Servant Leadership Green Clean Schools Leadership Institute July 28-29, 2016
Why did you want to be in a leadership position? Being a leader is a choice Leaders aren’t born An overwhelming majority of people are unhappy or unfulfilled at work. The top reasons for that Their relationship with their direct supervisor. The corporate culture. Of people who say they are dissatisfied with their direct supervisor 80% are disengaged with their work.
Good Leaders Must First Become Good Servants. - Robert Greenleaf The phrase “servant leadership” was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in an essay he first published in 1970.
The Servant as Leader The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions…The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature. “The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society? Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?“
The Servant as Leader A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong. While traditional leadership generally involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the “top of the pyramid,” servant leadership is different. The servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible.
It’s a mindset that when you choose to live a life to serve others first, tremendous things happen 10 Characteristics of a Servant Leader Listening – staff ideas, what they want or need, creativity Empathy - you think you can empathize, but unless you’ve been there... doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try Healing - offer to listen, ask if there’s anything you can do, be sincere & support them in ways that you can Awareness - able Leaders are sharply awake and reasonably disturbed Persuasion - talk about the why, offer compelling reasons when making requests, Conceptualization - encourage them to dream big, nurture an environment that makes people want to be innovative Foresight - Do others have confidence in your ability to anticipate the future and its consequences Stewardship - we are talking about people, the group, community or organization Building Community - servant leader instills and supports a sense of community spirit in the workplace. Commitment to Growth of Others - all people have something to offer beyond their tangible contributions; spiritually, professionally, personally
Servant leadership is a philosophy and set of practices that enriches the lives of individuals, builds better organizations and ultimately creates a more just and caring world Servant Leadership isn’t a place, or a destination, or a certification. There aren’t club dues you have to pay, you don’t have to call yourself a servant leader, and there’s not a secret handshake (unless someone hasn’t told me because it’s secret) It’s a mindset. It’s trait. It’s a conscious decision that you put people first in everything you do. In an ORGANIZATION… Servant Leadership - it’s still very personal. Everybody is their own somebody. It’s an understanding that no two people are the same. It’s a very personal journey that’s different for every person. Because it’s so simple, you have to care about people, and want the best for them.
Companies Succeed with Servant Leadership
Thank you & Good Luck Jodi Krause University of Wisconsin – Madison Assistant Director of Housekeeping