Servant Leadership.ppt
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The document discusses servant leadership, defining key terms like servant and service. It explores Robert Greenleaf's origins of servant leadership and his definition that the servant leader is one who serves first. The document also examines Larry Spears' 10 characteristics of servant leaders and provides examples of how servant leadership can be practiced in organizations.
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Servant Leadership.ppt
- 2. Servant / Service Definitions of Servant: • one who serves, or does services, voluntarily or on compulsion; a person who is employed by another for menial offices, or for other labor, and is subject to his command; a person who labors or exerts himself for the benefit of another, his master or employer; a subordinate helper… • a person in the service of another. • one who expresses submission, recognizance, or debt to another: • a person working in the service of another… • in a subordinate position… • a person who is hired to work for another… Definitions of Service: • An act of assistance or benefit; a favor • an act of helpful activity; help; aid. • work done by one person or group that benefits another • The performance of work or duties for a superior or as a servant • be of service, to be helpful or useful
- 3. Why Servant-Leadership? Experience With Servant-Led Organizations • One organization supported Servant-Leadership • One organization indifferent to Servant-Leadership • One organization opposed Servant-Leadership • Very different results Personal Practice • Thought it was soft and “touchy-feely” • Learned it was the most difficult, most rewarding challenge • Did it right myself, did it wrong myself • Been through the pain, trying to spare others Adoption • Recognition and support is rapidly growing • Gap of awareness and understanding remains in Technology Management • Seeking to close this gap Why I am so interested in and passionate about Servant-Leadership
- 4. Servant Leadership • What do those 2 words mean ? • How does one be an effective Servant Leader ? • What types of things do Servant Leaders do ?
- 5. Servant Leadership 1st - Servant – what does good look like in this role • Voluntary • Submits to a higher purpose • Performs the servant role without any expectation of reward
- 6. Servant Leadership Servant – what does good look like in this role • Performs the servant role without any expectation of reward • Not looking for some check marks on the get to Heaven scorecard • Not desiring a bunch of “atta-boys” • Not thinking what’s in it for me
- 7. Origins The concept of servant-leadership is thousands of years old. 375 B.C. Chanakya’s Arthashastra: The [leader] shall consider as good, not what pleases himself but what pleases his subjects. 600 B.C. Lao Tzu: The greatest leader forgets himself and attends to the development of others. First Century A.D., Jesus of Nazareth: But the greatest among you shall be your servant (Matthew 23:11); The one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. (Luke 22:26) 1970’s Robert K. Greenleaf: The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first.
- 8. Robert K. Greenleaf Career: • 38 Years at AT&T, largely in management training and development • 25 Years consulting on Servant Leadership thereafter • Coined the term Servant-Leader in 1970’s • Founded Center for Applied Ethics (now Greenleaf Center for Servant- Leadership) Inspiration: • Hermann Hesse’s short novel Journey to the East in 1960’s – Account of a mythical journey by a group of people on a spiritual quest • True leadership stems first from a desire to serve Essays: • The Servant as Leader (1970) • The Institution as Servant (1972) • Trustees as Servants (1972) Largely considered the father of modern Servant-Leadership
- 9. Post-Greenleaf Larry Spears: • President / CEO of Greenleaf center for 25 years • Author of hundreds of publications on Servant-Leadership • Founded the Spears Center James Autry: • President of magazine group for Meredith Corporation • Author of 8 Books • Focus on implementation James C. Hunter: • 25 Years in Servant-Leadership • 2 of the most popular books on Servant-Leadership • Consulted many of the world’s most admired companies Others: Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Peter M. Senge, Jim Collins…. Following Greenleaf, a wealth of Servant-Leadership experts emerged
- 10. Greenleaf’s Definition Adapted from “The Servant as Leader”: The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first… …The best test, and difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society? Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?"
- 11. 5 Principles of SL These five most prominent principles: • Valuing People. Servant leaders value people for who they are, not just for what they give to the organization. ... • Humility. Servant leaders do not promote themselves; they put other people first. ... • Listening. ... • Trust. ... • Caring.
