Servant Leader

“The servant-leader is servant first, it begins with a natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first, as opposed to, wanting power, influence, fame, or wealth.”- by Robert K. Greenleaf.

A leadership style known as servant leadership has been becoming more prevalent in recent years. It is predicated on the notion that leaders exist to serve their followers, not the other way around. Robert Greenleaf first proposed the idea of servant leadership in 1970, and it has since gained popularity as an alternative to conventional, top-down leadership approaches.

Serving others' needs before one's own is at the heart of servant leadership. A servant leader puts their team's well-being first and works to foster a productive workplace where each person can flourish. They pay attention to their followers' wants and worries, comprehend them, and try to meet them. A more collaborative and empowering work atmosphere where everyone feels respected and heard is produced by this leadership style.

Empathy is one of the main tenets of servant leadership. Servant leaders must have the capacity to put themselves in the position of their followers to comprehend their viewpoints and experiences. Through developing rapport and trust with their team, the leader can generate a sense of teamwork and collaboration. A leader may inspire and encourage their team to work together toward a similar goal when they show genuine empathy and concern for their followers.

Mentorship is a crucial component of servant leadership. Servant leader invests time in their team members' growth and development, enabling them to flourish and realize their full potential. This kind of leadership fosters a positive work environment where people feel free to be themselves and take risks without worrying about failing. Employees are more likely to be productive and motivated when they feel supported, which improves outcomes for the company as a whole.

Servant leadership has advantages for both the leader and the followers, in addition to the followers. Leaders frequently discover that they can develop a stronger feeling of fulfillment and purpose when they focus on serving others. Furthermore, servant leaders frequently say that their staff is more devoted and loyal, which can result in better performance and a more calm workplace.

In conclusion, servant leadership is a type of leadership that puts a high value on collaboration, empathy and mentoring for the benefit of the followers. It has been demonstrated that this style of leadership fosters a supportive, motivating, and respected workplace environment. Servant leaders inspire and empower their followers by prioritizing the needs of others, which improves outcomes for the team and the organization as a whole.

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Reference:

Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. “What Is Servant Leadership?” Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, 2021, www.greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/.