CREATIVE SERVANT LEADERSHIP: A NEW WAY OF BEING AND LEADING OTHERS

407
Dr. A. Savarimuthu and Michael John, “Creative Servant Leadership: A New Way of Being and
Leading Others” – (ICAM 2016)
A STUDY
CREATIVE SERVANT LEADERSHIP: A NEW WAY OF BEING AND
LEADING OTHERS
Dr. A. Savarimuthu
Research Supervisor, Joseph Institute of Management,
St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli – 2
Michael John
Research Scholar, Department of Management Studies,
St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli – 2
ABSTRACT
The world is crying out for moral, ethical, creative and effective leadership that serves
others, invests in their development and fulfills a shared vision. Amongst the many leadership
styles the one that best represents the ideals embodied in the human factor (HF) is servant-
leadership. Leadership is the process of influencing the activities of an individual and group
towards the achievement of a goal. In any given situation creativity and servant leadership
have various characteristics in common. Both have attracted attention across world a wide
range of professional, educational, and socio-political fields. Creative servant leadership
thinking skills and behaviours support a person as a leader. By understanding how to realise
your own creative potential, you can learn how to recognize the creative potential of those
you lead. This appears to be a core challenge for every leader. This paper focuses on the
creative servant leadership approach and its relevance that emphasis the relationship among
the employees at all levels in an organization.
Key words: Leadership, Creative Leadership, servant leadership focus, Human Factor
Cite this Article: Dr. A. Savarimuthu and Michael John. Creative Servant Leadership: A New
Way of Being and Leading Others. International Journal of Management, 7(2), 2016, pp. 407-
414.
http://www.iaeme.com/IJM/index.asp
1. INTRODUCTION
Broadly speaking, leadership deals with the interpersonal relationships, behavior dynamics and change
aspects of the manager’s job. According to current thinking leadership deals with change, inspiration,
motivation and influence. Leadership is about articulating vision, embodying values, and creating the
environment with which things can be accomplished. The words servant and leader are a paradox when
used together. We typically think of these words as opposites. How can you serve, yet lead? If so, can it
be an effective method to lead others or an organization. Creative servant leadership is broad in scope.
Strategic decisions impact areas outside ones own functional area, business unit or even the
organization. Few unique features of creative Leadership are Personalise, Identify potential, energise
and use story.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT (IJM)
ISSN 0976-6502 (Print)
ISSN 0976-6510 (Online)
Volume 7, Issue 2, February (2016), pp. 407-414
http://www.iaeme.com/ijm/index.asp
Journal Impact Factor (2016): 8.1920 (Calculated by GISI)
www.jifactor.com
IJM
© I A E M E

