4 Needed Strengths In Servant Leadership
If You Want To Use Servant Leadership, You Need To Gain These 4 Strengths
Servant leadership dates back to the bible. However in the 1970′s Robert Greenleaf sparked interest in the fact that leaders should serve those they lead. Servant Leadership is basic on paper, but yet deep and profound once you start looking into what the components are of it. Some criticize servant leadership for just being another buzz word that people are drawn to. They also criticize the actual usefulness of servant leadership and if leaders should actually be servants of those they lead. I have a firm opinion on servant leadership which I will get to in this post. Keep reading to know the vital four strengths to develop for servant leadership and whether I think it is just a buzz word or an actual practice all leaders need to adopt.
The Four Strengths Needed For Servant Leadership
Before I get into what the four needed strengths of servant leadership I want to say that whenever you lead others you need to have strong ethics. Without strong ethics, credibility, integrity, and so on the chances are high that a person who does not have any of those traits will cast large shadows that will impact those they lead. If a leader leads with servant leadership then they are by definition putting the needs of others before their own needs. Greenleaf is quoted as saying “Do those served grow as persons?” ”Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely to become servants?” It is a good quote to ponder. Leaders need to be judged on more than hitting budget and increasing sales and/or market share. If you look at the whole picture which is both the business side and whether those being lead actually do become wiser, healthier, and so it elevates the responsibilities of leadership much more. Now let’s get into the 4 strengths that make up servant leadership.
Strength #1 – Self Awareness
Any leader needs to have a strong sense of self awareness, this to me is a non-negotiable. If a leader lacks self awareness there is no way in my opinion that they can effectively lead others to thrive. This is even more heightened when you look at self awareness through the lens of servant leadership. Servant leaders need to take the time to listen not only to themselves but to others as well. They must take the time to peel the layers back of their character and know who they are and what they stand for.
Strength #2 – Morals
Morals tie in heavily with self awareness. Any leader needs to have morals and a strong sense of ethics. The morals and values that one possess should drive their actions and how they lead. Without morals and self awareness leadership becomes the wild west with anything goes.
Strength #3 – Concern For Others
Servant leadership is about putting the needs of others before yourself. So if you have no concern for others well being over your own well being how can you be a servant leader? The answer is you can’t. If you want to take servant leadership seriously you must first have concern for the needs of those that you lead with a servants heart. A great example of this is the amazing organization World Vision. They advocate and serve the poorest of the poor. The needs of the “least of these” comes above the needs of each person who works there.
Strength #4 – Simplicity
The goal of servant leadership is to serve others. That should be the main shared vision for all of the people doing it. By keeping it simple you can always navigate back to the shared vision or goal which would be to serve others. To serve others is a bit broad, as a leader you should narrow it down to serve inner city youth, or ending preventable diseases for the poor. Keep the aim simple and focused.
Closing Thoughts On Servant Leadership
Skeptics of servant leadership often say that it will not work because you will be walked all over. In a cutthroat business there is no room for servant leadership. I get it and it would be hard to be a servant leader in a cutthroat business. But why is it cutthroat in the first place? I think that servant leadership is a bit of a buzz word but that does not outweigh the benefits of servant leadership. Servant leadership from my perspective should be a focus for all leaders. Leaders need to lead but they can’t get to where they want to go by themselves, they can get close but not all the way there. Servant leadership opens the doors of trust, creates a culture of helping others and keeping the goal pointed at that. It can be hard to always be a servant leader and it is for those that utilize it each day. The best way I can sum up servant leadership is being a parent. You put the needs of your children above your own and do whatever it takes to protect them, advocate for them, keep them in line, and so on. Servant leadership is not just a buzz word but a way to lead that will enrich those being lead. Isn’t that what it is all about, enriching the lives of other people? Servant leadership is a great way to do that.
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James, my new book The Journey To Competitive Advantage Through Servant Leadership was released on 11-28-11 by Westbow a divison of Thomas Nelson Publishing.My web site will give you some insight into the message of the book and my background. Right now my book is #30 in sales out of 4300 servant leadership books sold on Amazon.Book comes in paperback, hardback and all e-book formats I would love to have you read the book and give your opinion ans a mention on your site. Let me know if that is possbile. Take care and may God bless you in a mighty way in 2012.
http://www.servanleaders.org
http://www.flintpartners.com
Bill:
Thanks for the comment, I will be reviewing your book over the next couple weeks. Looking forward to it.
James
To the point and true; thanks for sharing
Thanks for the feedback Richard, much appreciated
James
Keeping it simple is so important to remember. The church I use to attend always said, small acts of kindness(serving) will change the world. Leader’s need to be intentional about serving the people around them in both small and big ways.
I couldn’t agree more Dan. Thanks for another great comment.
James
Self-Awareness is huge. One of the biggest strengths of all the leaders I love and respect is the ability to see themselves as they are and not as they want to be seen…it requires a level of humility that is hard to find. Great post!
Great comment Benjer, very well said
James