Discovering the Facets of Servant Leadership: Types, Traits, and Principles

The primary objective of leaders who practice servant leadership is to serve the people, as demonstrated by notable figures such as Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa and Albert Schweitzer.

This post will uncover everything about servant leadership and why it is considered highly effective. So, let us get started-

What is Servant Leadership?         

The servant leader is someone who puts the needs and growth of their team before their own personal agenda. They prioritize the well-being and advancement of their team members above their own ambitions or interests.

The team’s success as a whole and its well-being are what such a leader considers as their success. It is the type of leadership where people always come before power.

What are the Servant Leadership Qualities?

The 6 key qualities of Servant Leadership are

Strong decision-making skills

Emotional intelligence

A sense of community

Self-awareness

Foresight

Commitment to others

What are the Principles of Servant Leadership?

There are 10 principles upon which servant leadership is based-

1. Listening

Listening is an essential quality that a servant leader should cultivate.

Listening to the concerns and ideas of each team member is crucial to building a sense of value and importance among everyone. This approach not only promotes idea-sharing but also encourages open communication with the leader. Effective communication is a critical component of any team's success, and creating an environment where everyone's voice is heard is a great place to start.

2. Empathy

It is another quality that needs to be developed by a servant leader.

Understanding your team is a crucial aspect of empathy in leadership. As a servant leader, it is essential to make a conscious effort to know each team member and their current circumstances. This understanding allows the leader to identify individual strengths and weaknesses, handle team members effectively, and make informed decisions about their growth and development.

3. Healing

It means extending metal and physical support to the members of the team.

The team leader has the crucial responsibility of providing the team with the essential tools, guidance, resources, and infrastructure to carry out their tasks effectively and efficiently. In addition, it is the leader's duty to create a safe and positive work environment for the team to flourish.

is Key to Being a Successful Servant Leader

As a servant leader, it is crucial to have self-awareness. By understanding your strengths, weaknesses, and the impact you have on others, you can better serve your team and create a positive work environment. It is important to continuously reflect on your actions and adjust accordingly to ensure that you are leading in the most effective way possible. When you lead with self-awareness, you can foster a culture of growth and success for both yourself and your team.

Having a thorough self-awareness is a crucial trait for a servant leader. By comprehending your attitudes, emotions, feelings, and actions, you can gain insight into how they impact those in your circle. Identifying your strengths and limitations and making efforts to improve your shortcomings is not only necessary for personal growth but also for effective leadership.

and effective communication skills can also play a crucial role in managing negative emotions. By clearly expressing your thoughts and feelings, you can prevent misunderstandings and conflicts within your team.

6. Additionally, practicing mindfulness and self-reflection can aid in managing negative emotions. Taking a step back to evaluate your emotions and thought processes can help you gain control and respond in a more constructive manner.

7. It is important to remember that managing negative emotions is a continuous process, and requires ongoing effort and commitment. However, by prioritizing this skill, you can create a more positive and productive work environment for yourself and your team.

Effective servant leaders rely on persuasion rather than authority to accomplish tasks. This leadership approach involves encouraging individuals to improve by persuading and supporting them to overcome challenges they may believe are insurmountable. By prioritizing persuasion over command, servant leaders foster a collaborative and empowering work environment.

of ideas is another important aspect of building expert power. As an expert in your field, you should be able to generate new and innovative ideas that can push your team and organization forward. This can help establish your credibility and position as a thought leader, further enhancing your expert power.

As a leader, it's crucial to maintain a clear perspective on the big picture while also staying attuned to the daily operations of your team. To keep your team motivated and engaged, establish long-term objectives that are aligned with the organization's overarching goals. Celebrate each achievement along the way, recognizing that each step forward brings your team closer to achieving its ultimate objective.

It should be clear to the people how each one’s ultimate destiny rests with the entire team’s success and how its success is linked to its growth and goals.

7. Foresight

A servant leader must possess the quality of foresight. This entails the ability to anticipate future events based on past experiences, accurately identifying current situations and making informed decisions based on prior knowledge.

Make a decision only after considering the decision from all the possible angles and going through all the possible consequences a few times over.

8. Stewardship

A true leader doesn't point fingers when the team falls short. Instead, they stand by their team and take ownership of any missteps. They understand that they are responsible for the success of the team and ensure that every member is supported and valued. A leader holds themselves accountable for the contributions and performance of each individual in the team.

The leader must have a clear stance on what behaviors and actions are acceptable and what are not. This message should be conveyed to the team through the leader's actions. To begin, the leader should exemplify the values and principles they wish the team to uphold, including a commitment to the growth and development of individuals within the team.

