Are you wondering why would I want to lead as though I’m a servant? If so, I’ve got some big and important things to share with you, namely servant leadership characteristics! Servant leadership can be a necessary change in your organization, team, or family because it is built on love. When you’re ready to become a servant leader, be sure you understand the details of the framework to enact vital characteristics in your organization.
What is Servant Leadership?
A title developed by Robert K. Greenleaf, Servant Leadership aims to build up the people of an organization or group by putting emphasis on the needs of others. This style of leadership is not hierarchical or traditional in its views of leadership. In fact, despite some of the most historically famous leaders displaying servant leadership, very few people utilize it today.
If you’ve spent any time in the New Testament of the Bible, you would likely determine the most famous servant leader: Jesus Christ. Whether you believe in the Bible or not, the stories of Jesus’s acts and leadership is tantamount to true servant leadership. Other well known servant leaders include Abe Lincoln, Gandhi, Mother Theresa, and Nelson Mandela.
These are leaders that emulate what it means to serve while in a position of leadership. It does not mean these leaders roll over and let others use them as a doormat; instead, leaders should do what they can to provide for the needs of others. While the reason behind this leadership style should not be the benefits that can be reaped, there are advantages to implementing it in any organization.
How is this Leadership Style Advantageous?
A vast number of benefits stem from servant leadership. When it comes to your organization, team, or other groups, this uncommon style can lead to massive wins. In fact, the following advantages of servant leadership are just the beginning.
Improved Teamwork
Did you know that teamwork is attributed to the component that lifts organizations over the competition? For a more respectful, goal oriented, cohesive unit, teamwork is essential. By improving teamwork, your organization could experience better productivity rates than ever before, fantastic communication resulting in fewer mistakes, and increased sales or profits. Improving teamwork is always something to strive for – and servant leadership can help you get there.
Build Long-Term Teams
High turnover can be a costly expense in any industry. How much does your organization spend training or onboarding new employees only to lose them a few months to a year later? Turnover is a problem that should be attacked – starting with leadership. Forbes identified problems with leadership as a common concern for turnover rates. However, implementing a servant leadership style can aid in retaining employees for the long term.
Inspires Growth
Growth is vital to organizations and people alike. Imagine working in the same job with the same level of skills for the entirety of your career – no growth, no innovation, no change. Sounds boring! It’s also a good way to burn out. Instead of remaining stagnant, the right kind of leadership can inspire people to grow personally and professionally. In turn, the organization will grow and expand with the newfound knowledge and skills developed by the team.
Positive Culture and Environment
A servant leadership style creates a servant-based culture. A culture where the leader is willing to serve the most entry level positions on a regular basis is the kind of culture that thrives on helping one another. One person will not have to struggle to get ahead when the whole team serves one another. Servant leadership inspires others to serve, too. What an impact that can have on culture and work environment!
Which Servant Leadership Characteristics are Most Vital?
While there are many characteristics of a servant leader, there are seven that are critical. The seven servant leadership characteristics include:
- A High EQ
- Ability to Inspire
- Long-Distance Vision
- Willingness to Take Responsibility
- Desire to Develop People
- Culture Building
- Understanding the Value of People
These seven characteristics have various reasons for their importance. Let’s dig into it now.
1. A High EQ
If you read it as IQ, check again! This is EQ, which stands for emotional quotient. For those who aren’t quite sure what that means, EQ is essentially an individual’s emotional intelligence level. What does a high EQ consist of? Five qualities, in particular, indicate a high EQ: exceptional listeners, consistently honest, open-mindedness, willingness to apologize, and an ability to take criticism with grace.
2. Ability to Inspire
Inspiring others is a complex and learned skill. Servant leaders must inspire their teams to reach new heights. They achieve this in a number of ways, including doing the hard jobs right alongside the team members. Leaders may also express sincere thanks to employees, share the passion that drives the vision, and build up those around them.
3. Long Distance Vision
As a general rule, leaders have a vision of where the organization is going. In servant leadership, a long-distance vision is necessary to see past the current and potential problems, how those issues were resolved, and the team that carries the organization through. With this kind of vision, leaders must know the organization and its people deeply.
4. Willingness to Take Responsibility
Have you ever had a leader that refused to take responsibility for his or her failures? It was always someone or something else’s fault. A servant leader does not fit this mold. Instead, a servant leader is willing to take responsibility by admitting to faults, apologizing for doing wrong, and utilizing any failures to learn and move forward. This kind of leader also displays to others that it is okay to make mistakes.
5. Desire to Develop People
Great leaders make leaders. Servant leaders make leaders by investing in their people. Servant leaders must spend one on one time developing those on the team so that they can become great leaders, too. They serve their people in a way that requires time, effort, and mentorship. This is a servant leader.
6. Culture Building
A servant leader cannot thrive in a culture of hostility or where things are valued over people. Building a culture that encapsulates kindness and love can be a challenge, especially in large organizations. However, the ability and desire to build such a culture is one that a servant leader must have.
7. Understand the Value of People
People are people, even when they are at work, playing a serious sport, or volunteering their time for a non-profit. Treating people as though they hold no value aside from what they can do for you is a mistake. People will thrive, given the chance, so always think about the golden rule: treat others how you want to be treated…and then let them know how much you value them.
Why Encourage and Model Servant Leadership?
You might be thinking, servant leadership sounds like a lot of work. I won’t lie to you – it is. On top of doing your job, you would also have to spend time with employees or others on the team. It can be a time-consuming process. Nonetheless, the impact on an organization is undeniable. Servant leadership is a great way to benefit more than just your organization. It serves to benefit all people.
Servant Leadership Examples
What can you do in your organization or team to be a servant leader? Putting servant leadership characteristics into practice is a vital component of achieving its success. Here are just a few examples of servant leadership actions that you could take to get started:
- Hold the elevator door for a co-worker running behind
- Own up to your mistakes publicly
- Write a thank you note for a job well done
- Spend some one-on-one time developing an employee’s skillset
- Listen to a co-worker’s stories about the weekend with joy
- Buy coffees for the group
Think about ways you can serve your people today. Just a small step can get you moving in the right direction!