- 12. Ten Characteristics • Listening • Empathy • Healing • Awareness • Persuasion • Conceptualization • Foresight • Stewardship • Commitment to the Growth of People • Building Community Spears extracted 10 characteristics from Greenleaf’s work
- 14. Characteristic Breakout Servant Leader Awareness Persuasion Conceptualization Foresight Listening Empathy Healing Stewardship Commitment to People Building Community Breaking out Spears’ characteristics into 3 dimensions… SERVANT-LEADER
- 15. Servant Characteristics Listening • Active, not just passive • 360°, top to bottom • Listen completely before deciding Empathy • Separate person from their work • Walk a mile in their shoes • Personable with appropriate individuals Healing • Help your staff become whole • Consider their history • Build a future together Focusing on serving others through these characteristics…
- 16. Servant Leadership Servant – what does good look like in this role • Simply serves because that is what Jesus did • Serves out of love for Jesus and others • Serves others needs before their own • Thinks of others and caring for them • Realizes the value of our fellow human beings
- 17. Servant Leadership Servant – several Biblical references • John 13, verse 1 – Jesus’ basic motivation was his love for his followers • John 13, verses 5 to 12 – Jesus voluntarily becomes a servant to his followers • He did not come primarily as their foot washer • But – he was ready to do this service for his followers if needed
- 18. Servant Leadership Servant – key summary thoughts • Christ-centered in all aspects of life • Voluntary • Committed to serve the needs of others before their own • And – your 1st commitment is to Christ
- 19. Servant Leadership 2nd Leadership – views today WWII General George Patton my way or the highway do this or else very directive people on their own will wander you need to control them
- 20. Servant Leadership 2nd Leadership – views today Mother WWIIGeneral Teresa GeorgePatton loving,caring mywayorthehighway nurturing dothisorelse verysupportive verydirective peoplearebasicallygood peopleontheirownwillwander theywilldotherightthing youneedtocontrolthem
- 21. Servant Leadership Leadership for Servant Leaders rests on these types of thoughts and questions • What can I do for others • How can I help • How can I engage others to help • How can I create an environment for others to know Jesus and to grow in a life with Christ
- 22. Servant Leadership Discussion • Discuss when you have served others • How did it come about • What was the value to the receiver • What was the value to you
- 23. Servant Leadership Several Bible examples of Jesus’s leadership style • Foot washing – probably normally done by a house-servant • John chapter 13, verse 14 – Jesus sets examples for his followers to follow – walks the talk
- 24. Leader Characteristics Awareness • Self & Organization • “Sharply awake and reasonably disturbed” (Greenleaf) Persuasion • Opposite of positional authority • Convince and build consensus – quickly Conceptualization • B.H.A.G. but S.M.A.R.T. • Make time for strategy Foresight • Consequences of present decisions on future outcomes Focusing on Leading others through these characteristics
- 25. Combined Characteristics Stewardship • Entrusted with resources of others • Return on investments Commitment to the Growth of People • “Green and growing or ripe and dying” (Hunter) • Not just your favorites Building Community • Effectiveness • Camaraderie Characteristics emerging from the combined Servant & Leader dimensions
- 26. Servant Leadership Leaders use power entrusted to them to serve others • We all have these God given powers • Our thoughts, our words, our actions – these 3 – when used properly gives one the power to relate to others as Jesus would
- 27. Servant Leadership • When our thoughts, words, actions align with what Jesus would think, say, do • We are creating the type of environment that Jesus did • The result of that type of environment is those we serve want to become more knowledgeable of • Who we are • Who we follow • Who we believe in
- 28. Servant Leadership • Effective leaders we have had • Cared about us • Inspired us • Created an environment for us to be the best that we can be
- 29. Servant Leadership Leadership – key summary thoughts • Supporting and nurturing of others is better than directing – it realizes the individual power each person has • Our individual leadership style is constantly observed by others – if Jesus were in the room, what would he say • Effective Servant Leadership creates an environment for others to know Jesus
- 30. Servant Leadership Now 2 words together - Servant Leadership Those 2 words together - doesn’t that sound like an oxymoron ? Servant can imply not leading Leading can imply not serving
- 31. Servant Leadership Don’t the 2 words Servant Leadership together sound like an oxymoron • The Great Depression • Definitely a maybe • Alone together • Awfully good • Noticeably absent • Short wait
- 32. Paradoxes Servant-Leadership, itself a paradox, requires a constant balance… Strong Be Open To Change Busy Listen Admit You Don’t Know Wise Serious Laugh Right Say, “I’m Wrong” Compassionate Discipline Planned Be Spontaneous Great Be Without Pride Leading Serve Enough To
- 33. Examples of Balance Great Enough to be Without Pride • Team gets the credit, you get the blame Compassionate Enough to Discipline • Must not be soft – set high expectations and follow through Right Enough to Say, “I’m Wrong” • Leaders make mistakes too, admit you are human Wise Enough to Admit You Don’t Know • Find out quickly, but do not mislead Busy Enough to Listen • Beware the busy manager – they do not lead Paradoxes are not easy to balance. Here are a few examples…
- 34. Greatest Paradox Leading Enough to Serve Focus on the Organization Humble, no ego or pride Emphasize the role of others in success Accept responsibility in failures Constantly seek opportunities for improvement Roll up your sleeves Stress what is best for the organization, not the few 360° Support Listen to Stakeholders No job too big, no job too small Participate, listen and build consensus to lead, not manage Far more… Just a few of the underlying paradoxes inherent in service and leadership…
- 35. In Practice Translating the concepts into real-world practice
- 36. Organization Hierarchy Changing the perspective on the structure… Labor Management Commander CEO CIO Operations Development CFO Accounting Finance Traditional CxO CEO CxO “Primus Inter Pares” (First Among Equals) Flipped Pyramid Shareholders Management Staff Staff Management Shareholders
- 37. Team Performance Job Description – Non Servant-Leader Approach • Objective: Command and control • Created once, revised only during turnover • Written by hiring manager each time Job Description – Servant-Leader Approach • Objective: mutual understanding • Dynamic, reviewed annually • Initial draft by employee Performance Standards – Servant-Leader Approach • To meet my performance objectives this quarter, I must… • Employee initiates, manager reviews • Servant-Leader must ensure staff does not take on too much Aligning corporate HR practices with Servant-Leadership…
