What is servant leadership? I would suspect that many people in leadership, managerial and supervisory positions have never heard of this style of leadership. The concept of servant leadership became popular when Robert K. Greenleaf published his influential essay titled “The Servant as Leader” in 1970.
He discussed the idea that leaders should be motivated by a desire to serve others and prioritize the needs and growth of their followers. Servant leaders should have a strong sense of ethics, empathy, and a commitment to the personal and professional development of their team members. They foster a collaborative environment with the intent of helping others succeed.
This is in complete opposite to autocratic leadership (bossism). This style of leadership has been around for many years. It embraces micro-management where the manager or supervisor is solely interested in telling their direct reports what to do, and when and how to do it. There is no particular interest in the personal and professional development of their employees. The primary concern is that of driving their employees to be more productive for the benefit of the organization.
This approach does not even relate to the concept of leadership. This is purely an approach that imposes authority and superiority over those that they are supervising. It is not leadership; it is “bossism.”
To be a servant leader, one must primarily be concerned about the personal and professional growth of their followers. They are still in a position of authority, but use that authority in the best interest of their followers.
In those organizations where servant leadership is practiced there is a marked improvement in employee productivity and an appreciation for being a member of such organization.
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