Understanding Servant Leadership: Key Principles for Effective Teams

Servant LeadershipContrast of Servant Leadership Versus Traditional LeadershipHow Servant Leadership Compares to Traditional LeadershipPrinciples of Servant Leadership Principles of Servant LeadershipDescribing Servant Leadership Principles & Their PracticesListeningEmpathyHealingAwareness / Self-awareness PersuasionConceptualizationForesight Stewardship Commitment to the growth of peopleBuilding communitySummaryWant to find out more on Servant Leadership? As many of you are aware, I've written extensively about servant leadership. A few years ago, I published a book titled The Craft of Servant Leadership, available on Bookboon. In it, I discuss how servant leadership—the practice of putting others first. When applied, the result is happier, more productive teams. I’ve also shared some thoughts on this site, including: https://lukepivac.com/2025/01/27/boost-your-leadership-with-emotional-intelligence/ In this blog post, I wanted to break Servant Leadership down into more details. I will uncover what Servant leadership is. I will also show how it compares to traditional leadership attributes. Additionally, I will break down each of the principles of servant leadership and the value they bring. Servant Leadership I have developed my skills and values around Servant Leadership, which is a key part of what I do. Here’s why it matters to me. At its heart, servant leadership is about putting others before yourself and focusing on your team's needs. Servant leaders build trust by being responsible, helping others grow, appreciating their efforts, sharing decision-making, and listening fairly. Servant leadership encourages action. Robert K. Greenleaf first wrote about servant leadership in his 1970 essay The Servant as Leader. Notable servant leaders include Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King. Servant leadership is an important skill for effective leaders in Agile teams because it helps create empowered groups. On the other hand, a command-and-control style can limit creativity and innovation. Tip: To encourage creativity, a different leadership style is necessary. This is why servant leadership is so effective and highly important. Contrast of Servant Leadership Versus Traditional Leadership Many servant leaders help others instead of just managing, as they truly want to help. This contrasts with leader-first individuals who seek power or material gain. The servant-leader ensures people's highest priority needs are met, fostering their growth, autonomy, and well-being. The ultimate success criteria for servant leadership are whether those served become healthier, wiser, and serve others. Unlike traditional leadership that focuses on power accumulation, servant leadership emphasizes sharing power. It prioritizes others' needs. Additionally, it aids in their development and performance. How Servant Leadership Compares to Traditional Leadership ConceptFocusAgile BenefitContrastServant LeadershipSupports team, builds trustEmpowers teamsPower-seeking leadersTraditional LeadershipControls, accumulates powerLimits creativityHierarchical control Insight: Servant leadership is not just a style or technique. It's a long-term way of acting. Principles of Servant Leadership This section explains the principles of servant leadership. Then it shows you how to apply them in your ways of working with your team. Principles of Servant Leadership Listening Empathy Healing Awareness Persuasion Conceptualization Foresight Stewardship Commitment to the growth of people Building community Describing Servant Leadership Principles & Their Practices Listening Serving people well means being committed to listening and understanding their communication. Good listening skills are essential for anyone practicing servant leadership. These skills can improve over time, but you need the willingness to start. By listening with intent, you will become more engaged and open. With practice, you'll notice better communication and team decisions. To enhance your listening skills, give your full attention. Watch body language. Avoid interruptions and give feedback on what is said. Empathy Understanding others' intentions requires putting your viewpoint aside. It means valuing their perspectives and approaching situations openly. Servant leaders should develop empathy by accepting team members as they are and showing kindness. Small acts of kindness can have a big impact. Treat others as you want to be treated. Healing This relates to the emotional health and overall well-being of individuals, which includes supporting them both physically and mentally. Make sure that individuals have the necessary knowledge, support, and resources to perform their jobs effectively within a healthy workplace. Take steps to promote happiness and engagement in their roles. Awareness / Self-awareness Self-awareness involves examining your emotions and behaviors and understanding how they affect others and align with your values. To improve self-awareness, recognize your strengths and weaknesses and seek feedback. Good servant leaders must be aware of themselves and others during interactions. Start by reflecting on your self-perception, behaviors, and their impact on others. Self-reflection is essential for personal and collective well-being. Focus on identifying blind spots and continuously improving both your work and behaviors. Consider the wider team context, recognizing their strengths and weaknesses, and explore ways to grow and learn together. Persuasion Servant leaders inspire action and build agreement through persuasion rather than authority. Being recognized as an expert enhances their ability to persuade. This involves encouraging others to listen, provide feedback, and help improve team processes. Conceptualization This is the ability to dream big and look beyond daily tasks to see the larger picture. Instead of just focusing on the current work, consider how to improve as a team. This goal encourages you to remember your daily responsibilities. It also invites you to imagine what success looks like for you and your team. Being aligned with your goals increases the chances of ongoing improvement. Foresight Predict future events by learning from past experiences, recognizing current trends, and understanding the consequences of decisions. Trust your intuition if it feels like something is wrong. Servant leaders should capture lessons learned from the past, often through team events like retrospectives. A retrospective allows the team to evaluate what is working. It helps identify what needs improvement. The team can then take action in a continuous cycle. By identifying current issues and planning improvements based on feedback, your team can become high-performing. Stewardship Take responsibility for your team's actions and performance. Be accountable in your organization. This applies whether you are a formal leader or not. Reflect on your values and those of your organization to guide your decisions. Commitment to the growth of people Dedicate yourself to the development of your team members. Understand their personal goals and offer opportunities that help them succeed. Building community Create a sense of community by promoting interaction within the company. Encouraging collaboration and engagement builds a safe space where people feel happy and secure. This community is essential for forming high-performing teams. Summary Servant leadership doesn’t mean giving up leadership responsibilities; instead, it’s a gentler approach that involves leading through others. This is different from a “command-and-control” style, where the leader completely takes charge. Want to find out more on Servant Leadership? To learn more, buy my book The Craft of Servant Leadership on Bookboon.