Servant Leadership
December 8, 2009
Six Formulas to success and beyond – Servant Leadership
Leadership is the ability to influence others to enthusiastically pursue identifiable goals for the common good. There are two contrasting styles of Leadership
• Power-based: The ability to force or coerce someone to do your will, even if they would choose not to, because of your position or might.
• Service-Based: Servant Leadership involves the skill of influencing people to work enthusiastically toward goals identified as being for the common good, primarily using authority while seldom resorting to power.
We clearly know power-based approach doesn’t work too well, especially in the business world.
Why is Servant Leadership successful?
The servant-leader is servant first… Becoming a servant-leader begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead.
The Formula founder was Robert K Greenleaf known as Father of Modern Servant Leadership. The idea of “Servant – Leader” was developed by him in 1968. The Center for Applied Ethics, which he founded, eventually became the Robert K. Greenleaf Center is located in Indianapolis.
Formula 1:
Servant Leadership Vision:
Servant leadership begins with a clear and compelling vision of the future that excites passion in the leader and commitment in those who follow. In practical terms Servant leadership vision has three parts:
o YOUR PURPOSE/MISSION: What business you are in – How will you benefit your customers?
o YOUR PREFERRED PICTURE OF THE FUTURE: Where are you going- What will you looking like if everything is running as planned?
o YOUR VALUES: How you want people to behave when they are working on your mission and picture of the future- What do you stand for?
Formula 2:
Defining and modeling the operating values, structure and behavior norms
Formula 3:
Creating the follower environment with partners in vision
Formula 4:
Moving to the bottom of the hierarchy with service in mind
Formula 5:
Understanding the dynamics of effectively managing transformational change
Formula 6:
Applying the concepts of Situational Leadership for the growth and development of people as well as accomplishing the goals of an organization.
The following quote and proverb enlighten the Servant Leadership model.
We must be silent before we can listen. We must listen before we can learn.
We must learn before we can prepare. We must prepare before we can serve.
We must serve before we can lead.” ~ By William Arthur Ward
WHERE THERE IS NO VISION
THE PEOPLE ARE UNRESTRAINED
– PROVERBS 29:18 (NASB)
What do I get by applying six formulas?
Seeing others achieve incredible results
Earning recognition among peers
Realizing personal growth experiences
Achieving a sense of worth and making contributions
Building confidence to face life challenges
Impacting the world around us
Earning salary raises
Receiving professional promotions
Enjoying financial incentives, including long-term compensation
Benefiting from quality of life
Six Formulas Success Leaders in Business:
Example 1:
Alex Grass Rite-Aid Corp. founder leaves behind an enormous legacy. Grass opened Scranton discount store in 1962. That venture grew into the modern-day Rite Aid Corp. By the time he left the company in 1995 as CEO and chairman, the chain had swelled to 3,000 stores worth more than 26 billion.
Grass understood that by building human capital and consensus and helping lift the less fortunate, a community grows, and its successes, wealth and wellbeing elevate everyone with it.
Example 2:
Herb Kelleher, who created and led Southwest airlines to be among the most successful companies, He was named the best CEO in America. This servant leader emphasized that people take themselves lightly, but their jobs seriously. As an example of service to those he led, Kelleher was known to spend holidays loading baggage with ground crews.
Example 3:
Numerous proof of Formula success:
Sam Walton of Sams and Wal-Mart
Max Depree of Herman Miller
Howard Behar of Starbucks
Ken Melrose of Toro Company
Mediatronic Company
Marriott International
Recent example was the success of President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.
Rally Software company- recently named one of the Best Places to Work in America
Example 4:
ScrumMasters are becoming successful in project management is because of Servant Leadership model.
The ScrumMaster role is very different to a project manager. The role emphasizes facilitation, leadership and collaboration over traditional command-and-control activities.
A good ScrumMaster will be a process facilitator, a servant leader to the team and a change agent within the organization.
As a process facilitator and servant leader the ScrumMaster’s role is to maximize the team’s efforts toward its goals while removing the impediments that stand in its way. As a change agent the ScrumMaster is responsible for socializing Scrum at a wider level, educating customers and other stakeholders and steering the entire organization towards essential change.
Conclusion:
The six formulas of Servant Leadership have many proofs that it is the most successful Leadership model. We need more Servant Leaders in our Business and every area; it needs to be a business-practice model. If we look at today’s economic turmoil and crisis there is lack of Servant Leadership. This leadership approach succeeds by involving and empowering employees, resulting in a more enthusiastic and engaged workforce. This, in turn, allows the organization to reach its goals and helps promote the common good.
By: Paru
References:
SERVANT LEADERSHIP (A JOURNEY INTO THE NATURE OF LEGITIMATE POWER AND GREATNESS) – by ROBERT K. GREENLEAF
The SERVANT LEADER (Transforming your Heart, Head, Hands and Habits) – by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges
Managing Agile Projects – by Sanjiv Augustine
http://www.greenleaf.org/
http://www.rallydev.com/agileblog/2009/04/9-servant-and-leader-top-10-characteristics-of-an-agile-organization/
http://www.hrtools.com/insights/paul_sarvadi/what_servant_leadership_can_do_for_american_business.aspx
