Leading From The Heart.

Because of its emphasis on putting others first, servant leadership has received a lot of attention in leadership studies during the last decade. Servant leadership focuses on changing the leader's persona to that of others, resulting in a leadership paradigm in which the leader is in the service of others while practicing listening, building consensus, and providing foresight. The servant leader, according to Sendjaya and Sarros (2002), operates on the premise that "I am the leader, therefore I serve," rather than "I am the leader, therefore I lead." The servant as someone who is of assistance to promote the interest of, fights for, of aids, another implies a much greater noble purpose and a sense of responsibility to others.

This leadership style goes beyond self-interest to fulfill the needs of others by assisting them in their professional and personal development. Organizations that seek to sustain a servant leadership culture may benefit from attracting leaders with empathy, integrity, and competence, these traits are vital (C. Sutton and H. Field). The heart of servant leadership is self-sacrificing love for others, regardless of what one may gain in return. J.K. Dihmar defines servant leadership as an act of will and intelligence, not the whimsy of ephemeral emotions. The leader is motivated to serve rather than be served.

When compared to other leadership styles, servant leadership has some similarities with transformational leadership but also some key contrasts. Transformational leaders are highly talented, have a clear and compelling objective, and motivate their people to achieve that mission. Nevertheless, unlike a transformational leader who focuses on corporate goals, a servant leader focuses on his or her followers (Hackman, 2002). According to Stone Gregory (2004), servant leaders do not have a special affection for an organization; rather, they have an unqualified concern for the people who make it up. The focus of a servant leader is not on the performance of followers, but on the development of their positive attitudes and actions.

Jesus Christ, the ideal servant leader Jesus exemplified servant leadership by washing his disciples' feet, curing the sick, and feeding the hungry. He put the needs of his followers ahead of his own, and he was always eager to go above and beyond to help others. God picked Moses to lead the Israelis out of Egypt's servitude. Despite several hurdles and losses, Moses remained modest and committed to his cause. He prioritized the needs of his people before his own and was prepared to lose his life for their cause. With his humility and eagerness to serve, King David displayed servant leadership to the Israelis. He put his people's needs ahead of his own and worked diligently to protect and care for them. David's leadership style inspired followers' love and devotion, as they viewed him as a selfless and caring monarch. Mother Teresa through her humble and ordinary nature, strong moral values, and dedicated service to the poor and the afflicted inspired hundreds of followers to join her order and emulate her example.

Mahatma Gandhi is one of history's most well-known instances of servant leadership. He led India to freedom by following his values of nonviolence, humility, and servant leadership. He thought that leaders should prioritize their followers' needs, and he frequently went on hunger strikes to protest injustices. Nelson Mandela was a servant leader who opposed apartheid and strove to establish a more equal and inclusive society in South Africa. He believed in the power of forgiveness, reconciliation, and servant leadership to unite people. Martin Luther King Jr. was a servant leader who battled for civil rights and equality for Black People. He believed in the power of love and nonviolence and motivated people to join his cause via his selfless leadership.

Frameworks:

Servant leaders approach leadership from a strong moral standpoint. The servant leader operates from the viewpoint that we all have a moral duty to one another and as leaders we have to both serve and lead. This leadership emphasizes trust, fairness and justice as means to achieving productive organizational citizenship behavior. The servant leader see leadership as an opportunity to serve at the ground level not to lead from the top. It’s a?leadership approach characterized by a strong service orientation and a moral spiritual emphasis.

Helping others discover their Inner Spirit: The role of the leader is to help followers discover the strength of their inner spirit and their potential to make a difference. Hence requiring servant leaders to be empathetic to the circumstances of others and they are not afraid to show their vulnerabilities. Earning and Keeping others first: Leaders earn followers’ trust by being honest and true to their word. Leaders don’t have any hidden agendas, and they?are willing to give up power, rewards?recognition and control this how they build strong working relationship with followers. Servant leadership is about leadership influence based on trust not hierarchy.

Service over self-interest : The hallmark of servant leadership is the desire to help others, rather than the desire to attain power and control over others. Doing what’s right for others takes precedence over protecting one’s position. Effective listening: Servant leaders do not impose their will on the group rather they listen carefully to the problems others are facing and then engage the group to find the best course of action. According to P.C Vargas and J. Hanlan (2007), servant leaders show love, acceptance and encouragement for their followers and very empathetic.

Nurturing :

Empathy is essential for developing this people-centered approach to leadership. Empathy is the capacity to comprehend and share the emotions of others. As a servant leader, you must put yourself in the shoes of others and sincerely listen to their viewpoints and needs. Active listening skills are required, as well as the courage to suspend your own prejudices and assumptions. Empathy entails compassion and a willingness to assist others, even if it is not immediately helpful to your own interests. Humility is the capacity to realize one's own shortcomings and flaws while being open to learning from others. As a servant leader, you must recognize that you do not have all of the solutions and be open to input and criticism. Humility also entails being willing to share one's power and authority with others rather than keeping them to oneself.

Partnership is another important component of servant leadership. Cooperation entails working with others toward a common objective rather than competing with them for personal benefit. Servant leaders promote relationships built on trust and respect, and they foster open communication and openness among team members. Collaboration also entails recognizing each team member's individual abilities and talents and harnessing those strengths to achieve common goals. Self-reflection and personal growth are key for building servant leadership qualities. Servant leaders are devoted to continuing learning and growth, and they value their own well-being and self-awareness. This may entail engaging in activities such as mindfulness, meditation, or writing, as well as receiving input from others and participating in continual professional growth.

Servant leaders generate a feeling of shared purpose and commitment that encourages engagement and motivation, cooperation, and inclusion, which may lead to more effective teamwork and better problem-solving by valuing the needs of people and building rapport based on trust and respect. Moreover, servant leaders inspire and engage others to take ownership of their job by building a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. This may result in increased productivity, higher-quality work, and greater creativity.

Servant leadership may be challenging to put into practice, especially in organizations that value short-term outcomes above long-term sustainability. Leaders may have difficulty reconciling the requirements of individuals with the expectations of shareholders, and they may find it difficult to make decisions that benefit the larger community at the price of short-term earnings. Moreover, this leadership style is viewed as weak or ineffectual, particularly in companies with hierarchical structures and power dynamics. Critics argue that managements who prioritize helping others may be perceived as indecisive or unwilling to make difficult decisions, which can lead to a lack of direction.

To sum up, servant leadership is not only a realistic but also a necessary style to leadership that helps both businesses and people. Leaders may develop a culture of trust, cooperation, and empowerment by emphasizing the needs of their team members. Despite criticism, this leadership style is an effective and proven leadership paradigm that may help firms survive in today's complicated and fast changing society. By embracing servant leadership concepts, leaders may establish stronger, more resilient teams that have a beneficial influence on the world around them.