- 38. Developing SL Muscles James C. Hunter Recommends the “Three F’s” to Support Your Servant- Leadership Development, Including: Step 1: Foundation • Training, research, mentoring – understanding what is expected Step 2: Feedback • 360° Feedback on Servant-Leadership Gaps • Paired with measurable action plans to close gaps Step 3: Friction • Require S.M.A.R.T. objectives •Answer to a panel or advisor on performance against objectives For more on Hunter’s approach and services: http://www.jameshunter.com Honing servant-leadership skills requires tracking progress and feedback…
- 39. Organizations • Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For: 1/3 of Top 35 • 10 of America’s Most Admired Companies Some of the most well respected companies practice Servant-Leadership…
- 40. Servant Leadership Discussion • Based on what we have talked about so far how would you define Servant Leadership in 15 words or less
- 41. Servant Leadership Here is the connection of those 2 words that seems to make sense for me The role of a leader is to serve those that follow
- 42. Servant Leadership Let’s compare that type of leader role - serving those that follow – with what might be termed self serving leadership
- 43. Servant Leadership Self-servingLeadership ServantLeadership Objectiveistobeserved Objectiveistoserve Seeks1sttobeunderstood,thentounderstand Seeks1sttounderstand,thentobeunderstood Seesandtreatothersasinferior Seesandtreatsotherswithrespect Rejectsinput Encouragesinput Takescredit Sharescredit Usesexpediencyasmaincriteriaforaction Usesmoralprinciplesasmaincriteriaforaction Isaccountableonlytosuperiors IsaccountabletoGodandothers Clingstopowerandposition Willdevelopotherstobemorecapable
- 44. Individuals Some examples of historic Servant-Leaders… Martin Luther King, Jr. Mother Theresa Mahatma Gandhi Jesus of Nazareth
- 45. Individuals Some examples of modern Servant-Leaders… Herb Kelleher Howard Behar Sam Walton Jimmy Carter The Dalai Lama Nelson Mandela Countless Unknown
- 46. Servant Leadership Key summary Servant Leadership thoughts • A servant leader 1st serves God • A servant leader then serves those that follow • A servant leader creates an environment through their thoughts, words, actions that provide opportunities for those they serve to experience Jesus • That environment can be • One on one conversations • Group gatherings • Verbal and written conversations • Basically anywhere, anytime
- 47. Servant Leadership With that understanding - how does one become an effective Servant Leader ? To get to the spot where I can say – put me in the game coach, I’m ready to play – what needs to occur ?
- 48. Servant Leadership How does one become an effective Servant Leader ? 2 basic parts of the answer for me • Preparation • Measuring - self awareness, feedback, observation
- 49. Servant Leadership 1st – let’s look at basic model for human behavior Beliefs > Thoughts > Actions > Results
- 50. Servant Leadership 1st – let’s look at basic model for human behavior Beliefs > Thoughts > Actions > Results prayer study worship being in community with other servant leaders
- 51. Servant Leadership Once I have been working on the right beliefs and thoughts what happens next ? Let’s look at another model for human behavior
- 52. Servant Leadership Let’s look at another model for human behavior awareness understanding commitment internalize
- 53. Servant Leadership Let’s look at another model for human behavior awareness understanding commitment internalize knowledge personal knowledge
- 54. Servant Leadership Let’s look at another model for human behavior prayer awareness study worship understanding community with others prayer, study, worship commitment practice practice with intensity community with others internalize feedback / observations knowledge personal knowledge
- 55. Servant Leadership Once something becomes internalized, then the actions • become instinctive • are aligned with our core beliefs and thoughts
- 56. Servant Leadership Internalizing something also means whatever it is has moved from your head into your heart • Internalized beliefs and thoughts come from one’s heart • Without a serving heart, it is almost impossible to become a servant leader • Serving God – getting one’s heart, beliefs, and thoughts aligned with God will lead to effective Servant Leadership actions
- 57. Servant Leadership Does being a Servant Leader imply that one has to have the Bible memorized and able to quote scripture at a given moment ? A Servant Leader is a growing leader, one who is eager to learn and practice and learn and practice Preparation and practice are key elements of internalizing Servant Leadership
- 58. Servant Leadership Another part of being an effective Servant Leader to me is measuring one’s self on a Servant Leadership scale The measurement can come from • Self awareness • Feedback • Observations
- 59. Servant Leadership Let’s look at another model for human behavior prayer awareness study worship understanding community with others prayer, study, worship commitment practice practice with intensity community with others internalize feedback / observations knowledge personal knowledge eternal vigilance over self - where am I on this scale
- 60. Servant Leadership Self Awareness - reflect back on day’s activities • How did I do on Servant Leadership ? • What opportunities did I miss ? Key thought – life must be lived forward, but it is only learned looking back For us to grow as Servant Leaders requires some level of assessment of how we did and how we might improve – what gets measured > gets done
- 61. Servant Leadership Feedback and observations from others on the results of our Servant Leadership can be helpful Beliefs > Thoughts > Actions > Results prayer feedback study observations worship in community with other servant leaders in community with other servant leaders
- 62. Servant Leadership People observe our words and actions everyday Obtaining input can be helpful and is needed to grow as an effective Servant Leader Providing input can be helpful, especially reinforcing effective Servant Leadership you have observed
- 63. Servant Leadership How about every day situations and Servant Leadership – is it hard to put others ahead of yourself in certain situations ? • What about during rush hour traffic around Atlanta • What about selected moments in Corporate America • What about when you really want something more than anything
- 64. Servant Leadership Some key words • Patience • Know yourself and how you will react in situations and temper that reaction with Servant Leadership beliefs and thoughts • In the cosmos of things – what really matters ?