International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 – 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 -
6510(Online), Volume 7, Issue 2, February (2016), pp. 407-414 © IAEME Publication
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2. DEFINITION OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP
According to Stone, Russell, & Patterson (2003) servant leadership is about focus. The focus of the
leader is on followers and his/her behaviors and attitudes are congruent with this follower focus. This is
in deep contrast to the idea that servant leadership is merely a subset of transformational leadership
where the focus of the leader is on the organization, or organizational objectives. Servant leadership
stands alone in regard to this follower focus.
3. CREATIVE SERVANT LEADERSHIP
3.1. Personalise
They use a variety of techniques to tap into and realise the creative potential of those they lead to help
add value to their organisation.
3.2. Identify Potential
They have the imagination to spot what people could achieve and realize- they identify as well as
realize where someone could be as opposed to where they are now.
3.3. Energise
They generate and inspire atmospheres that are tangible. There is a sense of the possible, there is real
shift in mood and energy when we are working on the art of what could be. It is a fusion of the
intellectual, emotional and physical.
3.4. Use Story
They humanise and contextualise everything. They know that people process the world through stories.
The Human lives are stories. The people need to find stories that effect emotional engagement with all
of those we lead. Creative leaders create a vision, articulate it through a range of stories and know how
this is somewhere their followers will want to go to. Their stories offer a call to arms and inspire action
rather than an audience marvelling at their rhetoric.
4. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
David Horth (2015), researcher has published white paper from centre for creative leadership on
innovation leadership. This paper discussed Business thinking is based on deep research, formulas, and
logical facts. Deductive and inductive reasoning are favored tools, as we look for proof or precedent to
inform decisions. Business thinkers are often quick to make decisions, looking for the right answer
among the wrong answers. Business thinking is about research moving ambiguity and driving results.
Gerald J.Puccio (2014), researcher has in published article from international centre for studies in
creativity, New York on Creativity in leadership: Internalizing skills that drive change. This paper
deals internalize creativity principles and Creative Problem Solving strategies so that they can become
more effective and powerful leaders.
EMMANUEL AGBOR (2008), researcher has published article titled on Creativity and
Innovation: the Leadership Dynamics. This paper explores the important role of leadership in the
innovation process of organizations. It argues that while culture, strategy, technology, and other
management tools are important in generating effectiveness in the 21st century, creativity and
innovation are what drive organizational success in many sectors. However, for creativity to take place,
leaders must actively implement strategies that encourage it.
5. RESEARCH DESIGN
5.1. Formulation of Research Problem
Selection or identifying the problem is the first step of research. The term “Problem” means an issue to
be examined. Here, the research topic is “A study on the creative servant leadership among
employees”. The problems stated are to identify the relationship between leadership and the impact on
promotion, salary, increment, working condition, common task. This research not only helps to identify
the problem, but also it helps to indicate the favorable side that is an existing in the organization.

409
5.2. Pilot Study
Researcher made a pilot study before starting the research. The matters pertaining to morale and
motivations of the employee were discussed with the personnel officer of HEB, and from his views the
researcher found that it was possible for conducting the research in the organization based on
leadership qualities.
5.3. Research Design
Research design is a plan to carry out the study in an orderly and systematic manner. Research design
differs depending upon the purpose of the research. Research design is a plan to carry out the study in
an orderly and systematic manner. Research design differs depending upon the purpose of the research.
Descriptive design has been chosen by the researcher. In this study the researcher adapted descriptive
design as more appropriate than any other type of design. Descriptive study accurately portrays the
characteristics of a group hence the researcher has adopted descriptive design for his study.
6. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
6.1. Main Objective
The main aim of the present study is to understand the creative leadership of the employees in the
organization. Descriptive design has been chosen by the researcher.
6.2. Sub Objectives
 To identify the style of leadership among respondents in the organization.
 To study the level of satisfaction of the respondents with the current leadership style in the
organization.
To study the interpersonal relationship between the supervisor and the subordinates.
7. RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
1. There is significant relationship between age of the respondents and their overall leadership
qualities.
2. There is significant association between gender of the respondents and their overall leadership
qualities.
3. There is significant association between nature of job of the respondent and their overall
4. There is association between experience of the respondents and their overall leadership
qualities.
8. TYPE OF RESEARCH DATA
8.1. Primary Data
Primary data is known as the data collected for the first time through filed survey. Such data are
collected with specific set of objectives to assessment the current status of any variable studied.
Primary data always reveal the cross section picture of anything studied.
8.2. Secondary Data
Secondary data refers to the information or facts already collected. Such data are collected with the
objectives of understanding the past status of any variable or the data collected and reported by some
source is accessed and used for framing objective of the study. In this study researchers have used more
international published data, analyze them, to explain the relationship between variables, which may
not have been studied or the relationship might be explained in answer.
8.3. Population of Study
The population of this study refers the workers of High Energy Batteries Ltd, Mathur. There are 250
workers in the concern. The researcher has taken 50 samples from the industry for this research study.

