Servant Leadership : It is about Others

Servant Leadership

An Other Centered Leadership Philosophy

In a world where modern business proclaims that good leadership teaches self- advancement at all cost, the servant leadership model stands in sharp contrast. Goals and objectives are used to measure one’s effectiveness. Self-actualization is extolled as a virtue and success is measured by the size of a leaders' following or purely in the business results alone. In contrast to such methods of advancement, the teachings of Servant Leadership bid us to humble ourselves, put others interests first and be a leader who sacrifices so that others may be advanced.

Robert Greenleaf, who is known as the father of the modern day literature on Servant Leadership says this about checking whether one is a Servant Leader or not. “The best test is: Do those served, grow as persons; do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely them selves to become servants?” In other words, a servant leader is one, who lets the “follower” become greater than the “followed”. The “apprentice” becomes more skilful than the “master”. The “student” becomes “wiser” than the teacher. Noble ideas, but are they really practical? Is this question not valid for us in the our organisation today more than ever? Who do we see grow in today’s organisations? Do we see the Leaders grow in stature, wealth, wisdom, health etc or do we really see the employees outgrow the leader? How many leaders will consciously and selflessly let the employees grow more than himself/ herself?

Which category do we belong to? I am sure all of us wish to be in the category of Servant Leaders. I am not saying that we are not compassionate, or we are not generous, or charitable, or helpful. We sure are. But the message of Servant Leadership is not in just helping some one through. The message of Servant Leadership is about consciously investing in others so that the one whom we invested in, become greater than ourselves. I am sure all of us can testify to the “help” that we provided for many people who have come into our lives. Our maids, our subordinates, Our team members, our neighbors, etc. But how many of can really say that we have done some thing that made the other person greater than ourselves? In a corporate set up, it will mean promoting my direct report to be my manager. It would mean giving my team member a salary hike that will knowingly make his/her salary more than mine. Can we do that?

Now, we have every reason to say that this is a hard ask. This is difficult to do. Yes of course, it is difficult, but certainly not impossible.

May I challenge you to take the bold step of investing in someone else today, with the clear understanding that the other person might become better, bigger, wiser, richer, healthier, wealthier, more famous than yourselves?

Come, Join the Servant Leadership Movement.