- 65. Servant Leadership Summary thoughts on being an effective Servant Leader Remember – the cornerstone towards living an effective Servant Leader’s life is eternal vigilance over self • What am I doing to develop my life with Christ • Are my thoughts, words, actions aligned with what Jesus would think, say, do • Am I practicing Servant Leader skills
- 66. Servant Leadership Discussion • What are some qualities or characteristics that an effective Servant Leader must have and be able to demonstrate ?
- 67. Servant Leadership What are some characteristics of a Servant Leader • Listening – must be deeply committed to listing to others and deeply committed to listening to one’s inner voice. Reflecting on what is heard is critical • Empathy – strive to understand other people and accept them where they are • Healing – healing one’s self and relationships that need work can free a Servant Leader, Servant Leader’s realize they have an opportunity to create an environment where healing can occur for those they come in contact with
- 68. Servant Leadership What are some characteristics of a Servant Leader • Awareness – general awareness of situations around you and self-awareness are key • Guiding – versus directing and controlling, the Servant Leader provides input through words and actions • Seeking – asking for and receiving input, seeking to understand versus seeking to be understood
- 69. Servant Leadership What are some characteristics of a Servant Leader • Proactive – the Servant Leader recognizes opportunities to act and takes actions – different from the Maytag repairman we all know who is waiting for a call • Humility – recognizes that all people have value and gifts and does not need to have the only idea • Respect – treats others with honesty, dignity, respect, and sensitivity
- 70. Servant Leadership Question – can I measure myself at how good I am in these characteristics I think the answer is no, and that’s the key – we might have feeling about how we are at practicing these characteristics, but it takes a genuine dose of self-awareness and feedback and observations from others you trust to help you grow in these areas
- 71. Servant Leadership Where do opportunities for Servant Leadership arise ? • Outreach activities at our Churches • One on one relationships • Several areas • In short – these opportunities arise anywhere we are at any time.
- 72. Servant Leadership Some key thoughts as we close – in everyday terms Servant Leaders • aspire to be great only in their service to others • are committed to serving others with ; humility; sincere concern; a generous, forgiving and giving heart; and self- discipline • relate to others by investing, empowering, caring for, and consulting others • are willing to sacrifice personally for the well being of others • constantly work on their beliefs, thoughts, and Servant Leadership skills
- 73. Additional Resources Websites • Compilation: www.lichtenwalner.net/servantleader • Greenleaf Center: www.greenleaf.org • Spears Center: www.spearscenter.org • Consulting / Development: www.JamesHunter.com Books • Servant Leader (Greenleaf, 1977) • The Servant (Hunter, 1998) • The Servant Leader (Autry, 2001) • Practicing Servant Leadership (Spears & Lawrence, 2004) • World’s Most Powerful Leadership Principle (Hunter, 2004) Recommended texts…
Editor's Notes
- Good morning. Tomorrow – the big game. Let’s check in on that for a minute. Show of hands – when I said tomorrow, the big game – how many of you thought of the Super Bowl, Seattle Seahawks versus the Denver Broncos – how many Seattle fans here ? how may Denver fans here ? when I said the tomorrow, the big game – how many of you thought of Sunday, the Sabbath, Church, a special day for our Lord Okay – a little football on the Sabbath isn’t that bad, after all it, the Super Bowl doesn’t start until 6 PM, so we all will still have time to attend our Sunday morning service and include in our prayer requests, praying for our favorite team. Let’s looks at the Super Bowl for just a minute Let’s pretend you are at the game, you are up in your seat in say row 40. The quarterback is about ready to call the play – and all of a sudden he stops. He runs into the grandstand, right up to where you are sitting, and says – come, follow me, I need you to play in this very important game ? What would you say ? Would you be ready ? Would you go ? Being a Servant Leader for Jesus – isn’t it something like that ? Aren’t we called to not just look at life from afar but get in the game of life and help out ? Isn’t that what Jesus has done for us ? What would be your answer if Jesus – our quarterback – found you on row 40 and said I need you to get in my game as a Servant Leader ? Would you go ? Are you ready ? Being a servant and even more - exercising servant leadership - to me, is critical to living the life that Jesus wants us to live.
- Speaking Notes: No need to read entire slide Want to call attention to the highlighted (bolded) words READ THROUGH SOME Emphasis is on OTHERS, helping, aiding, benefitng, serving, submission, etc… all for other people Humility is key – usefulness to others, selflessness References for Definitions: American Psychological Association (APA): Servant. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved July 11, 2008, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Servant Chicago Manual Style (CMS): Servant. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Servant (accessed: July 11, 2008). Modern Language Association (MLA): "Servant." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 11 Jul. 2008. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Servant>.
