Is Servant Leadership the Next Big Thing?

The way we look at effective management is changing, as more and more companies adopt “servant leadership” as their company policy. This article will discuss what servant leadership is and why it is the future of management and leading a company.

What is Servant Leadership?

“Servant leadership” is the idea that the role of a manager is to “serve” employees. While the traditional employee/manager relationship has been seen as the employee serving the manager (doing what he or she is told, working under the manager, etc…), this new form of management turns this traditional idea on its head.

With servant leadership, the idea is that as a manager, you hired your employee because you trust him or her to get the job done. So, it is your job to give that employee everything he or she needs to succeed. As a manager, you should serve your employees to make sure they have everything they need so they can use their strengths to succeed.

In sum, the following outlines a manager’s role as a servant leader:

• Instead of giving your employees tasks, work with them to create tasks that are meaningful to them, that allow them to use their strengths, and are important for the company.

• Instead of micromanaging your employees, guide them when they need help and let them do their thing. Again, you hired them because you trust that they are competent and can get the job done.

• Listen to your employees and work with them to ensure they have the proper training and knowledge to complete their tasks.

• Instead of having monthly or quarterly evaluations for your employees, use these meetings to make sure you are on the same page as them and that they have the resources they need to do their job. Use these meetings to boost communication and strategically plan, not just to evaluate employees.

Why Servant Leadership is the Future:

Servant leadership is the future because it works. Here’s how:

• Happier Employees Leads to Better Job Performance: Under servant leadership, employees are happier and feel more of a purpose for their work, which leads to better job performance. After all, people work better and harder when they enjoy what they are doing.

• Servant Leadership Allows for Creativity: By not micromanaging, servant leaders give their employees the freedom to be creative and use their strengths to the best of their abilities. This leads to better business results.

• Servant Leadership Means More Diversity in Ideas: Because employees have more of a say under servant leadership, it is easier to hear more ideas and brainstorm creative ways to solve problems. After all, multiple minds can usually come up with more solutions than a single mind.

About the Author -- Joshua Ferdman

Joshua Ferdman is a Los Angeles-based entrepreneur, specializing in technology, finance, and real estate. He started working in the mortgage business at the age of 16 and hasn't stopped since. Joshua always said that the most important job you can ever have is phone sales. He writes about entrepreneurship, leadership, and succeeding in the professional world.