Servant leadership is an approach in which the leader's first aim is to serve others and help them grow, with influence flowing from that service.
Where it comes from
Robert K. Greenleaf, who spent nearly four decades in management research and development at AT&T, coined the term in his 1970 essay "The Servant as Leader."¹ He took the image from Hermann Hesse's Journey to the East, in which the group's humble servant, Leo, turns out to be the head of the order. Greenleaf proposed a simple test: "Do those served grow as persons?" A 2019 systematic review in The Leadership Quarterly found servant leadership associated with outcomes such as engagement and helping behavior, and called for more rigorous research designs.²
Where it goes wrong
"Servant" is sometimes read as pleasing everyone or avoiding hard calls. Greenleaf's servant leaders set direction and hold standards. Their service shows in what they ask of people and in how they help them get there.
Talent Takeaway
Ask each person on your team one question this week: "What could I do, or stop doing, that would help you do your best work?" Act on at least one answer, and tell them you did.
¹ Greenleaf, R. K. (1970). The servant as leader. The Robert K. Greenleaf Center.
² Eva, N., Robin, M., Sendjaya, S., van Dierendonck, D., & Liden, R. C. (2019). Servant leadership: A systematic review and call for future research. The Leadership Quarterly, 30(1), 111–132.
Further reading: Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness. Paulist Press.