What's in a word?

Servant Leadership

We interpret each others' words through our own communication filters. If I talk about business or say I'm concerned about the profit margin if we go after a new project, you might interpret that to mean I focus on money over people. Your interpretation of my words may be influenced by an experience you had working with a profit organization or perhaps being lead by a leader without apparent regard for people.

Personal experiences, storytelling and cultural myths inform our interpretation. Our interpretation informs our understanding . . . your interpretation belongs to you and it may or may not be accurate.

The example above illustrates how communications are filtered. Knowing EVERYONE filters, it is worth seeking to know and understand our communication filters before discarding or discounting the message or messenger. Commonly understood communication filters include: semantics, emotions, attitudes, backgrounds, culture, role expectations, gender biases, non verbal messages. These filters are present in both the sender and receiver of the communications.

When I say servant what does that word mean to you? What filters do you pass this word through . . . the history of the slave trade, Cinderella, your responsibility in the workplace, to a parent or a partner? The Encarta dictionary defines servant as 1. somebody who serves another i.e. an employee who serves somebody else, especially an employee hired to do household tasks or be a personal attendant to somebody, 2 civil servant same as public servant, i.e. an appointed or elected holder of a government position or office. Add a few cultural myths or stories to that word and you might wonder why anyone would want to be a servant.

What about leadership what does that word mean to you? Power, authority, boss, coach, guide? Encarta's definitions include: 1. ability to lead, guide, direct or influence people, office or position of leaders. If you've had positive leadership experiences the role may be seen as collaborative, transformational, even shared. Alternatively, if you've read, heard or experienced negative attributes of leadership you may think - power-hunger broker, abuser, authoritarian. Once again, if you layer on cultural myths or stories associated with leadership you may decide you want to be a leader or sadly that you do not want to be leader (do read on).

So what does the term servant leadership or servant leader conjure up for you? Quoting Dr. Keith, "servant-leaders want to help people do things. That's why servant-leaders are usually facilitators, coordinators, healers, partners, and coalition-builders." Servant-leaders operate within a service model, hierarchy doesn't matter. That's because anybody in a family, organization or community can be of service. Anybody can identify and meet the needs of others. Anybody can be a servant-leader. The service model is about giving."

Recognized leadership experts such as Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Peter Drucker, Stephen Lewis, Jesus of Nazareth, Max De Pree, Peter Senge, Lao-Tzu, Jack Welch, and Margaret Wheatley are proponents of servant-leadership. Humbly, the authors of this blog align with these leaders. Like these experts we are attracted to servant leadership because it is practical, and meaningful, it emphasizes collaboration, trust, empathy, and the ethical use of power. Eloquently stated by Albert Einstein 'the high destiny of the individual is to serve rather than to rule.'

Principles and practice of Servant Leadership include -

Robert K. Greenleaf, the founding father of servant leadership said the test of servant-centered leadership is assessed on performance and results. Leaders can self-assess their competency by asking -

1. do those served grow as persons,
2. do they, while being served become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servant leaders.

If the leader can answer YES with confidence and evidence to both questions they are on their way to raising up an organization that is identified by its practical and meaningful outcomes, it emphasize on collaboration, trust, empathy, and use of people-serving power.

What model of leadership do you practice?

What model of leadership would you like to follow or develop?

To learn more about servant leadership do a Google search, read material produced by or talk with servant leaders. Mentorship, coaching and training can also be contributory to your learning and application of servant leadership.  

Happy summer from Tim and myself. We will take our summer break and see you back online in the fall. Take some time to contemplate servant leadership, consider how you might want to develop and, or apply it in your life and work.

Leadership makes a difference. If not you who, if not now when?