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What if the secret to powerful leadership isn’t about authority or climbing the ladder, but about making the lives of others better? A truly effective work environment is one where each individual feels heard, supported, and empowered to achieve their fullest potential — where leadership is measured by the collective growth of the entire team.
In module 3 of her Lessons In Leadership course, Carrie Phillips, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at UA Little Rock, delves into the core principles of servant leadership, exploring practical applications and its impact on organizational success.
Effective leadership today is about creating spaces where collaboration thrives, diverse voices contribute to the greater good, and people feel valued. Servant leadership emphasizes empathy, community, and adaptability — traits essential for navigating challenges and driving sustainable change. By embracing servant leadership, you can inspire loyalty, cultivate trust, and elevate your entire team.
Key Takeaways
- A servant leader has empathy and trust. It emphasizes understanding team members' perspectives and fosters a culture of open dialogue, leading to increased trust and collaboration.
- You can use servant leadership in your everyday life. Using servant leadership requires consistent action, patience, and adaptability. The theory is particularly effective in settings needing strong team morale and a cohesive culture.
- Get access to readily available action tools. Empathy maps, self-assessment, and action plans help in fostering servant leadership practices effectively across teams and organizations. No need to wait, start implementing them today.
What is Servant Leadership?
Servant leadership, popularized by Robert Greenleaf in the 1970s, is a leadership style rooted in the idea that leaders serve their teams first, rather than focusing on personal achievements. Greenleaf emphasized that a true measure of leadership is in how much personal and professional growth leaders foster within their teams. By focusing on supporting their teams, leaders create environments where collaboration, trust, and respect naturally lead to organizational success.
How Does Servant Leadership Work in Practice?
Carrie explains that servant leadership in practice goes beyond the conventional approach of leaders completing tasks themselves or merely setting examples. This approach is about cultivating a workplace culture that uplifts each team member, prioritizing their needs, adapting to their communication preferences, and actively helping them grow in their roles. Leaders serve by listening, being empathetic to each member’s struggles, and ensuring everyone feels their contributions matter. Empathy, self-awareness, and adaptability are key components.
Nicole Blackwell, featured in our latest Lessons in Leadership series, embodies the principle of adaptability. She transitioned from a sales role to a sales trainer, only to discover her skills didn’t fully align with the company’s broader needs. When the demand for sales training waned, Nicole realized the importance of expanding her skills to meet the evolving needs of her team. Her experience highlights a core tenet of servant leadership—leaders must remain adaptable, continuously striving to serve the needs of the organization, even when it means stepping outside their comfort zone.
What are the Core Principles of Servant Leadership?
Servant leadership is structured around 10 core principles:
- Listening: Leaders prioritize listening over speaking to ensure they understand their team’s needs.
Practical Tip: During team meetings, practice active listening by summarizing key points shared by your team members. This helps ensure everyone feels heard and valued. - Empathy: Leaders honor each individual’s experiences and challenges, recognizing the value of different perspectives.
Practical Tip: Spend a few minutes each day connecting with team members personally. Understanding their challenges beyond work can foster stronger relationships. - Healing: Leaders help their teams overcome past conflicts and challenges to create a positive work environment.
Practical Tip: Hold regular debrief sessions after challenging projects to address any lingering frustrations and promote team unity. - Self-Awareness: Leaders recognize their strengths and weaknesses, setting a transparent example for their team.
Practical Tip: Conduct regular self-reflection or seek peer feedback to understand how your actions affect your team, and adjust accordingly. - Persuasion: Leaders guide by building consensus rather than giving orders, ensuring everyone is on board with the direction.
Practical Tip: Replace directive statements with questions like, “What are your thoughts on this approach?” to foster collaboration and shared ownership of decisions. - Conceptualization: Leaders envision future possibilities to inspire their team with a compelling vision.
Practical Tip: Encourage your team to think beyond immediate tasks by discussing long-term goals and how their work contributes to the bigger picture. - Foresight:Leaders use past experiences to anticipate challenges and help their teams navigate potential obstacles.
Practical Tip: Share stories of past successes and failures to help the team learn from previous challenges and prepare for what’s ahead. - Stewardship: Leaders lead by example, working alongside their team on shared tasks and being accountable for the team’s well-being.
Practical Tip: Participate in a shared project or take on a task alongside your team to demonstrate commitment and build a sense of camaraderie. - Growth of People: Leaders actively support their team members’ development by offering growth opportunities, feedback, and mentorship.
Practical Tip: Identify each team member’s strengths and create opportunities for them to lead projects or initiatives that align with their skills. - Commitment to Community: Leaders build a sense of belonging, ensuring all team members feel valued and connected to the organization’s purpose.
Practical Tip: Organize regular team-building activities or community service projects to foster a sense of community and shared purpose within the team.
How Can Servant Leadership Impact Workplace Culture?
When implemented effectively, servant leadership can significantly enhance morale, foster loyalty, and inspire creativity. By focusing on empathy and actively listening to team members, leaders gain a deeper understanding of unique perspectives, which often leads to higher engagement and reduced turnover. Employees feel valued and respected, creating a positive and thriving workplace culture.
Consider a university department where servant leadership principles are in action. The department head prioritizes understanding the needs of faculty and staff, actively listens to their ideas, and ensures everyone feels heard. This approach has led to higher morale, increased collaboration, and a noticeable boost in innovation — faculty members feel comfortable experimenting with new teaching techniques, and staff members are more willing to take on leadership roles within projects. The focus on empathy and community has created a work environment where creativity and dedication flourish.
Are There Drawbacks to Servant Leadership?
Despite its many benefits, servant leadership has some challenges. It may be viewed as a “soft” approach, especially in competitive or fast-paced environments where decisiveness is prized. Additionally, organizations with rigid hierarchies may struggle to implement this style fully. Lastly, servant leadership requires patience; building trust and changing organizational culture can take time. Leaders committed to this style must invest in the long term, knowing the rewards may not be immediately visible.
What Tools Can Help with Implementing Servant Leadership?
To help leaders apply servant leadership, Carrie introduces practical tools:
- Servant Leadership Self-Assessment Plan: Helps leaders identify natural strengths and areas for improvement in their approach.
- Servant Leadership Action Plan: Outlines steps to incorporate servant leadership principles into daily interactions and strategic planning.
- Empathy Map: Assists leaders in seeing challenges from team members’ perspectives by breaking down thoughts, feelings, observations, and feedback into actionable insights.
Ready for more?
By actively working on empathy, fostering community, and supporting individual growth, leaders can enhance team morale and drive collective success. Servant leadership, though sometimes challenging to implement, is a powerful way to build sustainable, ethical workplaces.
Don’t worry! You can still sign up for Carrie’s Lessons In Leadership course and get access to the other 6 amazing modules.
We’ve got loads of other leadership resources too, check out a couple of our favorites:
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