Servant Leadership

Transformational Servant Leadership

Author: Sidney de Oliveira Junior

Abstract

The servant leadership theme inevitably leads to many issues; however “what do servant leaders do?" seams to be the first question to be brought. A leader’s role is to provide an environment where the employees can excel, by giving them the tools and resources they need to be the best at their activities, understanding that an employee who has a fulfilling and balanced personal life will be far more productive at their job.

"The most valuable "currency" of any organization is the initiative and creativity of its members. Every leader has the solemn moral responsibility to develop these to the maximum in all his people. This is the leader's highest priority." W. Edwards Deming - Principle Centered Leadership.

Introduction

Many readers see as a paradoxical the notion of 'Servant as Leader'. The same paradoxical feeling I could see when I put this question on my presentation for my MBA class, "How is it possible to have both words connected?” Probably some thought it’s difficult to determine due to the fact that servant leadership is one of the least critically examined leadership philosophies. Some of my colleagues try to sort some of their thoughts and painted a picture with some difficulty. But, in fact the theme "Servant Leadership" is not always on the front page of Time Magazine or Forbes.

However, when I raised the second question I could see that it was easier to get digested, "How can leaders serve people?" Many ideas were brought to table in an effort to establishing the principles by the words.

The origins

- Robert K. Greenleaf

Robert K. Greenleaf is known as the father of the modern servant leadership movement.

He was responsible for drawing the philosophical concept of servant leadership in 1970, inspired by a book by Herman Hesse called “Journey to the East”, where a man called Leo joins a group of people in a spiritual journey, as a servant. He devotes...