Rediscovering Servant Leadership
Our team recently revisited The Servant as Leader, an essay by Robert K. Greenleaf, a pioneer in management consulting. Written during an era dominated by command-and-control leadership, Greenleaf’s research revealed that the most successful companies had leaders who acted as supportive coaches, serving the needs of their employees and the organisation alike.
This approach, known as “Servant Leadership”, has since become a cornerstone for thousands of companies worldwide. These organisations enjoy high levels of trust, employee engagement, and low turnover. Greenleaf’s principles resonate deeply in today’s fast-paced corporate environment.
Shifting the Focus: From Leader to Team
As leaders, we know what environments fuel our best performances. But what about the environments that bring out the best in our team members? Servant Leadership flips the traditional model on its head, focusing on empowering and growing the people we work with.
Greenleaf’s decades of study showed that Servant Leaders are more motivated, creative, and productive, leading to superior results. This model aligns seamlessly with employee-centred management, where a manager’s success hinges on their team’s performance.
What Does Servant Leadership Look Like in Business?
Effective interaction starts with listening. Truly understanding our team members allows us to create engagement programmes and improvement strategies that resonate with them. Tailoring these initiatives to fit the team and individuals can unlock incredible potential.
6 Key Questions a Servant Leader Asks:
- What environment is most productive for each individual? Do they thrive working solo, or do they excel in a group setting?
- Do they prefer routine or variety in their daily tasks?
- What pace suits them best? Are they quick decision-makers, or do they need time to deliberate?
- What drives them – people or tasks
- How do they communicate? Do they get straight to the point, or do they need comprehensive context?
- What are their strengths? What unique skills do they bring to the table?
The term ‘Servant Leader’ places ‘servant’ first for a reason. When our primary goal is to serve, we build relationships that benefit the other person. But to do this effectively, we must understand our own behavioural preferences to avoid projecting our needs onto others.
The Difference Between Behaviour and Personality
Personality is who we are – it’s relatively fixed and unchangeable. Behaviour, however, is how we do things – it’s adaptable based on the situation. By understanding this distinction, we open up possibilities for using different approaches to achieve better outcomes.
5 Ways to Build Self-awareness
- Record yourself in action and analyse your behavioural patterns.
- Seek feedback from trusted peers or colleagues.
- Keep a journal focused on specific behaviours you notice.
- Review your successes and the actions that led to them.
- Take a Behavioural Assessment, like Team8’s DISC Profiles, and reflect on the insights.
Assessments offer a streamlined way to gain deep insights into both our own and others’ behaviours. Team8’s DISC Profiles are developed from an individual’s response to an online questionnaire, taking just about 12-minutes to complete. What follows is a comprehensive 40-page report that delves into each individual’s unique strengths, preferred pace, communication style, and relationship-building approach. Reports also outline what drives each person to succeed and identifies stress triggers. Visual and narrative representations across the four DISC quadrants — Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientious — provide a clear understanding of behavioural nuances. Dive deeper into understanding and adapting to different DISC Styles here.
Adapting Behaviour for Better Results
While we wouldn’t ask you to change your personality, adapting behaviours can lead to significant improvements. Understanding your own DISC Profile helps you recognise others’ styles, enabling you to adjust your communication and interaction strategies effectively.
For example, if a team member prefers a slower pace, adjusting your delivery can enhance their understanding and engagement. Conversely, matching the fast pace of a quick thinker can boost productivity and rapport.
Embrace the power of Servant Leadership to transform your business. By focusing on the growth and empowerment of your team, you’ll create a thriving, high-performing environment that drives long-term success.
Ready to elevate your leadership? Connect with Team8 today and discover how we can support your individual, team, or organisation’s development with our tailored DISC Profiling Tools and DISC Accreditation options.
