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Servant leadership is a philosophy and set of practices that enriches the lives of

individuals, builds better organizations and ultimately creates a more just and caring world.
While servant leadership is a timeless concept, the phrase servant leadership was coined
by Robert K. Greenleaf in The Servant as Leader, an essay that he first published in 1970.

The servant-leader is servant first It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to
serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is
sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an
unusual power drive or to acquire material possessionsThe leader-first and the servantfirst are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of
the infinite variety of human nature.
The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other
peoples highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and difficult to administer,
is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser,
freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?And, what is the effect
on the least privileged in society? Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?
A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the
communities to which they belong. While traditional leadership generally involves the
accumulation and exercise of power by one at the top of the pyramid, servant leadership
is different. The servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people
develop and perform as highly as possible.
Robert Greenleaf recognized that organizations as well as individuals could be servantleaders. Indeed, he had great faith that servant-leader organizations could change the world.
In his second major essay, The Institution as Servant, Greenleaf articulated what is often
called the credo. There he said:
This is my thesis: caring for persons, the more able and the less able serving each other, is
the rock upon which a good society is built. Whereas, until recently, caring was largely
person to person, now most of it is mediated through institutions often large, complex,
powerful, impersonal; not always competent; sometimes corrupt. If a better society is to be
built, one that is more just and more loving, one that provides greater creative opportunity
for its people, then the most open course is to raise both the capacity to serve and the very
performance as servant of existing major institutions by new regenerative forces operating
within them. https://greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/

Ten Principles of Servant Leadership


By Robert Greenleaf

1. Listening - Traditionally, leaders have been valued for their communication and
decision making skills. Servant-leaders must reinforce these important skills by
making a deep commitment to listening intently to others. Servant-leaders seek to
identify and clarify the will of a group. They seek to listen receptively to what is being
said (and not said). Listening also encompasses getting in touch with one's inner
voice, and seeking to understand what one's body, spirit, and mind are
communicating.
2. Empathy - Servant-leaders strive to understand and empathize with others. People
need to be accepted and recognized for their special and unique spirit. One must
assume the good intentions of coworkers and not reject them as people, even when
forced to reject their behavior or performance.
3. Healing - Learning to heal is a powerful force for transformation and integration. One
of the great strengths of servant-leadership is the potential for healing one's self and
others. In "The Servant as Leader", Greenleaf writes, "There is something subtle
communicated to one who is being served and led if, implicit in the compact between
the servant-leader and led is the understanding that the search for wholeness is
something that they have."
4. Awareness - General awareness, and especially self-awareness, strengthens the
servant-leader. Making a commitment to foster awareness can be scary--one never
knows that one may discover! As Greenleaf observed, "Awareness is not a giver of
solace - it's just the opposite. It disturbed. They are not seekers of solace. They have
their own inner security."
5. Persuasion - Servant-leaders rely on persuasion, rather than positional authority in
making decisions. Servant-leaders seek to convince others, rather than coerce
compliance. This particular element offers one of the clearest distinctions between
the traditional authoritarian model and that of servant-leadership. The servant-leader
is effective at building consensus within groups.
6. Conceptualization - Servant-leaders seek to nurture their abilities to "dream great
dreams." The ability to look at a problem (or an organization) from a conceptualizing
perspective means that one must think beyond day-to-day realities. Servant-leaders
must seek a delicate balance between conceptualization and day-to-day focus.
7. Foresight - Foresight is a characteristic that enables servant-leaders to understand
lessons from the past, the realities of the present, and the likely consequence of a
decision in the future. It is deeply rooted in the intuitive mind.
8. Stewardship - Robert Greenleaf's view of all institutions was one in which CEO's,
staff, directors, and trustees all play significance roles in holding their institutions in
trust for the great good of society.
9. Commitment to the Growth of People - Servant-leaders believe that people have
an intrinsic value beyond their tangible contributions as workers. As such, servantleaders are deeply committed to a personal, professional, and spiritual growth of
each and every individual within the organization.

10. Building Community - Servant-leaders are aware that the shift from local

communities to large institutions as the primary shaper of human lives has changed
our perceptions and has caused a feeling of loss. Servant-leaders seek to identify a
means for building community among those who work within a given institution.
http://www.butler.edu/volunteer/resources/principles-of-servant-leadership/

At first blush, you may think a servant leader literally takes on the role of a servant. Taken to
an extreme, that definition would look like this:
As you pull into work, the leader meets you at your car, opens your door, and welcomes you
to the office. Maybe the leader gets you coffee mid-morning and drops by in the afternoon
to see if you need anything. When you need assistance on a project, or maybe just
someone to do the grunt work, there your leader is, waiting for you.
No, that isnt servant leadership.
Servant leadership is a blend and balance between leader and servant. You dont lose
leadership qualities when becoming a servant leader.
A servant leader is one who:
1. Values diverse opinions.
A servant leader values everyones contributions and regularly seeks out opinions. If you
must parrot back the leaders opinion, you are not in a servant-led organization.
2. Cultivates a culture of trust.
People dont meet at the water cooler to gossip. Pocket vetoes are rejected.
3. Develops other leaders.
The replication factor is so important. It means teaching others to lead, providing
opportunities for growth and demonstrating by example. That means the leader is not
always leading, but instead giving up power and deputizing others to lead.
4. Helps people with life issues (not just work issues).
Its important to offer opportunities for personal development beyond the job. Lets say you
run a company program to lose weight, or lower personal debt, or a class on etiquette.
None of these may help an immediate corporate need, but each may be important.
5. Encourages.
The hallmark of a servant leader is encouragement. And a true servant leader says,
Lets go do it, not, You go do it.
6. Sells instead of tells.