410
8.4. Sampling
The selected respondents and representative of the whole population is called sample. The researcher
has selected 50 respondents using the simple random sampling techniques.
8.5. Tools of Data Collection
The researcher has chosen the questionnaire method as the tools to collect the data from among the
various tools in social research. The type of questionnaire selected for this study is a structured one and
the respondents were requested to respond to the items in the questionnaire, which is more convenient
and less time consuming.
8.6. Pre- Testing
Initially, the questionnaire had a five- point scale and also a few repetitions of the questions, which did
not prove to satisfy the respondents marking it and so the necessary changes were made. This pre-
testing helped the researcher to frame the questionnaire more clear and simple.
8.7. Statistical Methods Used for Testing
In order to test the hypothesis, the researcher had utilized the statistical tools namely chi- square test
and percentage, to find out the association of variables, which were used to frame the hypothesis, chi-
square and percentage were applied.
8.8. Limitation of Study
 The researcher faced the following limitations in the research study
 Due to time constraint, the sample size was limited to 50.
 The research is based on primary data collected through the questionnaire, where the
respondent attended in biased manner.
 The leadership is a vast topic and so the researcher has to limit only to the major leadership to
get the best results.
 The reliability of the study is purely based on the consistency of the respondents.
9. RESEARCH ANALYSIS
Table 1.0 Complex task distribution of the respondents
S. No Particulars No. of respondents Percentage
1 Dissatisfied 8 16
2 Satisfied 42 84
Total 50 100
As shown in the above table 1.0 vast majorities (84 percent) of the respondents were satisfied with
their leaders for the intricacies and details of a complex task and remaining 16 percent of the
respondents were dissatisfied.
Table 1.1 Nature of Job and servant Leadership Qualities
S. No Nature of job
Overall Leadership Qualities
Statistical InferenceLow
(n=16)
Medium
(n=10)
High
(n=24)
1 Regular 16 (100%) 10 (100%) 22 (91.7%) X2
=2.257
Df = 2
P > 0.05
Not Significant
2 Contract Employee 0 0 2 (8.3%)
The table 1.1 indicates that there is no significant association between nature of job of the
respondents and their overall servant leadership qualities.

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9.1. Research Hypothesis
There is a significant association between nature of job of the respondents and their overall servant
9.2. Null Hypothesis
There is no significant association between nature of job of the respondents and their overall servant
9.3. Statistical Test
Chi-square test was used in the above hypothesis
9.4. Findings
The calculated value is greater than the table value. So the research hypothesis is rejected and the null
hypothesis is accepted.
Table 1.2 Experience and servant leadership qualities
S. No Experience
Overall leadership qualities
Statistical inferenceLow
(n=16)
Medium
(n=10)
High
(n=24)
1 3yrs 2 (12.5%) 0 0 X2
=4.427
Df = 2
P > 0.05
Not Significant
2 More than 3 yrs 14 (87.5%) 10 (100%) 24 (100%)
The table 1.2 indicates that there is no significant association between experience of the
respondents and their overall servant leadership qualities.
9.5. Research Hypothesis
There is a significant association between experience of the respondents and their overall servant
9.6. Null Hypothesis
There is no significant association between experience of the respondents and their overall servant
9.7. Statistical Test
Chi-square test was used in the above hypothesis
9.8. Findings
The calculated value is greater than the table value. So the research hypothesis is rejected and the null
hypothesis is accepted.
10. GENERAL FINDINGS
 More than half (52 percent) of the respondents are earning monthly income between Rs.
10000 and 15000.
 Vast majority (96 percent) of the respondents were regular.
 Vast majority (96 percent) of the respondents have experience more than 3 years.
 Majority (68 percent) of the respondents were satisfied with their leaders for the
encouragement to participate and implement their ideas and suggestions.
 Vast majority (72 percent) of the respondents were satisfied for closely monitor schedule to
ensure that a task or project is completed in time.