- Speaking Notes: I’ve seen all levels of support for Servant-Leadership I’ve read a lot on the topic, spoken with experts in the field, fans of it and opponents of the concept I’ve practiced Servant-Leadership myself (though not necessarily perfectly) and I’ve practiced other styles of leadership Firm believer that perfecting Servant-Leadership is not really possible – it’s more like a constant pursuit and continuous development As a result of this experience, study and insight, I am confident that Servant-Leadership is the only true leadership style that is sustainable and results in a positive impact for ALL stakeholders Any leadership style that reflects less than humility or empowers the leader to pursue their own agenda will result in less than an absolute focus on organizational stakeholders. Also noticed that the awareness and practice of servant-leadership is rapidly expanding Just months ago, a Google for “Servant-Leadership” reflected a limited number of results Today, there are hundreds of thousands (325,000 on 7/15/2008) Yet there remains a gap in the IT field, few or no industry trade magazines have a publication on the topic I seek to close this gap by introducing Servant-Leadership to IT executives
- I would like to spend a little time this morning discussing Servant Leadership. What do those 2 words mean ? How do I be effective at Servant Leadership ? What types of things do Servant Leaders do ? 1st – let’s look at a definition of Servant Leadership
- Servant Leadership Two key words – Servant and Leadership. First Servant From the teaching and example of Jesus Christ we learn that being a servant in the most general sense means being: Slide detail What do we mean by voluntary - Someone who is not necessarily told by others to play this role, but has passion for wanting to be in this role
- Speaking Points: Servant-Leadership, as a concept, has its origins tracing back to the earliest history It is not a religious concept It is, however, supported by most of the world’s major religions I am a Christian and while many people point to Jesus as the epitome of servant-leadership, I wish I could boast it originated as a Christian concept. Instead, I can only say that it is the only leadership practice fully aligned with the teachings of our religion, as it is with most of the world’s major religions. Greenleaf (a Quaker) sites one of the greatest servant-leaders he ever knew to be his personal friend, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, a “liberal activist”. 4th Century B.C. Chanakya or Kautilya, the famous strategic thinker from ancient India, wrote about servant leadership in his 4th century B.C. book Arthashastra: "the king [leader] shall consider as good, not what pleases himself but what pleases his subjects [followers]" "the king [leader] is a paid servant and enjoys the resources of the state together with the people". NOTE: His lessons were not always Servant-leadership focused. Some quotes downright in opposition, but in many areas, he understood the key concepts of Servant-Leadership as with the quote cited. 600 B.C. In approximately 600 B.C., the Chinese sage Lao Tzu wrote The Tao Te Ching, a strategic treatise on servant leadership: FORTY-NINE The greatest leader forgets himself And attends to the development of others. Good leaders support excellent workers. Great leaders support the bottom ten percent. Great leaders know that The diamond in the rough Is always found “in the rough.” (Quote from The Way of Leading People: Unlocking Your Integral Leadership with the Tao Te Ching.)
- Speaking Points: Most of his career was at AT&T Much of his time was spent in leadership training and management Often considered the father of modern servant-leadership (coined the term) While his writing was very theoretical and academic in nature, it had its roots in his real-world experience and often included examples from his own experience
- Speaking Points: Larry Spears Protégé of Greenleaf Studied under Greenleaf Took over the Greenleaf center and ran it for many years Experience largely academic and consulting work Publications very academic Website: http://www.spearscenter.org/ James Autry No Bull kinda guy Tells it like it is Lots of real-world experience and examples Connects the theory to practice to real world examples in almost everything Website: http://members.aol.com/jamesautry/ James C. Hunter Like Spears, has dedicated his professional career to Servant-Leadership Authored one of the most popular books on Servant-Leadership since Greenleaf’s work Clients include American Express, Nestlé, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Best Buy and the United States Air Force & Army. Others Many of the world’s greatest leadership experts, authors and consutlants preach Servant-Leadership principles and credit the concept for the foundation of true leadership Ken Blanchard – One Minute Manager and many more (Secular and Christian books on leadership) Stephen Covery – The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Peter M. Senge – The Fifth Discipline and Change management author Jim Collins – Built to Last, Good to Great Level 5 Leadership is essentially Servant Leadership Mentions in book concern over using the name “Servant Leadership” There are many more too – but most of the information in this presentation is based upon the work of Greenleaf, Spears, Autry and Hunter.
- Speaking Notes: From Robert Greenleaf’s 1970 Essay, “The Servant as Leader” Emphasizes service first – remember definitions – focus on others, Leader second Those who want to be leaders first, are often catering to egos, seeking power (not authority) and detrimental to the long-term sustainability of the organization Those served and Society could be your stakeholders
- Speaking Points: All characteristics are relevant to Servant-Leadership After reviewing these characteristics and reading many interpretations of Spears’ work and Greenleaf’s original texts, it seems to me these characteristics can be easily recognized and remembered by the two dimensions of SERVANT and LEADER
- Talking Points: Listening Active, not just passive – use active listening skills, repeat what you hear to ensure confirmation 360°, top to bottom – Listen to everyone around you, from CEO to shareholders, to board to staff to janitors, the SL realizes we were given two ears and one mouth for a reason. Listen completely before deciding – BEFORE proposing changes, hear from representative parties. Proposing a solution and then asking what they think is not really listening – it’s telling them what you want asking them to align. Empathy Separate person from their work – Be empathetic to their personal life, they must meet expected deliverables, but when personal matters may be extreme, be as flexible as possible. Walk a mile in their shoes – Combined with listening, make sure you really understand each individual’s diverse perspective. Personable with appropriate individuals – Some people are more personable than others, some where their heart on their sleeves. Be open to sharing with those that are comfortable, but don’t pressure those that are not. Healing Help your staff become whole – Sounds touchy-feely, I know. But whether it was an uncompleted degree, a bad boss that dominated by position power rather than earned authority, or any other incomplete or negative experience – help to resolve the matter Consider their history – See number 1, and put their work and personal concerns in context with their history Build a future together – As you help them heal, together with your vision for the future of the organization and your vision for their complete performance an individual contributions, you will be stronger as a team.
