Servant Leadership — The Art of Empowerment

This post was first published on March 30th, 2020. Written by LK.

“Servant Leadership” — I heard the term for the first time 20 years ago while studying business at Pepperdine University. I remember thinking to myself here’s another soft qualitative term that someone dreamed up to make themselves sound interesting. I mused that business is about making decisions based on facts and figures and driving results. 20 years later, my opinion has changed completely. Business is about relationships and empowerment. I still believe that facts and figures make up the foundation of any sound business decision. However, the success of any venture lies in how well the idea is communicated and ultimately accepted by the people who will be affected by it. This is where servant leadership comes into play.

Contrary to traditional top-down management styles, the servant leadership approach seeks to paint a picture of what success looks like and asks for input and suggestions from all parties in devising the optimal strategy. The Servant Leader acts more as a moderator leading a discussion rather than the boss telling subjects what to do. By soliciting input, creating consensus and empowering stakeholders, the servant leader is manifesting both respect and trust in the team’s abilities and thereby creating a sense of unity. Once the team agrees on a strategy, the servant leader takes a supportive role, ensuring that each team member has all the resources needed to be successful. The teams know that the leader has their best interest in mind and reward that leadership with devotion.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with some phenomenal teams both as a leader and team member. I know that when my opinion and input is valued, I work harder to ensure that the team succeeds. When I think of any team sport, and yes, business is a team sport, the best teams do not always have the greatest players in terms of skill, yet they win because of the belief in their combined contribution. Passing the ball on a fast breakaway, because your teammate is wide open, is how games are won. Servant Leaders create the plays that guarantee success rather than take a shot that might lose the game.

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