Developing People and Teams [P2]: Leadership Styles - What is Servant Leadership?

Question 1

What 5 aspects embody servant leadership?

Answer 1

1. commitment to put yourself last
2. focus on the greatness of others
3. respect other people’s needs to be fully human
4. Courage to speak the truth
5. Openness about own vulnerability

Question 2

Explain “commitment to put yourself last”

Answer 2

• commitment to humility
• about the success of those you serve
• those you serve should be the center of attention
• don’t brag about personal success - e.g. being a good SM —> success belongs to those that you serve
• not fighting their way up the ladder
• avoid corporate politics

Question 3

Explain “focus on the greatness of others”

Answer 3

• help underperformers and lift them up to be greater
• focus on improving rather than punishing
• “what can I do for you so that you can be great and get you out of this situation?”
• look it from their perspective - no judgement

Question 4

Explain “respect other people’s needs to be fully human”

Answer 4

• servant leader does not differentiate a person inside and outside a workplace
• cares about the well-being of her people at the workplace. A servant leader is personally interested in her people as a human being
• compassionate! and curious to be personally interested in the people we are serving —> genuine!
• creates env to learn from mistakes and get help

Question 5

Explain “courage to speak the truth”

Answer 5

• courage to tell the truth even though it will make others uncomfortable or even resistant
• does not sugar coat any of the messages she sends because she wants her people to improve and have a new experience
• walks the talk and every bit of her message has integrity in it
• not playing it safe and does not have any fear to tell the truths because she knows her goal is the greatness of others
• unbiased and does not have any favorites, otherwise, it will lower the quality of the service she brings to the whole organisation

Question 6

Explain “openness about own vulnerability”

Answer 6

• has the humility to be open about her own vulnerability
• has the humility to say that she does not have all of the answers to all of the problems and any advise she gives does not serve as the absolute truth
• has the humility to not brag about herself and at the same time is open about her imperfection
• Being open about our own vulnerability is a form of service to others so that others can feel safe to be open about theirs too —> only way we can get trust from the people we are serving