A servant leader is the opposite of a dictator. Its a style all about persuading, not
commanding.
7. Thinks you, not me.
Theres a selfless quality about a servant leader. Someone who is thinking only, How does
this benefit me? is disqualified.
8. Thinks long-term.
A servant leader is thinking about the next generation, the next leader, the next opportunity.
That means a tradeoff between whats important today versus tomorrow, and making
choices to benefit the future.
9. Acts with humility.
The leader doesnt wear a title as a way to show whos in charge, doesnt think hes better
than everyone else, and acts in a way to care for others. She may, in fact, pick up the trash
or clean up a table. Setting an example of service, the servant leader understands that it is
not about the leader, but about others. http://www.skipprichard.com/9-qualities-of-theservant-leader/
Self serving leaders are usually self serving way before they become leaders and you can
definitely find servant leaders serving way before they are leading. Now, that doesnt mean
that a self serving person cant learn to become a person that values serving others over
themselves. Also, that doesnt mean a servant leader cant have moments of being a self
serving leader. As a leader, you have a choice to either serve others or yourself and if we
are not proactive in checking our motives concerning the things we do and the decisions we
make, those who are servant leaders or those who are pursuing servant leadership
can easily have moments of being self serving. There are a number of self serving leaders
in the bible. There are also leaders in the bible who had a heart for serving the people but
allowed unchecked motives to run wild and ended up having moments of being self serving.
King David of the bible, slept with another mans wife and got her pregnant and then had
him strategically killed to cover up what he had done (2 Samuel 11:1-27). Now, maybe
youve never done anything that bad but I can easily look to times when I was definitely
being self serving. We must remember that God places no value on sin. God views it all the
same. Theres an old saying that Ive seen proven true over time: If a person will lie, they
will cheat and if they will cheat, they will steal . Sin, as well as being self serving, is
progressive and leads to destruction (James 1:14-15). http://yoacblog.com/?p=1504
What chance gathers she easily scatters. A great person attracts great people and knows
how to hold them together.
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
Go to the people. Learn from them. Live with them. Start with what they know. Build with
what they have. The best of leaders when the job is done, when the task is accomplished,
the people will say we have done it ourselves.
Lao Tzu

The greater a man is in power above others, the more he ought to excel them in virtue.
None ought to govern who is not better than the governed.
Publilius Syrus
The very essence of leadership is its purpose. And the purpose of leadership is to accomplish
a task. That is what leadership doesand what it does is more important than what it is or
how it works.
~Colonel Dandridge M. Malone
To lead people, walk beside them ... As for the best leaders, the people do not notice
their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise. The next, the people fear;
and the next, the people hate ... When the best leader's work is done the people say,
'We did it ourselves!'" Lao-tsu

"Control is not leadership; management is not leadership; leadership is leadership. If


you seek to lead, invest at least 50% of your time in leading yourselfyour own
purpose, ethics, principles, motivation, conduct. Invest at least 20% leading those with
authority over you and 15% leading your peers."
Dee Hock
"Leadership must be based on goodwill. Goodwill does not mean posturing and, least of
all, pandering to the mob. It means obvious and wholehearted commitment to helping
followers. We are tired of leaders we fear, tired of leaders we love, and of tired of
leaders who let us take liberties with them. What we need for leaders are men of the
heart who are so helpful that they, in effect, do away with the need of their jobs. But
leaders like that are never out of a job, never out of followers. Strange as it sounds,
great leaders gain authority by giving it away."
Admiral James B. Stockdale
QUALITIES OF A GOOD LEADER

Proactive vs. Reactive


The exceptional leader is always thinking three steps ahead. Working to master his/her own
environment with the goal of avoiding problems before they arise.
Flexible/Adaptable
How do you handle yourself in unexpected or uncomfortable situations? An effective leader
will adapt to new surroundings and situations, doing his/her best to adjust.
A Good Communicator
As a leader, one must listen...a lot! You must be willing to work to understand the needs and
desires of others. A good leader asks many questions, considers all options, and leads in the
right direction.
Respectful
Treating others with respect will ultimately earn respect.

Quiet Confidence
Be sure of yourself with humble intentions.
Enthusiastic
Excitement is contagious. When a leader is motivated and excited about the cause people
will be more inclined to follow.
Open-Minded
Work to consider all options when making decisions. A strong leader will evaluate the input
from all interested parties and work for the betterment of the whole.
Resourceful
Utilize the resources available to you. If you don't know the answer to something find out by
asking questions. A leader must create access to information.
Rewarding
An exceptional leader will recognize the efforts of others and reinforce those actions. We all
enjoy being recognized for our actions!
Well Educated
Knowledge is power. Work to be well educated on community policies, procedures,
organizational norms, etc. Further, your knowledge of issues and information will only
increase your success in leading others.
Open to Change
A leader will take into account all points of view and will be willing to change a policy,
program, cultural tradition that is out-dated, or no longer beneficial to the group as a whole.
Interested in Feedback
How do people feel about your leadership skill set? How can you improve? These are
important questions that a leader needs to constantly ask the chapter. View feedback as a
gift to improve.
Evaluative
Evaluation of events and programs is essential for an organization/group to improve and
progress. An exceptional leader will constantly evaluate and change programs and policies
that are not working.
Organized
Are you prepared for meetings, presentations, events and confident that people around you
are prepared and organized as well?
Consistent
Confidence and respect cannot be attained without your leadership being consistent. People
must have confidence that their opinions and thoughts will be heard and taken into
consideration.
Delegator
An exceptional leader realizes that he/she cannot accomplish everything on his own. A
leader will know the talents and interests of people around him/her, thus delegating tasks
accordingly.
Initiative

A leader should work to be the motivator, an initiator. He/she must be a key element in the
planning and implementing of new ideas, programs, policies, events, etc.
http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/leadership-qualities.html

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