The servant leadership philosophy and/or a set of leadership practices have been expressed and described in many ways. There is a notion that a servant leadership is an age-old concept, a term loosely used to suggest that a leader’s primary role is to “serve” employees. On the other instances the notion is around the concept of an imaginary inverted pyramid organization in which top executives ‘report’ downward to lower levels.The author of the term is Robert Greenleaf. He described it in his paper ‘The Servant as Leader’ (1970): “The servant leader is a servant first … It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve and serve first. Then a conscious choice brings the aspiration to lead …”
Most authors in favor of servant leadership today explain the term as one of the best approaches to leading. They describe it as a method that consists of some activities and qualities a leader should possess or do: he/she values everyone’s contributions; listens; cultivates a culture of trust; understands and empathizes with others; helps people with a life and not only work issues; encourages; thinks and behaves as ‘you’ and not ‘me’; relies on persuasion (seeks to convince others), rather than authority; builds community; focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people / employees and the communities to which they belong.
When I first encountered the term I was really puzzled about it. I’ve ‘asked’ Internet dictionaries to help me with the definition of a term ‘to serve’:
- Dictionary.com: to act as a servant; to render assistance; be of use; help; to render active service to (a sovereign, commander, etc.).
- Merriam-Webster: to give (food or drink) to someone at a meal, in a restaurant, etc.; to be favorable, opportune, or convenient; to give the service and respect due to (a superior).
- The Free Dictionary: to provide goods and services for (customers); to give homage and obedience to; to be of assistance to or promote the interests of; aid.
To serve obviously means to be subjected to someone. And how could a leader (the first among the people) be positioned inferiority? To lead means to guide, to direct, or to take the initiative in an action for others to follow. Serving means to subdue. The subdued person cannot be, at the same time, able to take responsibility for the taken decisions that are obligatory for others to follow or execute. Leading can be done with power or subtly as Lao Zi long ago wrote: “The highest type of ruler is one of whose existence the people are barely aware…. The Sage is self-effacing and scanty of words. When his task is accomplished and things have been completed, all the people say, ‘We, ourselves, have achieved it!’ Described ‘soft’ way that most respectable leaders use, is the one that has nothing to do with serving. It has to do with emotions and empathy which definitively does not describe the way of serving someone.
Jaro,
ReplyDeleteHi, the stars align and I have prepared my post this week on Servant Leadership as well. I have no issue with a leader taking part of his time to enable the performance of subordinates, and to coach those subordinates. I like to think, if I owned a company with 10 people, I would employ the best people I could because that would benefit me. And then I would do everything in my power to enable them to the best they could because that would benefit me and them and our collective goal. If I hired you to do my sales because you were a better sales person than me and I bent over backwards to help you, that wouldn't make me inferior at all, I think that'd make me pretty smart.
Its a great question and I am sure is the reason behind peoples reluctance to identify their leadership behaviour as Servant Leadership.
Regards,
Peter McKelvie
Peter,
Deleteit is a life where things look separate but they aren't.
Thank you for your great contribution and comment. I agree with your "smart" approach as this is what make a leader great.
Regards
Jaro.
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ReplyDeleteThank you Sridhar. I can go to your post via link on "My Blog List" :)
DeleteGood afternoon, Jaro; nicely done as usual. I think the term "Servant Leader" is newer, but my father cautioned me in 1990, when I opened the recovery home to:
ReplyDeleteListen and understand the needs of the residents; they might differ from mine.
Take alternative suggestions into account. Work towards consensus, but be willing to disregard if something will not work and then give all interested parties the rationale.
Respect value differences; see if there is a third option besides yes/no, on/off, right/wrong
With his sage advice, I cleaned bathrooms if needed and was still the "important" public face of the house. I just called it sensible.
Marilyn, thank you for sharing your view and what your father thought you. It is a great example that demonstrate leadership (with NO attributes attached in-front, behind or anywhere).
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