What is servant leadership?
At its core, the servant leadership meaning is simple: a people-first mindset. This servant leadership style is about taking care of the people in your care and standing up for them on the issues that matter most.
Servant Leadership Goes Beyond the Workplace
You don’t get to ignore personal and social issues and still call yourself a servant leader. That’s not how servant leadership principles work. What happens outside your organization directly impacts the people inside it, and servant leadership behaviors require leaders to pay attention to both. Servant leaders don’t put on blinders and focus only on day-to-day tasks. That mindset belongs to transactional leadership, not values based leadership. Only transactional leaders do that.
Trust Is the Cornerstone of Servant Leadership
Servant leaders stand up for all the people they represent, especially when perspectives differ, because they understand that trust is the cornerstone of servant leadership principles. These are real servant leadership examples, engaging in conversations about people’s personal lives, racial injustice, LGBTQ equality, and workplace safety. Servant leaders check in with people, challenging their own perspectives and authentically taking a stand.
Six Servant Leadership Actions You Can Take This Week
Here are six actions you can take this week, real examples of servant leadership you can practice regardless of your role in the organization:
- Send a quick message and acknowledge how much you appreciate someone.
- Demonstrate empathy. My rule is “Empathy first. Information second.”
- Let them see your support for social issues that impact their wellbeing.
- Take time to learn. Get their permission to ask questions so that you can understand their point of view and more about a topic.
- Help people step back into their power by focusing on what they can control. They always have choices.
- Build their self-worth. Tell them, “I believe in you.”
The Qualities That Define Servant Leadership
Your leadership presence will ultimately reflect your servant leadership qualities, deciding whether the people you serve feel seen, supported, and less alone in the world. That’s the essence of servant leadership, leading with care, courage, and consistency. Remember: you don’t have to have all the answers. The most effective servant leadership style starts with caring deeply, asking honest questions, and checking in consistently.
You’ve got this. I believe in you.
