What Is a Servant Leader?

Many people think a leader is someone who commands people to do things their way. There’s another type of leader: the servant leader. The servant-leader puts the people they lead first. Instead of being a dictator, they help those beneath them succeed. Although there have always been servant leaders, Robert Greenleaf brought attention to the idea in “The Servant as Leader.”

Servant Leaders Have Distinct Qualities

Servant leaders are not like other leaders. They have certain qualities that make them stand out from traditional leaders. First, the servant leader always thinks of others when making decisions. For example, a typical manager may believe that raising their team’s output might help them get a promotion. On the other hand, servant leaders may think about helping their employees do their jobs better. Also, servant leaders usually:

• seek new opinions
• create trust
• invest in new leaders
• consider other people’s problems
• stay humble 

Being a servant leader means leading with respect, compassion, and care. Too often, many leaders are seen as only caring about themselves or the bottom-line. This model can lead to doubt and distrust. However, servant leadership builds trust because those at the bottom feel valued by those at the top.

Servant Leaders Achieve Big Goals

Many people think of servants as weak or subordinate. Servant leaders can be compelling and effective because they focus on improving those around them, building up people and organizations: employee output and business performance increase. Employees want to do better work because they feel valued and have a sense of purpose. 

Servant leadership is a mindset. Once a leader has decided to serve others first, they will start to see the benefits. Employees will work and contribute more because they feel valued. They will stay at their jobs longer, reducing turnover. They may feel healthier and happier, which will make them more productive.

While it may seem radical, servant leadership has been around for a long time. Although it may go against conventional wisdom, servant leadership can be a tool that transforms companies and other groups.