Servant leaders prioritize the needs and growth of their team members above all else. Instead of focusing on their own authority, they aim to serve their teams, helping them develop, perform, and succeed. Servant leadership is deeply people-focused, emphasizing empathy, collaboration, and a strong commitment to personal and professional development. This style is particularly effective in environments where employee well-being and empowerment are critical to achieving success.
Key Traits: Empathy and Support
At the core of Servant Leadership is Empathy. Servant leaders actively listen to their team members, seeking to understand their challenges, concerns, and aspirations. They prioritize the emotional well-being of their team, creating an environment of trust and support. This emotional intelligence allows them to connect deeply with their teams, ensuring that everyone feels valued and heard.
Another defining trait is Support. Servant leaders are committed to providing the resources, guidance, and opportunities their teams need to succeed. They focus on removing obstacles, offering personal development opportunities, and empowering their employees to take ownership of their work. This support fosters a strong sense of community and loyalty within the team, as everyone feels they are working together toward shared goals.
Great at:
- Building Trust: Servant leaders excel at creating an environment of trust and open communication. By putting their team's needs first, they foster strong relationships and build loyalty. Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder and CEO of Bumble, embodies this approach by prioritizing employee well-being, fostering an empowering culture, and promoting diversity and inclusion within her company. Her leadership style emphasizes empathy and empowerment, creating an environment where employees feel valued and supported.
- Developing Others: Servant leaders are focused on helping their team members grow both personally and professionally. Satya Nadella, as CEO of Microsoft, has transformed the company's culture by prioritizing empathy, collaboration, and continuous learning. His leadership has empowered employees to innovate and contribute to the company's success, all while fostering a supportive, growth-oriented culture.
- Creating a Purpose-Driven Culture: Servant leaders are often deeply committed to a cause greater than themselves. They inspire their teams by aligning their leadership with a higher purpose. Mother Teresa was an iconic example of servant leadership. Through her dedication to serving the poor and needy, she built an organization where every member was driven by a shared mission to serve others.
Watch out for:
- Overextension: Servant leaders can sometimes stretch themselves too thin by constantly prioritizing the needs of others. In trying to serve everyone, they may neglect their own well-being or the organization's broader needs. Servant leaders must ensure that they strike a balance between serving their team and maintaining their own focus and energy.
- Lack of Authority: The collaborative, people-focused nature of servant leadership can sometimes lead to challenges when swift, authoritative decisions are needed. Leaders must be mindful not to lose their authority while serving their team, ensuring they can still step in and provide direction when necessary.
- Delayed Results: Servant leadership focuses on long-term personal growth and team development, which can sometimes lead to slower decision-making or a delay in achieving short-term results. Leaders need to balance their people-first approach with the demands of immediate performance goals.
Examples of Great Servant Leaders
- Whitney Wolfe Herd: As the founder and CEO of Bumble, Wolfe Herd has demonstrated servant leadership by creating a supportive, inclusive workplace. Her emphasis on empathy, employee well-being, and a mission-driven culture has empowered her team to thrive while building a successful business.
- Satya Nadella: As the CEO of Microsoft, Nadella's servant leadership style transformed the company's culture, making empathy, collaboration, and continuous learning central to Microsoft's success. His leadership has empowered employees to innovate while creating a supportive and inclusive work environment.
- Mother Teresa: A true embodiment of servant leadership, Mother Teresa dedicated her life to serving others. Through her leadership of the Missionaries of Charity, she built an organization driven by a higher purpose, inspiring those around her to work toward a common goal of helping the poor and needy.
Final Thoughts
Servant leadership is a powerful approach that prioritizes the needs, development, and well-being of a leader's team. By fostering trust, empathy, and a strong sense of support, servant leaders empower their teams to grow, thrive, and achieve long-term success. However, this leadership style requires balance—leaders must avoid overextending themselves and ensure they can still provide the necessary authority and direction when needed.
For leaders focused on creating purpose-driven cultures and helping their teams grow, servant leadership is an effective way to build loyalty, foster innovation, and ensure the long-term success of their people and their organization.