Servantful: Significance and Actual Effects
A new paradigm has appeared – servantful leadership, in a world where, usually, leadership is often associated with power and authority. The essence of leadership changes with the appearance of such a new approach. How can such an approach affect an entire community? Discover what it means to be servantful and get to know how it affects individuals and the whole of society.
Definition of Servantfulness and Differences Between This Approach and Others
In servant leadership, the emphasis is on help for others and not on personal power. It encourages an atmosphere of coexistence and empowerment, putting the interests of followers above all.
As opposed to other approaches, leaders who practice it do not care about controlling people. Instead, they listen carefully and try to inspire cooperation between team members. Their main objective is to create loyalty and confidence between team members.
Servantful leaders are interested in creating relations, and not transactional connections which are often based on sanctions. The teams feel uplifted and more productive.
Characteristics of a Servantful Leader
These leaders are distinct in numerous aspects. Firstly, they tend to be empathic. They create meaningful ties with their team members by becoming interested in them and their backgrounds.
The third quality is attentiveness. Servantful leaders don’t hesitate to ask questions or share ideas since they want to show that they care.
Finally, they are committed to high ethical standards. All decisions they make reveal their sense of duty and integrity.
Advantages of Applying Servantful Leadership Approach
There are numerous advantages for organizations that use the servantful leadership approach. Consequently, it increases innovativeness within the team.
In addition, the executives of the organization tend to be highly involved in building strong relationships with its employees. It means that the latter feel valued in their roles and therefore have a higher tendency of staying in them.
Increased performance levels constitute another key benefit of such an approach to managing people. Employees who have control over what they do are motivated to put their best foot forward.
Finally, community involvement may be enhanced through the implementation of such a management practice. This approach goes far beyond the boundaries of the company because servant-leaders motivate their followers to get engaged.
Examples of Servantful Leaders in Real Life
Howard Schultz is one such remarkable leader, who is known to be the ex-CEO of Starbucks. Schultz focused on providing health care and education programs to the workers and kept their interests over any other factor, including profits. In this way, both staff loyalty and customer service got a boost.
Oprah Winfrey has also contributed greatly through philanthropic activities to exemplify servantful leadership. It proves that the secret of success lies in helping others to succeed through financing education programs that contribute to the development of underprivileged kids.
Such leaders serve as exemplary models of servantful leadership because they have made possible not only the progress of organizations but also social change.
Conclusion: The Strength of Servantful Leadership for Generating Positive Change
In addition to being the achievement of an individual, the power of servantful leadership is immense. This approach helps create an atmosphere in which team work and individual initiative are both rewarded. Inside organisations, it encourages trust and creates stronger relationships between people.
By ensuring that the interests of those that they lead take priority, leaders ensure that an appropriate atmosphere for innovation is created. As a result, the chances of having productive and loyal employees are much higher because they can be motivated to follow their superiors.
Many examples of successful application of servantful leadership can be seen not only inside of organisations but also in society in general. In practice, a focus on people leads other individuals to act in the same way in private and professional environments. It makes a huge difference when it comes to adopting the philosophy of servantful leadership. The basis of future achievements can be created thanks to people’s readiness to help those they are leading.