412
 Vast majority (80 percent) of the respondents were satisfied with the opinion regarding
enjoying the new task.
 Vast majority (92 percent) of the respondents were satisfied for encouraging employees in
creating job.
 Vast majority (88 percent) of the respondents were satisfied for correcting mistakes which do
not affect relationship.
 Vast majority (84 percent) of the respondents were satisfied for managing job efficiently.
 Vast majority (84 percent) of the respondents were satisfied with their leader explanation
about the intricacies and details of a complex task.
 Vast majority (96 percent) of the respondents were satisfied with their leaders insisting the
team member to work harder.
 Vast majority (92 percent) of the respondents were satisfied with their leader for open to
suggestion in the work place and eager to adopt.
 Vast majority (84 percent) of the respondents were satisfied with their leaders for providing
clear expectations.
 Vast majority (84 percent) of the respondents were satisfied with their leaders for counseling
them to improve performance or behavior.
 Vast majority (92 percent) of the respondents were satisfied with their leaders for motivating
employees
 Vast majority (88 percent) of the respondents were satisfied with their leaders allowing the
team a high degree of initiative.
 Vast majority (92 percent) of the respondents were satisfied for the possible of both organized
and unorganized group of industry.
 Vast majority (76 percent) of the respondents were satisfied with their leaders for personal or
friendly goal orientation.
 Vast majority (88 percent) of the respondents were satisfied with their leaders’ involvement in
sharing experiences with employees.
 Vast majority (84 percent) of the respondents were satisfied with the help to create mutual
cooperation and team spirit among employee.
 Vast majority (92 percent) of the respondents were satisfied for taking decision and informing
the employee.
 Vast majority (96 percent) of the respondents were satisfied for helping to make decision
based on subject matter.
 Vast majority (88 percent) of the respondents were satisfied with regard to emphasis on
solving the problem the way of getting opinion from group.
 Vast majority (92 percent) of the respondents were satisfied with their leaders for continuum
behavior.
 Vast majority (96 percent) of the respondents were satisfied with the creation of team
management committee.
11. HYPOTHESIS RELATED FINDINGS
 The research hypothesis is rejected and the null hypothesis is accepted. That is, there is
significant association between age of the respondents and their overall creative servant
leadership qualities
significant association between gender of the respondents and their overall creative servant

413
 The research is hypothesis rejected and the null hypothesis is accepted. That is, there is
significant association between income of the respondents and their overall creative servant
significant association between nature of job of the respondents and their overall creative
servant leadership qualities.
significant association between experience of the respondents and their overall creative
servant leadership qualities.
12. SUGGESTIONS
The researcher suggests the following for the organization based on the finding in order to align the
servant leadership with the organizational culture. As the executives feel that the leader in the
organization scrutinizes the schedule to ensure the completion of the project even though it shows the
top management responsibility, it would be better if the leader could keep the level of monitoring to an
animal as it may become a de-motivating factor. The organization can also concentrate on the
communication pattern especially before setting dealing for the team so that it involves the full
participation of the employees and also motivate those to achieve the set target and beat previous
records without begin stressed out with working.
The organization can also consider imparting program for the top management to assist them dives
people and also leading people in time of change. The organization could actually focus more on the
efficiency of planning by making the process more decentralized and focus towards giving more
openings for the executives. An effective creative servant leader should be able to communicate
complex matters in simple terms to the employees. He should be able to guide and solve the personal,
and also problems help the employees interact with one another smoothly. He should not merely
command or give orders to his employees but set an example with his own hands. A good leader should
lead the employees as followers from the front and not chase them from the back.
13. CONCLUSION
In the competitive world, leaders must be able to adopt style of the changing environment of the
organization and understand the circumstances that are occurring in each phase of the organization
development. If they fail to adapt, the goal of the organization will not be attained. Further, if a leader
is highly effective and able to transfer this effectiveness to another phase in the organization
development. The creative servant leadership should be based on each stages of the environment at
each stage in the environment before it is necessary to analyze the current.
And, as it is viewed on our understanding, leadership continued to grow amidst the rapidly
changing world in which leaders are expected to work and there is an increasing focus on it. Final and
most important, congruence between the organization life cycle and the leader can result in more
effective creative servant leadership for the organization. The top management should be first
determining the current state of the organization and they decide which type of leadership is the best fit
for the time.
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