Chapter 14: Servant Leadership

“As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others”?— Bill Gates

The information age has taken hold of us as aspects of our work life permeates into personal life and vice versa. We, as a society, are now more keenly aware of who is leading our companies and exactly how they are leading them. In addition to supporting a fulfilling life, it appears that servant leadership also garners much respect and social capital in today’s day and age. I imagine, in the coming decades, we will see leaders who truly leave a legacy are the ones who selflessly serve others.

Servant leadership is?a leadership style that prioritizes the growth, well-being, and empowerment of others. It aims to foster an inclusive environment that enables everyone in the organization to thrive as their authentic self.

10 Servant Leadership Characteristics

“Servant leadership seeks to involve others in decision making, is strongly based in ethical and caring behavior, and enhances the growth of workers while improving the caring and quality of organizational life,” writes Larry C. Spears in?a 1992 article.?

In particular, Spears identifies 10?servant leadership characteristics:

·??????? Listening—a commitment to listening intently to others, coupled with periods of reflection.

·??????? Empathy—an effort to understand, empathize with, and accept others.

·??????? Healing—a focus on helping others overcome emotional wounds and aid in a search for wholeness.

·??????? Awareness—general awareness and self-awareness, which contribute to an understanding of issues related to power, ethics, and values.

·??????? Persuasion—in contrast to?authoritarian leadership, a reliance on convincing others based on the merit of arguments rather than on coercion or manipulation.?

·??????? Conceptualization—an ability to think beyond day-to-day realities and dream big.

·??????? Foresight—efforts to “understand lessons from the past, the realities of the present, and the likely consequence of a decision for the future.”

·??????? Stewardship—behaving with the understanding that one has been entrusted with running the organization for the greater good of society.

·??????? Commitment to the growth of people—the belief “that people have an intrinsic value beyond their intangible contributions as workers” leads to a strong commitment to “the growth of each individual.”?

·??????? Building community—a desire to create true community within the organization and other institutions.?

Long Form Comedy (Improv)

Improvisational classes are often recommended for leadership training. It is not about being funny. Improv fundamentally trains in many of the servant leadership characteristics listed above. There are no hard rules as to the content, but there are very common principles that improvisers use which can apply to leadership.

1.???? Say Yes/Agree?— This is the famous “yes and” rule. Instead of looking for conflict or huge surprises, you first look for agreement. You don’t have to agree with every statement, but it is a useful tool to steer or manage conversations by going with the statements and building upon them.

2.?? Commit?— Be committed to the team, the goal. This will often mean selfless acts and finding the purpose of the goal. Nothing difficult will be achieved without an equal level of commitment.

3.??? Notice Unusual Things?— Something unusual will happen. It always does. Make sure you notice it — either by being in favor of it, or baffled by it. This will lead to paths that are not immediately visible at surface level.

4.?? Make Others Look Good – Do not take the spotlight, share it with others. A great way to get others to also commit and be involved is to make sure they are also key players.

5.??? Have Fun – Have the serenity to accept the things you cannot change,?the courage to change the things you can,?and the wisdom to know the difference. Have fun in the process.

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Action Items

1.????? Focus on empowering others and teaching others

2.????? Learn the fundamentals of servant leadership

3.????? (Optional) Take improv classes