Servant Leadership Terry Gamble, Heather Price, Lance Torbett, Robert Williams and Stephan Whaley

What is Servant Leadership?  Concept was developed in 1970 by AT&T executive Robert Greenleaf in a short essay.  Leader who serves the people he/she leads which implies that they are an end in themselves rather than a means to an organizational purpose or bottom line.

What do Servant Leaders do?  Devote themselves to serving the needs of organization members.  Focus on meeting the needs of those they lead.  Develop employees to bring out the best in them  Coach others and encourage them  Facilitate personal growth in all they lead  Listen and build a sense of community

10 Characteristics of a Servant Leader  Listening  Empathy  Healing  Awareness  Persuasion  Conceptualization  Foresight  Stewardship  Commitment to the growth of people  Building Community Greenleaf, R.K. (2003)

Strengths of a Servant Leader:  Long-term, transformational approach to life and work  Is always focused on collaboration with followers Limitations of a Servant Leader:  Not a quick-fix approach or instilled within an organization quickly.  Can be perceived as being “soft”. Listening and empathizing too much may lead to indecisiveness. Greenleaf, R.K. (1970)

Recognition of a Servant Leader  Do those served, grow as persons?  While being served, do they become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely to become servants?  What is the effect on the least privileged and will they benefit or at least not be further deprived? Greenleaf, R.K., (1970)

“You can accomplish anything in life, provided that you do not mind who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman Level 5 Leadership

 “Discovered” and Developed by Jim Collins and research team in book Good to Great  All Eleven Great Co’s had Level 5 CEO’s  Hierarchy of Level 5 Leadership  Highest Level of Leadership  Don’t move in sequence from Level 1 to Level 5  Other Levels Have Importance  Level 5 Possess All of the Traits of Lower Levels Collins (2001)

Level 5 Hierarchy Collins (2001) Level 5ExecutiveBuilds enduring greatness through paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will Level 4Effective Leader Catalyzes commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision; stimulates high performance Level 3Competent Manger Organizes people and resources towards the effective and efficient pursuit of predetermined objectives Level 2Contributing Team Manger Contributes individually to group objectives and works effectively with others in group settings Level 1Highly Capable Individual Makes productive contributions through talent, knowledge, skills and good work habits

Study in Duality – Great Paradox  Extreme Personal Humility, Intense Professional Resolve  Ambitious for Company, Not Self  Modest and Willful  Windows and Mirrors  Look Out Window to Give Credit : Others, External Factors, Luck  Look in Mirror to Take Responsibility : Only Self  Other Traits  Strong, Powerful Commitment to Achieve Results  Uses Inspired Standards, not Inspiring Charisma  Bring out Best in Others  Selfless, Egoless Leadership Collins (2001)

Setting up Successors  Greater concern for company’s success rather than personal renown  Selected superb successors  Comfortable idea that wouldn’t receive credit for company’s root of success  In contrast, ‘I-centric’ setup successors to fail  ‘I-centric’, more concerned with personal greatness Collins (2001)

Abraham Lincoln – Level 5 Leader  Ego aside, primary ambition for enduring nation  Master of Paradox  Humble, yet Resolved & Committed  Firm, yet Flexible  Windows & Mirrors  “the honor will be his if he succeeds, and the blame will be mine if he fails.” – Lincoln  Lead by Being Led (360 Degree Leadership)  Encourage Ideas, Monitor Their Progress Collins (2001), Phillips (1999), Maxwell (2005)

Applications  Counter Cultural  Charismatic = Success vs. Humility + Will = Success  Level 4 ‘I-Centric’ Style vs. Level 5 Modest Style  Strengths & Benefits of Level 5 Leadership  Long, sustainable success  Development of Others  Limitations of Level 5 Leadership  Long-term Approach, Large Personal Investment  Leader Does Not Receive Personal Credit  Servant Leaders  Organization & Others Before Self  Encourage and Develop Others, Give Credit to Others  Setup Their Successors  360 Degree Leaders – Passing the Ego Challenge Collins (2001), Maxwell (2005)

 What does Love have to do with Servant Leadership? Love

 A feeling or action What is Love?

Does this look familiar? Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7,Holy Bible, New Living Translation

Servant Leadership  Love is patient.  Love is kind.  Love is not jealous or boastful or proud. (Humble)  Love is not rude. (Respectful) The World’s Most Powerful Leadership Principle, James C Hunter

Servant Leadership  It does not demand its own way. (Selfless)  It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. (Forgiving)  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. (Honest)  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (Committed) The World’s most powerful Leadership Principle, James C Hunter

Servant Leadership Staff, Peers, & Superiors  Patient  Kind  Humble  Respectful  Selfless  Forgiving  Honest  Commitment

 Five Ways of Being BE Authentic BE Vulnerable BE Accepting BE Present BE Useful Autry (2001) How do you put servant leadership into play at your business?

 Find the right people “Servant Leadership is more about character than style.” – Ken Blanchard (1999).  Mentor  Deal with the tough issues Autry (2001) Nuts and Bolts

 Servant Leader Managers trust that their employees want to do a good job.  Servant Leader Managers must understand “the need to be among the people, providing resources and serving, while at the same time never losing sight of the fact he or she is responsible for their well-being and their performance.” Autry (2001) Find the Right People

 “What do you think we should do?”  Ask when tempted to tell. Autry (2001) Mentor

 Don’t treat people fair…treat each person fairly.  Respond to special needs and circumstances.  Accommodate needs, don’t lower standards.  “Employees who are accommodated become some of the most dedicated, committed, hardest working, and productive people you can imagine.” Autry (2001) Deal with the tough issues…

 During tough economic times, be honest.  Remain calm as the leader during tough times.  Redefine success. Autry (2001) Deal with tough issues…

Servant Leadership Companies

 Southwest Airlines  Starbucks  Marriott  Men's Warehouse  FedEx Companies that practice Servant Leadership

 Commitment to the organization  Creates a growth path for development  Builds strong relationships  Builds sustainable results Brown (2007) Does Servant leadership benefit companies?

 Current leadership models based on “I” or “me”  Servant Leadership believes in the “you”  Servant Leadership communicates trust in “you”  A leader’s success is based on your success  Phil Jackson said “Good Teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the “me” for the “we”.” Brown (2007) Servant Leadership Model

 360 Degree Leader- Supports everyone  Relational Leader- Friendship and Nurturing  Transformational Leader- Vision and Passion A Servant Leader is…

QUESTIONS?