A leader should prioritize the overall development and happiness of their team members, catering to both their professional and personal needs. This involves taking the time to understand each individual's unique requirements and offering the appropriate support and training to enable them to excel in their roles.

Giving them responsibilities or projects that put them on the track to their personal goals also might help.

10. Building Community

Encouraging interaction between individuals across the organization through various means such as organizing social events and fostering a workplace culture that promotes intermingling can significantly contribute towards building a stronger sense of community.

Identifying the traits of a servant Leader

A servant leader's traits can be categorized primarily based on their behavior. Their distinguishing quality from other leaders who gain power through coercion is their attitude of gratitude and commitment towards serving the team.

1. Personal traits 

One of the essential tools in a servant leader’s kit is self-awareness. This accounts for their sense of presence to the situation, mindfulness as well as authenticity.

A servant leader's distinguishing trait is their approach towards their team - valuing them as individuals before employees. Their humility and empathy towards their staff sets them apart from others. As role models, servant leaders prioritize integrity as an essential virtue in their character.

Servant leaders are born with the idea of result-oriented behavior. Visualize the goal. That acts as a motivation for them to work hard.

2. Acquired traits

A servant leader not only exhibits compassion through inherited traits, but also acquires various other traits during their training. One such valuable trait is flexibility, which enables them to view the bigger picture and be accommodating of their team's mistakes. Some leaders may acquire this trait more efficiently than others, giving their servitude an acquired character.

Having exceptional communication skills is a crucial trait of a servant leader. It involves effectively balancing active listening and respectfully expressing your own ideas without being forceful.

While a servant leader may not hold authority from conventional means, their aptitude to positively influence and unify their team while prioritizing their needs over their own is what sets them apart.

A crucial asset gained during the training period for a servant leader is intellectual authority. This encompasses the skill to swiftly and effectively resolve issues in constantly changing circumstances. For further insight, check out this video on Servant Leadership.

Servant leadership in action

is necessary to adopt a servant leadership approach. The focus must be on the team’s well-being and growth rather than just personal achievements.

2. Servant leaders prioritize listening and understanding their team members’ needs, concerns, and ideas. This helps in building trust and fostering a positive work environment.

3. They lead by example and are willing to roll up their sleeves to help their team members when needed. This displays a sense of humility and creates a sense of unity within the team.

4. A servant leader encourages their team members to take ownership and responsibility for their work. This fosters a sense of accountability and helps in achieving better results.

5. Servant leaders are committed to developing their team members’ skills and abilities. This helps in creating a learning culture and promoting professional growth.

6. They prioritize serving their customers and stakeholders, and understand that their team’s success is directly linked to the satisfaction of their customers.

7. Servant leaders are committed to ethical and moral values, and prioritize integrity in all their actions. This helps in building a culture of trust and respect within the team.

Overall, servant leadership is about prioritizing the well-being and growth of the team, while also serving the organization’s goals and values. It demands a high level of empathy, humility, and commitment, but it can lead to a more positive work environment and better results in the long run.

Dan Bolton, the leader of Riskalyze, put forward how Servant Leadership brings forth the ‘us’ feeling for teammates.

2. Servant leaders instill dutifulness in employees

Ketan Kapoor, the Mettl platform leader, believes that servant leaders induce a sense of duty in the working staff.

3. Servant leaders develop leaders, not followers 

The leader of Remote COO, Kamyar Shah, pointed out that servant leader births dynamic copy of themselves, and they are ready to take on the world with servitude.

Examples of Servant Leadership 

1. Martin Luther King, Jr.

As a leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the US, he paved the path of equality in society. He had a humble and serving perspective in his leadership.

2. Nelson Mandela

As a humble servant with a passion for the people, Mandela also led people in a manner that everyone could enjoy equality.

3. Mahatma Gandhi

Leadership is not just about holding a position of power, it's about serving others and making a positive impact in their lives. Mahatma Gandhi was a prime example of a servant leader who believed in leading through serving others. His peaceful protests and use of logical discourse inspired others to follow his lead and make a change in their society. Servant leadership is an important trait that all leaders should strive to possess in order to make a meaningful impact on the world.

A servant leader prioritizes the needs and growth of their team over their own personal gain. Their focus is on serving and supporting their team, rather than seeking to be served. Servant leadership involves working alongside the team and leading by example, rather than simply giving orders from a position of authority.

A servant leader prioritizes the growth of every team member, including their own, by viewing themselves as a member of the team rather than just the leader. How effective do you believe this leadership approach is?

Do you also have some other examples of servant leaders? Feel free to share in the comments below.

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