Servant Leadership: It’s Examples, Style, Characteristics, Definition, & Quotes, Theory

What is Servant Leadership? Servant Leadership: It’s Characteristics, Examples, Quotes, and Definition

Servant leader is who has to serve first. A person who himself wants to serve first. Who has self-conscious to help others, by no self-interest?

He has the desire and interest to serve his best to the public. They are differed from leaders, as leaders work for others but they have specific posts and positions but in servant leadership, they work beyond any demand and are devoted to their mindset. 

The Servant leader’s priority is the well-being of people and serves their best by their work or by their good thoughts.

By which they can change the mindset of the society. They also help to improve the thought of humankind. The thought by which they can come up with their mental state. 

They care for human and their needs and help to fight them from odds, mental stress, poverty etc. The l=Servant leader has their particular mindset, and they work in that direction only.

They built a good society through their good deeds. Some of the well-known servant leadership include Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Ken Blanchard, Kent Keith etc… They give society a new way of thinking and help them to accept it by their thoughts.

If a person has the instinct to do something for people, there are many courses available for the perfect servant leadership. That you can opt for.

Servant Leadership definition

“Be the servant first” is the definition of servant leadership. The natural feeling has to come from inside to empower employees, promote innovation and be skilled to handle all effectively.

Servant leadership is not only doing good deeds but you should have the quality of leadership. The goal of leadership is to serve.

The is not like other leaders, in which leader only orders. Servant leader works for his organization and he has to put the need first of their employee.

He was always in charge to serve the best for their worker. A leader can’t ask for an employee to serve but the employee can.

The organization grows faster according to how servant leader works. If member increases, then we have to understand that the leader is working hard for people and their well-being.

Every Leadership has a style and mindset of work. Some leaders work for child Laboure, some help below poverty, few give the right direction for different stages of life etc. and people follow them according to their needs. They work by their own rules of life.

Servant leader Characteristics

While Servant leadership is not that much easy, you have to devote yourself to the work that you are doing for the public. Few characteristics have to be in a leader for good leadership. 

Empathy

This is the most desirable characteristic that every leader have. People follow any leader when they find love and trust.

Servant Leaders have to be loyal and listen to the people what they want to say and their problems. The leader has to put his mindset aside and think from people side and situation, then only he can solve the problem and win the hearts of followers.

Awareness

Mostly the leaders don’t know what goes around them and what the most issues people facing on.

But Servant leaders are not like that, they go between the people and try to understand their problems. They deeply involve in each member problem and give their fullest to rescue it.

Persuasion

A good leader always persuades and listen to what his followers are says. The servant-leader always persuades his employees and try to meet impossible goals.

We can forget Gandhiji, He always persuades his worker and indulge in their problems and try to solve them at his level. He is the best Servant leader I have ever seen.

Focusing on the Growth of people

The servant-leader tries to give growth, where workers want their help. They deeply involve and care about their work and help in any stage of life.

How servant Leadership can benefit your business?

As they are fully devotees to their work, the servant leader mostly tries to help and take the worker up with their full efforts. There are more benefits that servant leaders can bring to your organization.

Stronger Team

Every leader needs a strong team to work accordingly. If the team was strong, they reach their goal easily.

If a leader focuses on people more than the work process, they can easily break all the barriers and reach higher goals.

Lower Turnover Rates

If the employee walks out from your business, it means that your company has some problem regarding an employee that you can’t handle properly.

If the employee didn’t find any growth in the business, he will not continue with your firm. Poor management is the main reason why employees leave the company.

Servant leadership is the right way by which you can take up the employee and company towards growth.

More Cohesive Culture

Servant leadership has to show its honesty towards the organization. When the worker and customer feel comfortability and trust towards their leader, it gives power to the leadership.

Enhanced Productivity

If the member gets the flexibility to learn, explore and get the freedom to work accordingly, they get the job satisfaction.

Job satisfaction is the most important for every worker and it enhanced the productivity of work. Servant leader motivation gives self-satisfaction to the employee.

Servant leadership examples

Few servant leaders are devoted to their workers and people. They worked so hard that they put an example towards servant leadership.

Like Abraham Lincoln -Whose action was taken during U.S civil war, was the best example of servant leadership.

The major servant leader who was the most famous is Jesus Christ. He has sacrificed most of his life for the people. Yes, it’s the leader’s quality, but you don’t have to die for it.

The noble prize winner Mother Teresa is one of the best examples of servant leadership. She has devoted her life too helps the public.

Her devotion makes many followers. And because of her devotion to work, the Indian government offer her a Noble Prize.

The freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi whose Servant leadership is famous all over the world. He fights against many rights and helps people to get their born rights.

Nelson Mandela was also a humble servant who has a passion to do something for his people.

Martin Luther King, Jr.- The king doesn’t want to be a leader all the time and always need equality. So, he leaves his legacy and proves that everyone can make a difference through a humble and serving perspective.

