Have you ever had a boss who pushed you to produce, to the point where you felt burnt out?

As a leader, have you ever wondered why your employees just won't comply?

Elisabeth Moss walking down the hall with cigarette in her mouth like she owns the place.

Servant leadership might be the solution for both scenarios.

Through this kind of leadership, relationships between leaders and employees are built on trust, motivation, commitment, and recognition. Employees thrive and leaders are willing to serve their staff members, which allows for a better dynamic between boss and employee.

What is servant leadership?

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In servant leadership, leaders put their employees first and seek ways to develop their potential. Servant leadership differs from the traditional leadership model where leaders are in charge and hold all the power.

Man takes hat off head and bows. The text reads,

To be successful, the culture of the organization must be set up for servant leadership to thrive . Leaders must be willing to:

  • serve their employees and set aside any selfish mindsets.

  • ask questions of their employees to get to know them.

  • think about ways they can develop their talent.

What qualities do servant leaders have?

Person says to another:

Successful servant leaders:

  • Are willing to serve others.

  • Have great listening skills.

  • Ask questions to learn more.

  • Have empathy.

  • Know how to encourage others.

  • Build trust.

  • Have a vision for your organization.

Quiz

A company has been seeing a decline in investments. There is talk of lay-offs. What would a servant leader do in this scenario?

What are the benefits of servant leadership?

Gif says,

Servant leadership helps to:

  • Increase employee performance.

  • Retain more employees.

  • Promote organizational growth.

  • Increase organizational performance.

  • Increase organizational capacity.

  • Grow leadership amongst employees.

Quiz

Which of the following questions would a servant leader ask of staff?

How can you practice servant leadership?

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Servant leadership can start from an employee's onboarding by asking them their thoughts and impressions on the process, which shows them that their voice matters.

Other ways you practice servant leadership are:

  • Discovering stressors and seeking to remove any for your employees.

  • Showing appreciation and recognition for your employees.

  • Understanding employees as individuals and acknowledging big moments in their lives.

  • Removing employees' obstacles.

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Take Action

Desmond Tutu says,

Are you ready to practice servant leadership?

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