- Second Let’s put the word Leadership under the spyglass for a few moments in everyday terms In our secular lives together during the last century and the beginnings of this one, there are generally 2 basic models of leadership
- All of us fall somewhere between these two extremes and often it may depend on the situation For example – show of hands – how many of you have lived through and survived the experience of raising children through the teenage years My wife and I have 2 boys, who are out of school, OFF THE PAYROLL, have their own families & careers We like to say that during our boy’s time with us, their behaviors ranged from - good to average to less than desired to whose gene pool is this anyway I would say that some teenage children situations may call for a Patton style leadership in the form of tough love – and I will admit to a sharper focus on the tough part of that tough love phrase Then there are those blessed times when your children express in their words or actions some of the caring behaviors that they have seen and that Mother Theresa would express It appears to me that the only time a General Patton leadership style is needed might be during a crisis – if I notice a raging fire at the back of this room and you don’t see it – I am going to say in a very loud voice GET OUT OF HERE – THERE IS A FIRE, versus There is a fire – what do you think we ought to do ?
- Talking Points: Awareness Self & Organization – Self awareness often means confronting your weakness and being constantly aware of them. Organizational awareness means not brushing concerns under the covers, but addressing them. “Sharply awake and reasonably disturbed” (Greenleaf) – As Greenleaf put it so clearly, the aware leader is constantly awake and likely always reasonably disturbed as they know the constant tradeoffs each organization is making and knows the opportunities for failure, weaknesses in processes and misalignments with organizational mission, vision or culture. Persuasion Opposite of positional authority – Not using power to coerce, but leveraging earned authority Convince and build consensus (quickly) – Build concensus among team, peers and stakeholders. Naysayers will say there is not time – bologna. If you’ve earned the right to be in your position, most critics will trust your decisions by that right and be easy to build concensus. Remember, concensus by definition does not mean ALL people – but it does mean a majority of the RIGHT people. Conceptualization B.H.A.G. but S.M.A.R.T. – Big Hairy Audacious Goals, but make sure they are Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic and Time-delimited. The good leaders are able to paint clear pictures of the future that are easily understood by all, but they are reaching – visionary goals that stretch the organization and staff to ever higher levels of performance, provided they are SMART. Make time for strategy – Most leaders today are torn between tactical and strategic. It takes the outstanding leader to ensure time is left for focusing on strategic concerns. Foresight Consequences of present decisions on future outcomes – The servant leader learns from the past, recognizes the realities of the present, and foresees the probable result of current decisions on the future of their organization (Spears).
- Talking Points: Stewardship Entrusted with resources of others – As a servant leader, you would recognize that it is NOT “YOUR Budget”, it is the budget entrusted to you to manage. They are not “YOUR Staff”, it is the team that looks to you for leadership, guidance and the avoidance of all the grabage flowing downhill. You are entrusted with resources for their optimal management, not given them to do with as you please. Return on investments – You are responsible for managing the optimal ROI for all resources entrusted to you. As a servant leader, you do not shirk this responsibility, point fingers at others for blame or otherwise avoid this responsibility. No, as a servant leader you accept responsibility for the best performance of your staff, budget, vendors, products and investments. Commitment to the Growth of People “Green and growing or ripe and dying” (Hunter) – James C. Hunter relayed this quote from a farmer and all good Servant-Leaders recognize that everyone is Green and Growing or has the potential to be. Therefore, the Servant Leader takes it upon themselves to ensure the continuous development of their staff and others. Not just your favorites – All people. And this is where it may get tough. The best path for growth for someone may be outside your organization and so you may have to let them go. Still, the true servant leader insists on supporting their further development by assisting them in any way possible- maximizing outplacement resources, supporting for ongoing education, providing genuine, sincere recommendation letters for appropriate positions and so on. Building Community Effectiveness – Communities help each other out. They don’t say, “sorry, that’s not in my job description” or “my union says I don’t have to do that”. Instead, communities cooperate and help each other to be better – to ensure the sum of the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Camaraderie – A strong community is a happier workplace. Employees with friends at work are happy, more productive and likely to stay longer. Building community builds camaraderie.