So, the servant leader is known for his/her work, and the public follows them when they trust them.

Quotes for servant leadership

Quotes give a message to live and also shows a path by giving the right words. Let’s check some quotes that are motivated and inspirational.

Like-

“Good leader must first become a good servant”. Robert K, Greenleaf

The true leader is, who has all the qualities of a good servant. Then only they can serve best to their people.

“Leadership must first and foremost meet the needs of others,”

Leadership is not only to show that I am your leader, but the more important thing is

“first they have to fulfil the needs of workers”. Robert K, Greenleaf

“The best leader is clear. They continually light the way, and in the process, let each person know that what they do makes a difference.

The best test as a leader is: Do those served to grow as a person; do they become healthier; wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become leaders?”

“True leadership is servanthood. Put the interests of others at the centre of your discussion”.

“Servant leadership is the foundation and the secret of Sam Walton’s ability to achieve team synergy”. Michael Bergdahl

Servant Leadership Theory

The theory of servant leadership is, the effective leader must know the problem of his employees or workers, he should know the dealing so that he can gain trust.

He has to involve in the public and should go between them and know what they are suffering of? 

It s not like other leaders, sitting in a place and try to handle it all. The servant-leader has to go between the employee and people, involve physically and mentally, so that leader can see the things through people eye side.

Many followers approach the leader and ask their suggestions, and views, how the top leader can influence and motivate those further down the hierarchy, servant leadership puts its emphasis on collaboration, trust empathy, and ethics.

Moreover, a leader should be more concern about the need and desire of their people and when the leader shows more concern, the leadership power increase more and the servant leader gain more trust and love from people.

Servant leadership is a more popular theory among Christians. How Jesus helps the people, and go between them. Is the penultimate example of servant leadership.

The simple theory of Servant leadership is a person who visits more between their followers and hears their problems and needs, people love them more and the leader will increase more followers.

Servant leadership style

The servant-leader has to focus on others need first before he considers himself. He can’t be like other leaders who sometimes visit and their workers do the work.

The servant-leader himself have to visit the places of the needy person and solve it accordingly.

The true servant leader is devoted to his work and his style of working is different from normal political leaders.

Read Also: How to Build Self Confidence & How Improve self-esteem

If he works for people or followers, he gains much popularity and followers. Every Leader has its style of work some devoted to below poverty, some for education, some for kids labour etc. This is all about which field they want to work in. It’s about their instinct.

Servant Leadership meaning

The meaning of servant leadership is a leader who serves his best for people. He is the servant for the people who provide his services to the followers.

Many famous Indian leaders provide their best servant leadership and are famous for their devotion to their work.

Servant leadership Model

Few leaders are the Role model of servant leadership they prove themselves with their work and ability.

They are favourite among their followers. There are few things about how they can become servant-leader models like…

Value People- The servant leader has to care about and value the thoughts and problems they are facing. If they value people, people will value their leader.

Develop people- It’s the leader’s duty how people can overcome the problem. It’s their responsibility to develop their mind and develop their orthodox thinking. They have to be upgraded and develop their living style and thinking.

Building community-

A good servant leader can build a good community. He can aware people of his good thoughts and spread awareness of humanity and helping nature. People follow their leader and respect their saying. 

Read Also: Personal Development Goals examples for work

Display Authenticity

Servant leader can display their authenticity through their work and devotion. If followers find Authenticity in the leader, they follow them. 

Provide Leadership

If leader encourages their employee to make network and act as a mentor then he can provide leadership. Appoint work to your employee so that he can handle the further work. Also maintain the feedback, towards his work.

Famous Servant leader

Mary Robinson- President of Mary Robinson Foundation. She fights for human rights.

Bill Clinton- The founder of Clinton Foundation. He worked for several causes, the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.

Aung San Suu Kyi

He is a Nobel Peace prize winner, he protests military rule in Burma (now Myanmar). But he didn’t succeed against opposition leader determination.

Dalai Lama

He is a spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. He worked for 50 years campaigned for peace, for non-violence democracy. He was the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

And many more servant leaders who had worked for their workers are still remembered for their work.

Servant leader skills

Yes, Servant leaders need skills to impress their employees, they have to be impressive in their talk because where ever they go they need to impress, so that people feel good while talking to them. Quickness is also a main skill that to be in a leader. 

Should be updated by latest new and aware of government old and new schemes. So that they can rescue easily.

Principle of servant leadership

There are few principles that every leader has to follow. Like…

• Listening skill
• Awareness
• Persuasion
• Conceptualization
• foresight

The servant-leader has to think first about their employee or people then of themselves. They are devoted to their public, and have to work will full efforts to solve their problem.

The main thing that we can find in servant leaders is that they are followed by selflessness and humanity. They will give their best for their people and try to solve their problems anyhow.