Servant Leadership Examples

The idea of servant leadership is not new. Some of the earliest examples of servant leadership can be taken from the bible. “And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:42-45 King James Version ).” Servant Leadership is a leadership practice that is based on the belief that employees should be held as equals Greenleaf defines servant leadership as …show more content…
It includes understanding oneself and the impact one has on others. With awareness, servant leaders are able to step aside and view themselves and their own perspectives in the greater context of the situation (Northouse, 2013). A needs to be aware of what is going on in the organization as well as being aware of any sensitive issues that may arise. Servant leaders are committed to helping each person in the organization grow personally and professionally. Commitment can take many forms, including providing followers with opportunities for career development, helping them develop new work skills, taking a personal interest in the their ideas, and involving them in decision making (Spears, 2002). Managers need to dedicate sufficient time and energy to the overall well being of the employees in the department as well as any individuals they may serve. Empathetic servant leaders demonstrate that they truly understand what followers are thinking and feeling. When a servant leader shows empathy, it is confirming and validating for the follower. It makes the follower feel unique. Leaders need to have empathy with the employees in an attempt to understand what they are going through. A leader can show empathy doing a job shadow and works with the employee for a few hours. Finally, Servant leadership fosters the development of community. Servant leaders build community to provide a place where people can feel safe and connected with others, but are still allowed to express their own individuality (Northouse, 2013). Servant leaders strive to build a work environment that is full of people that are diverse, but are all working toward the same goal. REI is a great example of an organization that uses the servant leadership