- A Leader also takes on the role of a teacher who teaches their followers, in word and deed, how to become servant leaders themselves Our words and actions become models for others We are creating an environment in which others will be see an example of what they might do The best teachers we have had in our lives, I think, are the ones that through their caring efforts towards us inspired us to become more that we thought we could be, and in turn we have tried to bet that for others
- When you first hear the words together – Servant and Leader – isn’t that similar to an oxymoron – words that don’t seem to fit – like The Great Depression – not sure what was so great about it On that decision I am definitely a maybe Let’s be alone together That food is awfully good – after movie comments He was noticeably absent It is going to be a short wait
- Speaking Notes: References: Adapted from Brewer (as cited by Hansel), Spears, Greenleaf and Hunter
- Talking Points: Great Enough to be Without Pride Team gets the credit, you get the blame – When things go right, credit your staff, when things go wrong – NEVER point the blame at your people or elsewhere. If it was in your domain – accept responsibility. If it was TRULY outside your domain, find the root-cause and eliminate it. Then give your team the credit. Compassionate Enough to Discipline Must not be soft – set high expectations and follow through: Autry gives excellent examples of performance plans and leading teams to high expectations. You MUST hold your staff accountable for their actions, responsibilities and deliverables. Not doing so for any staff member or team is not being a servant-leader for the rest of the organization. This is up to and including firing staff when there simply are no other options to bring them around to accepted performance within the organization. But if you do, you must be truly commited to helping them find a better role – within or outside the greater organization, that they would be better suited to perform. That is a true servant-leader to that individual and the greater organization. Right Enough to Say, “I’m Wrong” Leaders make mistakes too, staff should know you are human: I once did not hear a boss say he was sorry for 18 months, regardless of his repeated back-stepping resulting in repeated efforts by our team. We understood – mistakes happen, but can you imagine how unhappy we were when the blame was deflected to the group? All it would have taken was a simple admission, apology and commitment of their time / resources to help the solution. You’re not unfallable, let your team realize you know this and that you are committed to solutions together. Wise Enough to Admit You Don’t Know 1. Find out quickly, but do not mislead: NEVER pretend to know something you do not – this includes the silent nod of agreement when you are truly uncertain. This will almost always hurt you – or worse, your staff, down the road. But when you don’t know – you must commit to finding the answer quickly and DELIVER on that promise. This ensures your stakeholders they can trust you when you commit to something and rely on you to find answers. Otherwise, trust may be broken and that is very difficult to repair. Busy Enough to Listen 1. Beware the busy manager – they do not lead. Great article by Harvard Business Review of the same title (“Beware the Busy Manager”). Reality is anyone who seems to busy to listen to their staff, is. That is not a leader. That’s an individual contributor PRETENDING to be a leader. As a leader, it is your responsibility, NOBODY ELSE’s, to ensure you have time to listen to your stakeholders. A lack of listening is a lack of Leading.
- Talking Points: Traditional = Standard stuff: Command and control model. NOT Servant-Leadership, more autocratic. Regardless of the lip service, conceptualizing the hierarchy in this manner suggests a lack of value placed in the individual contributors. “Primus Inter Pares” was the purest approach suggested by Greenleaf and it means first-among-equals. Greenleaf suggests the true Servant-Leader should surround themselves with equals and whoever is best prepared to lead based on any number of circumstances is then set as the Primus Inter Pares – the first among their equals and leader. Great theory In practice, seems a bit impractical Have yet to see an organization running this model – especially of significant size. Flipped Pyramid: The Servant-Led organization recognizes that staff, or individual contributors belong at the top of organizational structures. As Herb Kelleher put it: “If the employees come first, then they're happy, ... A motivated employee treats the customer well. The customer is happy so they keep coming back, which pleases the shareholders. It's not one of the enduring (great) mysteries of all time, it is just the way it works.”
- Talking Points: Policies and procedures are not just bureaucratic or for autocratic leaders Difference is in approach – should be for clarity and mutual understanding only Must provide employee opportunity to define and contribute – setting their own goals with your agreement “Having minimum standards and procedures by which everyone is assured of fair treatment when it comes to what their jobs are, what is expected, upon what they will be evaluated, and by what guidelines they will be rewarded.” (Autry, 59-60) Key is in approach and intent behind your use – providing clarity or used for command control? Must have constant review, contact, check points, what have you (going back to the key of making time to listen). When was the last time you reviewed your Job Description? Right – that’s what I thought. Does it accurately reflect what you do? What you are responsible for? Why not? It needs to be a living document – an understanding between you and your superior, whoever that may be. Autry suggests after hiring, each annual review should be initiated by employee, then reviewed and revised by manager and combined conversation. References: - Largely adapted from Autry
- Talking Points:
- Speaking Points: Wal-Mart originally pursued the concept – Sam Walton was huge on Servant Leadership, that’s not to say it is continuing today, unfortunately References: Hunter, p. 18/
- When you first hear the words together – Servant and Leader – isn’t that similar to an oxymoron – words that don’t seem to fit – like The Great Depression – not sure what was so great about it On that decision I am definitely a maybe Let’s be alone together That food is awfully good – after movie comments He was noticeably absent It is going to be a short wait
- Say that with me – the role of a leader is to serve those that follow Let’s connect those two words Servant Leadership in that way – the role of a leader is to serve those that follow
- Applying these considerations of Jesus as a role model for Christian leaders we can see that, from a Biblical perspective, a leader is a person, who is: Courageous to lead with love as an expression of serving, Consistently developing others into servant leaders, and Continually inviting feedback from those that they want to serve in order to grow towards the ultimate servant leader, Jesus Christ.
- Speaking Notes:
- Speaking Notes: Herb Kelleher: Helped load baggage on Thanksgiving day, has been seen dressing up as Elvis for fun for the staff Howard Behar: Retired in 1999, but in 2001, the CEO asked him back as interim president because the company had begun “to lose focus on the greater good” (Autry) and so they brought in servant-leadership. Sam Walton – Wal-Mart has its issues today, but one of Sam’s most reiterated quotes was, “If you take care of your people, your people will take care of the customer and the business will take care of itself.” Jimmy Carter – Long after leaving his presidency, he has been marked by hard work and constant contributions to causes like Habitat for Humanity. As one reporter put it, “In a world where power is often equated with force, Jimmy Carter reminds us that what endures is the power of example.” (http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20000119&slug=4000096) Countless Unknown – Remember, the very concept of Servant-Leadership necessitates a lack of pride and ego. It is not self-centered. So many of the world’s greatest Servant-Leaders go unknown.
