“The first and most important choice a leader makes is the choice to serve, without which one’s capacity to lead is severely limited.”
— Robert Greenleaf, author and founder of the modern Servant Leadership movement
Known as the ‘People’s President,’ Mr. Abdul Kalam was a true Servant Leader. When his team succeeded, he didn’t hog the limelight; he gave all the credit to his team. In case the team failed, he took complete responsibility for the failure. He reached out to students to help shape their future and was not motivated by personal gain. His critical contribution as a leader was to develop and empower his team and teach them to lead.
A leader doesn’t serve, he/she leads!
A leader’s power is ineffective without the willingness of the followers to support and engage. These two contrasting statements compel us to think:
Is the Servant Leadership model relevant and applicable for all?
Uniqueness of Servant Leadership:
Amidst the various choices that a leader has to follow a style, Servant Leadership’s approach is unique:
Emphasis on the Team’s Wellbeing:
The focus is not on the leader’s authoritative approach but on the desire to serve followers, work towards their growth and wellbeing. The team member’s interest is prioritized over the leader’s interest. It rejects all hierarchies and positions the team alongside the leader.Collaborative Efforts:
The Servant Leader develops the potential of team members, listens to their suggestions, shares power, and believes in collaboration. Employees feel heard and acknowledged.Fosters Innovation and Creativity:
The leader fosters an environment of innovation and creativity. Thus, team members are engaged and motivated to achieve the organization’s goals and vision. They are well aware of their contribution and where they fit in the bigger picture.
Servant Leadership is relevant in today’s evolving business landscape characterized by hybrid workplaces, diversity, and a focus on employee experience.
Reasons for Its Relevance:
Builds Trust:
When a leader listens to his team members, it builds a sense of trust, providing assurance that they are trusted and heard.Enhances Performance and Reduces Turnover:
The fact that a Servant Leader considers the team’s views and ideas as vital keeps them engaged and involved in their work. They know where they fit in the bigger picture and consider their role important. This leads to enhanced performance, reduced turnover, and deeper engagement.Fosters Collaboration:
The team works towards a single vision, and everyone identifies with the goal. Thus, the team works collaboratively to cooperate with the leader.Develops Leadership Qualities:
Since Servant Leaders encourage team members to take the lead and entrust responsibilities to able team members, it develops leadership qualities among team members.
What is the Flip Side of Servant Leadership?
Lack of Authority:
The team might find the leader too soft and mild, lacking authority. Sometimes teams might want a leader who speaks with authority and confidence. A Servant Leader might excessively depend on team members, which could be perceived as a weakness.Critical Situations:
In an emergency situation, Servant Leadership might not work as followers or the team may seek a strong decision-maker and expert who can quickly resolve the challenging situation.Slow Decision Making:
Servant Leaders seek support and input from team members before making a decision, leading to lengthy discussions and delayed decisions. In a business environment where quick decision-making is critical, this can be a hindrance. The challenge for Servant Leaders is to balance valuing team relationships with making timely decisions.Change in Culture:
During cultural transformations, authoritative actions may be necessary. If Servant Leaders emphasize endorsement from team members, their role as an authority may be diluted.
An Example of Servant Leadership:
Fred Smith, CEO of FedEx, is a notable example. He has always put people first. He strongly believes, “When individuals are placed first, they will provide the best possible service, and profits are a natural outcome.” As a Servant Leader, he believes that when employees are happy, it results in happy customers, which in turn contributes to profits. The company’s People-Service-Profit policy, grounded in Smith’s Servant Leadership values, has laid the foundation for growth at FedEx.
Servant Leadership works in most situations except a few. In today’s world, where collaboration is more important than competition, the results that Servant Leadership delivers are unparalleled.
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