The phrase ‘ Servant Leader ‘ may appear unusual and particularly when seen in the literal sense of the two words Servant and Leader there lies an inherent contradiction. However this leadership style has a different flavour. It is about being more collaborative than solitary, more consensual than uni-lateral, more sharing than being exclusive and more giving than withholding. A servant Leader is one who is in the middle of the chaos and never at the top of the pyramid shouting down. The Servant Leader in many organisations ( some of them in the Forbes top 100 best companies to work with ) has been a mighty successful proposition and is ushering in an added dimension to Leadership.
On a deeper analysis of this Servant Leadership Style, there are a few attributes which are absolutely critical to be adopted and practised for successful results. In the fast changing world today Leaders too need to change and swiftly too.
1. Creating an atmosphere of health and security for the employees and fiercely ensuring their well being in the premises, sometimes even lending a shoulder to cry when the going is tough, is expected of a Servant Leader.
2. Continuous support and training for them so that they are ready for the rapidly changing business needs and environment, is a must . A Servant Leader has to continuously give a part of himself to train his team and develop them.
3. Giving the employees a strong purpose, ownership, flexibility and recognition and celebrating each and everyone’s success, making them feel valued in the process, is a vital component of the duties of a Servant Leader.
4. Creating a culture of trust ( not fear ), respect, sincerity and candour, thus encouraging people to have a voice. An atmosphere devoid of grudges and bad blood is essential too. A Servant Leader should learn to forgive. People make mistakes and if they realise and acknowledge them and strive to make amends, its best to move forward. It is imperative to view mistakes as instances of learning rather than bitter experiences. A bitter leader produces a bitter environment.
5. Enjoying each other’s company at work is essential for a Servant Leader. This emotion needs to be displayed so that it rubs off on the team. A happier workforce, leads to highly effective teams, happier customers and eventually astonishing results.
6. A Servant Leader has to be a passionate, transparent, consistent , reliable and at all times a courteous communicator. The employees need to know everything and therefore It is always better to have completely informed employees rather than half baked ones.
7. The fact that Leadership is not a position of privilege but that of several challenges and responsibilities requiring the Leader to do more than less, is at the heart of the Servant Leader Style. To sum it up, a Servant Leader is one for whom his people are at the core of his business philosophy, putting them ahead of Profits.
At the end of the day being a Servant Leader is about ensuring that the customers are happy and that the employees take back home much more than just…. a pay cheque.