members. He allows his management team to make their own decisions if they fall in line with the conceptualization of the company. Bob is a leader that allows his team members to make their own mistakes and learn from them, which empowers them even further (Northouse, 2016, pg. 235).
Rob asks that we carry a card with us with the company standards of values. These values are Act with Integrity, Build a Winning Team, Breed Customer Loyalty, Deliver Results, and Always Improve. Each team member carries this card with them and takes the standards to heart. These standards of value show the commitment that Bob has to be a Servant leader, and how he wishes to breed more Servant leaders in the future through his leadership.
References:
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership; Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
maf5864 says
Hello Caitlin;
Bob is an excellent example of a servant leader. I was impressed with his leadership skills towards his “team members”. His donation to Tree of Life Synagogue helped so many individuals. His moral standards to his customers and team member speak volumes. I admire his value card that he hands out for his “team members”.
As a servant leader places his followers first, this takes away from the management skills that are sometimes required in certain positions. Williams (2019) mentioned that a servant leader effort on development than supervisory to his or her followers. A supervisor’s actions can have positive results that is displayed by his employees, community and customers. A leader who is not respected or taken seriously is not considered a servant leader (Williams, 2019).
After reading your post I am going to create my own value card. I will create more servant leadership skills in my lifestyle to prepare for the success of my future.
References
Williams, J. (2019). PSYCH 485: Servant Leadership: Lessons 11 [Power Point Slides]. https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1972967/modules/items/25704976