By: Mark Elberfeld
Servant-leadership is not just a philosophy; it is a way of life. As with any discipline, it requires practice and skill development. It is akin to learning a new language: Once you have the basics, you have access to another world. Some of those skills include active listening; the giving and receiving of feedback; disciplined reflection upon experience; and understanding group dynamics. All those skills affect the growth of an individual, a small group, or even an entire organization.
But what exactly is servant-leadership? For one answer, I turn to Robert Greenleaf, who coined the term in a 1970 essay entitled “The Servant as Leader,” in which he writes: “The servant-leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served…”
Conscious choice, a natural feeling, and serving others are all part of being a servant-leader. Therefore, servant-leadership can enable us to bring out our better selves and improve the lives of others. To that end, I turn again to Greenleaf, who says: “The best test is: Do those served grow as persons; do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?”
Not every servant-leader is a Mother Theresa, a Gandhi, or a Martin Luther King, Jr., though they are easily recognized for their contributions to humanity. A mother, a father, a doctor, a priest, a friend who listens – all can be servant-leaders. Companies that consider themselves servant-leaders include Southwest Airlines, Nordstrom, Herman Miller, and Synovus Bank.
Anyone with the willingness to serve others and who makes the conscious choice to lead with the best interest of others in mind can be one, too. Try it. It will open up your world.
Mark Elberfeld is the Communications Coordinator for the Gabriel Center for Servant-Leadership in Marietta, Ga. He can be reached at mbe@gabrielcenter.org.
