In learning about servant leadership and it’s various facets, I was drawn to the ten characteristics of a servant leader. I have chosen three characteristics that stand out to me and that I apply in my work environment. Servant leadership highlights the importance of the ability of leaders to empathize with followers, be attentive to their concerns and nurture them (Northouse, 2018).

Empathy is what I practice everyday. I take care of a population of vulnerable people and their families that are going through a transitional period in their lives. Putting myself in their shoes in order to understand and fully grasp the gravity of the situation, better helps me serve them. An expression of empathy and compassion for what they are feeling and helping them make sense and normalize those feelings, is what palliative care is all about. Likewise, with the group of nurses that I serve. Showing concern for their well-being , supporting them to work though their challenges and empathizing with them when they struggle, are all ways in which I express my empathy towards them. If I am not putting the nurses first and ensuring that they care for themselves, then they can’t provide holistic and quality care to patients and families.

It goes without saying that listening is an essential aspect of communication and communication is critical skill for a leader to possess. Communication is all about sending and receiving information and understanding comes with actively listening to what message is being sent. One of the clearest examples I have about the principle of listening is when confronted with conflict or resistance. To listen, is to be receptive to others view points and perspectives, as well as validate their ideas and feelings (Northhouse, 2018). When there is conflict between people or resistance for change in an organization, understanding the mechanics of disorder starts with hearing out the perspectives of others. Usually, when each side of the story is heard, that is when effective resolution or problem-solving can occur.

Awareness is a principle of servant leadership that I find very valuable. Spears (2002) as cited in Northouse (2018), describes awareness as, the ability of a leader to “step aside and view themselves and their own perspectives in the greater context of the situation. It includes understanding oneself and the impact one has on others” (p. 229). I remembered the day I started my position as a Patient Care Coordinator, my awareness was heightened on the first steps I took walking into the unit. To provide some context, I work with a group of very experienced and competent nurses and as a nurse half their age and with half as many years experience, stepping in to a supervisory role was incredibly intimidating. Despite my education history and qualifications, my lack of field experience made acceptance difficult, initially. I was aware of how I may be perceived in this situation but I had a good sense of what some of the needs of this group of nurses would be. To feel valued and respected for their years of experience, consulted about change with appropriate rationale for it, and have their opinions heard and be meaningful. This principle of awareness, quickly united us as a group and strengthened our relationships based on our mutual purpose and understanding of each others roles.

What I find challenging at times is showing empathy for individuals that are disinterested and not engaged in working with the vulnerable population in hospice. These people only think of the work as just a paycheque. These types of individuals sometime end up working on our unit as casual nurses that don’t have a real passion for end-of-life care, but want the money. The reason this is challenging is because these individuals are viewed by patients and families as less compassionate and not emotionally present. Northhouse (2018) alludes to the idea that servant leaders are committed to helping others who operate outside of of an organization and are committed to enhancing team effectiveness through developing a sense of community. For these nurses, I tend to invest less of my time and energy into engaging, empathizing and supporting them because they are not invested in the work we do. Moving forward, what I need to be doing is spending more time with them, be emotionally present and learn what motivates them, so we work towards the shared purpose of quality palliative care.

Question to invite further discussion: If you could only choose one of the ten characteristics of a servant leader to use on a daily basis, which one would you choose and why?

Daneen

Northouse, P.G. (2018).  Leadership: Theory and Practice.  (8th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA:  Sage Publications, Inc.