Servant leadership.
Published in:Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2022,Research Starters
By:Mazzei, Michael
Servant leadership is a term used to describe a philosophy and a series of practices based on the
concept of the servant-leader, who focuses on being a servant first. Servant leadership
emphasizes the needs of others. For example, servant-leaders in an organization seek to support
their team members.
Pontius Pilate, seated, foreground, interviews Jesus Christ. Library of CongressPortrait of Lao
Zi (Lao Tzu) See page for author [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Robert K. Greenleaf coined the terms servant leadership and servant-leader in an essay published
in 1970. In the essay, Greenleaf introduced the modern world to the concept of servant
leadership. Many others followed Greenleaf's example and became advocates of servant
leadership, including Larry C. Spears, who wrote an essay in which he developed ten
characteristics of the servant-leader.
About Robert K. Greenleaf
Although the notion of servant leadership has been around since ancient times, Robert K.
Greenleaf was the first person in the modern era to articulate the concept. Born in 1904 in Terre
Haute, Indiana, Greenleaf attended Rose Polytechnic before transferring to Carleton College,
where he graduated with a mathematics degree. He soon began working for AT&T and quickly
moved up the ranks. Greenleaf was involved with the company's first management training
program and eventually became director of management development. He retired in 1964 after
thirty-eight years with the company.
The same year he retired, Greenleaf founded the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.
Originally called the Center for Applied Ethics, the center is an international nonprofit
organization that focuses on advancing servant leadership through programs, workshops, and
online learning. The center also hosts an annual conference that brings together servant-leaders
from across the globe.
Besides founding the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, Greenleaf also worked as an
author, educator, and consultant. In 1970, he published an essay titled "The Servant as Leader,"
in which he discussed servant leadership and the servant-leader. Specifically, Greenleaf
explained the skills that servant-leaders must possess. Greenleaf's essay was published in the
1976 book Servant Leadership . Today, Greenleaf's work continues to influence disciplines such
as management , organizational development, and systems thinking . Greenleaf died in 1990.
Fundamentals of Servant Leadership
Greenleaf believed that servant-leaders are most concerned with serving people first. Servant-
first leaders are the opposite of leader-first leaders, who are more focused on power and material
wealth. By having the desire to serve first, servant-leaders place the needs of others before their
own needs. In an organization, this means that servant-leaders strive to help team members
perform at optimal levels. Servant-leaders will also ensure the well-being of team members and
assist in their personal and professional development. Additionally, servant-leaders are typically
excellent communicators. They have good awareness and perception, and they stay focused on
goals. Ultimately, Greenleaf felt that such leadership could lead to better organizations and
improve people's lives.
Ten Characteristics of Servant-Leaders
After Greenleaf brought the concept of servant leadership into the modern era, other people soon
became advocates of the concept. Larry C. Spears is a proponent of servant leadership. A former
president of the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, Spears believes that servant-leaders
possess ten essential characteristics. He developed these characteristics in a 2010 essay titled
"Character and Servant Leadership: Ten Characteristics of Effective, Caring Leaders." The ten
characteristics are as follows:
Listening—servant-leaders should listen closely to team members without interrupting
them. They should also provide feedback after the team members have finished
speaking.
Empathy—having an open mind and understanding the perspectives and needs of team
members are vital characteristics of servant-leaders.
Healing—servant-leaders should strive to create environments that support the physical
and mental health of team members by ensuring that they have the knowledge and tools
necessary to work effectively.
Self-Awareness—servant-leaders should be able to reflect on their feelings and actions.
This reflection forces servant-leaders to realize their strengths and weaknesses and to
think about how their behavior affects others.
Persuasion—servant-leaders should try to use persuasion to get team members to take
action and lend their support. However, this should not be done in a way that is harmful
to working relationships.
Conceptualization—servant-leaders should strive to see the big picture and set goalsthat
are high, which can include developing strategies for their teams.
Foresight—the ability to determine what might happen in the future is an important tool
for servant-leaders. They can develop foresight by learning from the past, analyzing the
present, and ascertaining the potential outcome of their decisions.
Stewardship—servant-leaders must be accountable for their teams, which includes taking
responsibility for their team members' performances.
Commitment to the Growth of People—team members should be given the opportunity to
grow both professionally and personally. Servant-leaders should be committed to
ensuring this growth by providing team members with occasions to acquire new skills
and helping them achieve their goals.
Building Community—a sense of community is important in any organization. Servant-
leaders can build this community by encouraging interaction among team members
throughout the organization.
Studies have found servant leadership to be a particularly effective and productive form of
leadership. Research led by Adam Grant on servant leadership found that those who utilize
servant leadership are better regarded by employees and that by putting others first, servant
leaders can gain more insight about the organization they run and therefore run it more
effectively. Servant leadership is a concept popular in Christian organizations, but is not widely
used among executive leaders in twenty-first century America.
APA Citation for this Article:
(Mazzei, 2022)
Mazzei, M. (2022). Servant leadership. Salem Press Encyclopedia.
