Without turning this post into a dissertation… Servant Leadership is simply a leadership strategy (and philosophy) in which the main goal of the leader, is to serve.  Duh…  Right?

Now I say the word “simply”, but trust me…it is anything but.

When people really consider the attributes of a servant leader, a host of questions arise.  It is not as simple as saying, “OK, from now on my goal is to serve”.  It’s a bit more complicated than that.

But let me tell you three things I believe about servant leadership, and one thing that I hate.

BELIEFS:

1. I believe that a servant leadership style can be applied to any business, organization or group.

2. I believe that every leader has the capacity to become a true servant.

3. I believe that servant leadership might be the only hope humanity has, to save ourselves from data-driven destruction.

Trust me…I realize that all three of those “beliefs” instantly bring up a few questions (especially #3).  And those are questions that I’d like to discuss with all of you, should you be kind enough to read future articles.

But let me get to the real reason for this post…something that’s been bugging me lately.

Here’s one thing I hate about servant leadership:

I absolutely hate that Servant Leadership is conflated with a leader being “soft”.

Often, when people hear of servant leadership, they instantly think of some utopian setting where every employee or constituent or member of an organization is always super-happy, feels warm and fuzzy at all times and has only respect, admiration and love for their leader.

They seem to believe that the term “Servant Leader” refers only to leaders in a spiritual context, or they think that it’s merely a  part of a ‘kumbaya’, let’s-hold-hands, unicorns and rainbows management style.  Or perhaps a strategy developed to create safe spaces for employees that some might call ‘snowflakes’.

Let’s get this straight:

Being a Servant Leader may be about placing the needs of others before your own…but in no way does it imply that a leader must be ‘soft’.

Servant Leaders are more equipped to make difficult decisions.
Servant Leaders have a distinct marketplace advantage when it comes to marketing and sales.
Servant Leaders create lasting loyalty with customers, associates and all those over which they exert influence.

Servant Leadership isn’t “soft”.  Servant Leadership is SMART.  Servant Leadership is SUSTAINABLE.  Servant Leadership is the ability to be proud of oneself every time you look in the mirror, as you calmly dismantle the competition.

John Quincy Adams once said that “if your actions inspire other to dream more, do more and become more, you are a leader“.

I might just add this:

When your actions are driven by the desire to have a positive impact on others, you are a servant leader.  And it is only then…that you have the ability to create meaningful change the world.

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