FAQs about Servant Leadership
“I believe that servant leadership is ethical, practical, and meaningful. It is the best kind of leadership for the leader, for his or her colleagues, or for those being served.” – Kent Keith
In today’s world, there are so many ways to learn about leadership: podcasts, books, webinars, you name it. And naturally with all that learning, questions will arise.
Our April 2024 Servant Leadership Community of Practice dedicated space to exploring frequently asked questions about servant leadership using the book, Questions and Answers about Servant Leadership by Kent M. Keith.
Each question is followed with personal reflection questions to help you grow in your individual leadership journey!
Q1: Is servant leadership a style of leadership?
A: This is a bit of a trick question – because we’re asking the wrong question!
Servant leadership is not a single style of leadership. Kent Keith says it’s whatever style is needed in the circumstances.
It doesn’t matter if you use the terms authentic, real, caring, or servant to describe leadership. Don’t get bogged down in the semantics. Serving others is simply a way of being.
Watch this video from Leadership with Mike to hear about embracing new ideas of leadership:
“It’s not about the leader, it’s about the needs of the people the leader serves. As their needs change, the servant-leader changes, adjusting his or her leadership style in order to respond effectively to the new situation.” – Kent Keith
There’s an old saying that “anyone who is a hammer thinks every problem is a nail.”
Servant-leaders aren’t hammers – they are the whole toolbox.
Servant-leaders are self-aware to select the right tool in their toolbox depending on the situation.
Personal Reflection: What tools are in your toolbox to help others grow?
Q2: Can I be a servant leader if my boss isn’t?
A: Watch this video from Simon Sinek to hear why middle management is one of the hardest jobs and how servant leadership can help:
“No one is teaching leadership, this is why we get managers and not leaders,” Simon tells us.
How do we combat this challenge?
Be the leader you wish you had.
You can’t control what you can’t control. Focus on the people around you. Remove barriers so others can be their best!
Kent recommends to “be authentic as a servant-leader, and you can help others to become servant-leaders themselves.”
Here are some things you can start doing today:
- Be self-aware
- Practice active listening
- Exercise foresight
- Develop your colleagues
By doing what servant-leaders do, you can create an effective, servant-led environment within your team, department, or branch, even if the entire organization is run differently.
Personal Reflection: How can you impact the people around you today?
Q3: Is there a downside to servant leadership?
A: Watch this video from Leadership with Mike to hear about some of the challenges of servant leadership:
Some of the downsides our attendees shared with us include:
- People don’t understand the name.
- It’s not a quick fix.
- It takes time to listen and learn how to be relevant.
- Burnout is real.
The truth of the matter is…you can be a servant leader by serving others AND work on your own growth. It’s not an either/or situation, it’s a both/and.
A big part of servant leadership is working WITH your people. If they’re a part of the decision-making process, they’re going to want to come to work and go the extra mile.
Personal Reflection: What positives can you take away from servant leadership?
Q4: If servant leadership is so effective, why aren’t more people practicing it?
A: Kent says: “Servant leadership makes so much sense, it’s hard to believe why it’s not more prevalent.”
Unfortunately, in our society, many people want a quick fix instead of putting in the hard work. Servant leadership is countercultural.
Servant leadership is like planting a tree; it’s a long-term approach to changing the world.
“A servant-leader is someone who is planting a tree whose shade they will never enjoy.” – Anonymous
As a leader, you may never see the payoff but you still do it knowing someone will reap those benefits someday.
Despite the dominance of the power model in many organizations today, servant leadership is still being practiced everywhere –– in families, in organizations, and within communities.
There are people all around us who are servant-leaders!
Personal Reflection: Who do you know that is quietly a servant-leader?
Q5: Where can servant leadership take us?
It’s going to take each of us as individuals who believe in servant leadership and are practicing it to make an impact. We need everyone to be role models.
“This will become more prevalent when servant-leaders follow only servant-leaders.” – Robert Greenleaf
It’s hard. There are a lot of factors in our personal and professional lives that get in the way of standing up for where servant leadership can take us.
At Sophia, we’re committed to growing and supporting the next generation of servant-leaders and unleashing the potential of all people to create thriving spaces and places.
Whatever your occupation, seniority, or job title is, YOU can make a lasting impact in the lives of others!
About Dr. Kent Keith
During the past two decades, Kent Keith has given hundreds of speeches and workshops on servant leadership.
This book is especially useful to those who naturally begin with questions, whether they are new to servant leadership or have been on the journey for many years. It provides the reader with starting points for further study, reflection, and implementation.
You can find this book on Amazon or on his website along with other books, articles, and resources.
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What have you learned from this blog? Let us know!
Don’t miss your opportunity to join our next conversation! Community of Practice sessions are amazing opportunities for any and all leaders to gather and learn from one another in a supportive, comfortable environment, right from your computer. May’s topic is “Leading Transition.”
Additional Resources:
- Kent Keith website w/ books, resources
- Leadership with Mike Video
- Leadership with Mike Video
- Simon Sinek Video
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This blog post wraps up April 2024’s Community of Practice conversation. To join us during the live discussion for future months, register at https://www.sophiapartners.org/events/. This program occurs the fourth Tuesday of each month from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. CT via Zoom.