- How do I be an effective Servant Leader ? Well what does that mean – how do you serve those that follow ? Some thoughts A leader creates an environment for others where they can see Jesus through leader’s actions That environment can be through One on one conversations Group gatherings and teaching Verbal and written conversation Two basic parts of the answer for me Preparation Self awareness, feedback and observation Let’s 1st look at a model
- Any result we receive, always comes from an action taken, which comes from a thought we have, which is based on a belief we have. There is nothing is nothing on the planet that does not fit this continuum. Show of hands – how many here have ever taken an action that was rather impulsive and less than optimum and looked back at that action and wondered – WHY IN THE WORLD DID I DO THAT, WHAT WAS I THINKING If you raised your hand – welcome to the planet – you are one of is At times we have taken a wrong action based on an incorrect thought or based on an impulse where our thoughts and beliefs were not deep enough Earlier we described what good looks like for a Servant Leader – a Jesus or Mother Theresa model For one to have Servant Leader actions that are effective, some preparation time is needed in addressing one’s beliefs and thoughts. Similar to how players in tomorrow’s game have been preparing all season and for the last 2 weeks for this moment – preparation is needed for effective Servant Leadership.
- One has to work at building the beliefs and thoughts that become very internalized. That often only occurs through prayer, study, worship, practice, and being in community with other Servant Leaders.
- Let’s look at another model to discuss how something becomes internalized Awareness Understanding Commitment Internalization Some examples - Tying shoes , Driving a standard transmission, Concert violinist When we stop at Understanding, we often have knowledge of things.
- When we are committed to something and continually use that knowledge, it then becomes personal knowledge and moves from our head into our heart. The concert violinist for the Atlanta symphony orchestra practices 6 hours a day, 5 days a week for a 1 hour weekend performance. A professional golfer hits 1,000 practice balls a day when not playing in a tournament. This move from awareness to internalization is called a self modifying act of conversion. The violinist and athlete do this out of passion for their activity. Once something like this becomes internalized, then the actions become very instinctive and are aligned with core beliefs and thoughts that we have.
- Here are some activities that help with moving Servant Leadership knowledge to personal knowledge
- Does that mean one has to have the Bible memorized and be able to quote scripture at any moment ? Well I sure hope not – because I can’t do that. Maybe a quick story about Bible knowledge John and Fred were talking and Fred says – John I bet you $50 you cannot recite the 23rd Psalm John says – I sure can, I’ll take that bet Fred says – okay, let’s hear it John says – Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray . . . . . . . Fred stops him and says – okay, okay, here is your $50, I didn’t think you knew it that well To me a Servant Leader is a growing leader, one who has internalized Servant Leadership to the spot where one’s thoughts consistently ask what can I do for others. Being a Servant provides a great opportunity to grow ones internalization of Jesus. So preparation and practice are part of being an effective Servant Leader.
- Other part of being an effective Servant Leader to me is measuring one’s self on a Servant Leadership scale by using self awareness, feedback and observation. For me – reflecting back on a day’s activities provides a self awareness of how I did on my Servant Leadership that day. My lifetime goal for myself is to have every thought, word, action I think, say, and do be what Jesus would think, say, and do. I may never get there, but that is my north star. I am not what I want to be, not what I am going to be, but live with that internal sense of direction, trying to make it happen. Each of us is blessed with opportunities every day to be a Servant Leader. Sometimes for me, I look back on a particular situation and try to understand why I reacted the way I did – both situations that I think Jesus would be proud of me for, and those situations where I know I did not act appropriately. A key thing that I have found out over the years is that life must be lived forward, but it is only learned looking back. I think it is very valuable to assess ones actions and words on a regular basis.
- Again – a cornerstone towards living a Servant Leader life is eternal vigilance over self What am I doing to strengthen my Servant Leader skills How is my practice A key thought for me in this space is this – those resting on past successes are destined for future failure So if we have been successful with Servant Leadership, Do we spike the ball in the end zone and claim victory, or Do we thank Jesus for the opportunity and the guidance to support others
- It is hard to put others ahead of yourself in certain situations what about during rush hour traffic on the connector in downtown Atlanta what about selected moments in Corporate America what about when you really really want something more than anything
- I am not sure what the answer for you is to those types of situations – for me it is have patience, and not respond in a manner that would displease Jesus. I do keep in mind that it is not part of Servant Leader or Christian’s job description to be walked on and temper that thought with how I think Jesus would react in a similar situation. I am a member of the Brotherhood of Saint Andrew at our Church and have several prayer partners that I interact with on a regular basis. I ask them to tell me when they observe me saying words or doing actions that do not align with what Servant Leader would do. Now I do ask that this particular feedback not be on Church wide email indicating you would not believe what Tom Martin said or did – but I do want their feedback and observation in a personal conversation.
- Talking Points: “Having minimum standards and procedures by which everyone is assured of fair treatment when it comes to what their jobs are, what is expected, upon what they will be evaluated, and by what guidelines they will be rewarded.” (Autry, 59-60) Key is in approach and intent behind your use – providing clarity or used for command control? Must have constant review, contact, check points, what have you (going back to the key of making time to listen). When was the last time you reviewed your Job Description? Right – that’s what I thought. Does it accurately reflect what you do? What you are responsible for? Why not? It needs to be a living document – an understanding between you and your superior, whoever that may be. Autry suggests after hiring, each annual review should be initiated by employee, then reviewed and revised by manager and combined conversation.