Although servant leadership seems contradictory and challenges our traditional beliefs about leadership, it is an approach that offers a unique perspective. Servant leadership focuses on the behaviors that leaders should exhibit to put followers first and to support follower’s personal development. It is concerned with how leaders treat followers. Principles of servant leadership which in my opinion seem easy but is in fact tough to realize in practice are:
- Listening: Communication between leaders and followers is an interactive process that includes sending and receiving message. Through listening, servant leaders acknowledge the viewpoint of followers and validate these perspectives. For example, if one of the follower has a totally different take/opinion about a topic, instead of disregarding it just because it is the opinion of just one follower, if the leader opts to put aside his leader status and listens to the opinion of that one follower, the leader will not only gain that particular follower but will instead gradually get more followers.
- Empathy: Empathy is “standing in the shoes” of another person and attempting to see the world from that person’s point of view. It makes the follower feel unique. For example if there is a difficult situation that one of the follower is undergoing due to which the follower is unable to perform at his or her best, an empathetic leader will not just console the follower but in fact try to improve that situation them self as they too feel the struggle that the follower is undergoing. So they try to change the situation or help them out to come out of it.
- Persuasion: Persuasion is clear and persistent communication that convinces others to change. For example, if there is a change that a leader wants to put forth before the followers and requires them to do it, it is of utmost importance that the leader should be able to convey the same effectively without any ill feelings caused to the followers and convince them that such a change is needed for their betterment.
Out of these three principles I personally feel persuasion is the most easy looking but in reality the most challenging principle to adhere to being a leader. Even though traditionally the method of imposing directions by force or coercion was employed by leaders but in servant leadership it is the method of persuasion without force which is widely appreciable and acceptable.
Even then the question remains if this method of leadership is feasible keeping in mind the human nature in general and that of a leader in particular. Can a leader in reality put in practice these methods? Can they remain true to these principles? Will they lose commitment in continuing with these principles in the long run.
References
Peter G. Northouse (2018). Leadership: Theory and Practice, Seventh Edition ,Thousand Oaks, CA : SAGE Publications.
Georgeena,
As you consider the practical application of these theories, you have raised an important question about commitment to practices like listening, empathy, and persuasion. When reading about these theoretical perspectives, they paint a compelling picture of leadership. In contrast, our practical experiences of leadership can be more challenging; listening and being empathetic are often difficult actions to consistently apply, especially if we are trying to persuade others toward an important vision.
What do you think about the interplay between persuasion and listening?
— Leadership Prof