Why Servant Leadership Is The Best Way To Lead

Are you trying to figure out what kind of style you want to lead with? Try out servant leadership!

Servant Leadership is a leadership style coined by Robert Greenleaf in the 1970s. The main idea is that you lead others by serving others, you do not lead just to lead.

Let’s look at the main components of servant leadership and then why you should implement it.

What makes a servant leader?

There are 10 core skills that make up a servant leader. They are as follows:

Listening
Using power ethically through persuasion
Seeking consensus in groups
Foresight
Avoiding closed language
Knowing when to withdraw
Acceptance and empathy
Conceptualizing
Nurturing community
Choosing to lead

All of this sounds a bit overwhelming, but it really isn’t. It is all about how you approach those you are trying to lead.

All you need to do is base your interpersonal interactions with compassion, adapt to situations and people, and look toward the future.

The most important thing you need to remember is that you are a servant as a leader, not a leader as a servant.

The goal of servant leadership is to support those you are leading as best you can. You should ask yourself; how can you grow those around you to be their best selves in work and in life? How can you raise everyone up together?

Seven pillars of servant leadership

James W. Sipe and Don M. Frick were hand-chosen by Greenleaf to write an addition to his original book. It is called Seven Pillars of Servant Leadership: Practicing the Wisdom of Leading by Serving.

The seven pillars are illustrated below:

What are the benefits?

Servant leadership creates a work environment where everyone feels supported and valued. Being in a positive work environment will make them enjoy their work more and therefore be even more productive.

You will build up those around you, helping them reach their greatest potential. You are creating a community that people want to be a part of.

In doing so, people will not respect you because of the position you hold, you will be in that position because people respect you. They will believe in you and trust you.

Servant leadership is a leadership style that is incredibly adaptable and beneficial. Try it out today!

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Grace Lopykinski is a blogging intern at LadyBossBlogger. She has graduated from the University of Tennessee with a BS in Business Administration and a minor in English.