Servant Leadership Essay

Greenleaf's approach also includes elements of the participative leadership style, which requires leaders to involve subordinates in setting goals, building teams and solving problems but keeps the final decision-making in their own hands. In discussing servant leadership, management experts frequently note ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi wrote about the concept in the fifth century B.

Based on Greenleaf's writings, other management experts created a list of attributes a servant leader must possess. C., when he described the highest type of ruler as someone who deflects attention: "The sage is self-effacing and scanty of words.

As defined by Greenleaf, servant leaders are not motivated by the traditional manifestations of power: The servant leader is servant first …

It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people's highest priority needs are being served.

In addition, a leader who is always there to help employees may actually demotivate them to solve problems on their own, in the same way that parents who run interference for a child may cripple the child's maturity.

Compare And Contrast Essay On A Good Man Is Hard To Find - Servant Leadership Essay

In any case, most management experts agree that servant leadership is not a short-term approach and takes time to be successful.

Don't avoid making unpopular decisions or giving team members negative feedback when this is needed.

Also, do not rely on it exclusively – use it alongside styles like Transformational Leadership, where you develop an inspiring vision of the future, motivate people to deliver this, manage its implementation, and build an ever-stronger team.

This characteristic relates to the emotional health and "wholeness" of people, and involves supporting them both physically and mentally.

First, make sure that your people have the knowledge, support and resources to think about how your organization can make a positive impact on the people you lead and the customers you serve.