Part of my plan is to provide you with ideas and concepts to better serve you in your endeavors as leaders. In my research, one of the theories that continue to intrigue me, or rather I genuinely believe in, is the theory of Servant leadership. Servant leadership refers to a leadership approach where the leader places the servant’s needs above the organization. Newman et al. (2017) argued that servant leaders invest in developing their followers. Zhang et al. (2019) referred to servant leaders’ prioritization of their follower’s needs. According to Lapointe and Vandenberghe (2018), servant leaders aim to serve their followers.
Okay, so that was a lot of he said, she said, and they believe. So let’s get down to the point. Servant leadership is simply placing your people’s needs and desires above that of the organization and yourself. A servant leader does not step into the spotlight for recognition. They place their people in the spotlight. They give credit to their people, ensuring their success. However, they must provide guidance and direction to bring their people to success.
Here is a story and a true one. I was humbled and surprised.
I arrived in my new organization stoic and unaware of the undercurrents, anger, and distrust emanating through the halls and offices. Supervisors and subordinates looked at the leadership with contempt and distaste. I was unaware of how deep the lack of trust ran through the organization. I was unaware of just how demoralized everyone had become. During my first meeting, I told everyone I was there to serve them. I was there for the sole purpose of ensuring they succeeded. I did not see the eye-rolling or the deep breaths because they had heard it before.
Trust is the bedrock of leadership. It is foundational. Trust is something earned and not easily given but easily lost. Many researchers, including Groysberg and Slind (2012) and Sobral and Furtado (2019), commonly stated that trust is necessary for relationships, particularly in leadership. However, trust is multidirectional. It is not only trusting in leadership, but leadership must have trust in subordinates.
I entered one of the offices alone for the first time, without an escort. I sat down with the manager and asked how he was doing. He proceeded to tell me the office’s statistics, the performance of each of his employees, and how they were on track to meet the monthly objectives. I sat back and listened, nodded my head every so often. I listened as he desperately tried to assure me, the new boss, that everything was fine. When he finished, I repeated my question. However, this time I emphasized “you.”
He sat quietly while I watched him and looked at him, waiting to hear his answer. Warily he began to tell me he was doing alright. I remained quiet and waited. He continued telling me about his family and the stress they felt because of his position’s responsibilities. Without further probing, he continued to describe his aspirations and the desire to succeed.
It was not until three years later did I learn the impact of that conversation. According to the supervisor, it was the first time someone had asked how he was. It was the first time someone cared enough to ask what he and his employees needed. It was the first time someone showed they cared.
The result was mutual respect and trust between the supervisor and me. His department began to produce at a higher percentage. His followers began to open up and communicate their needs. I cannot nor would I ever suggest that you should or should not be one type of leader over another. All that I can offer is there are times when as a leader, we simply need to sit back and listen. Hear what our people are saying and provide them with what they need.
