Servant leadership in a sentence
“Servant leaders don’t think less of themselves,
they just think of themselves less”
Source: Blanchard
Two things leaders do
They get things done
They motivate other people
Source: Perisco
The leader’s two contributions
Developing a vision:
An understanding of the future and the present
resulting in a concept of where to go, what to look
for, and how to be prepared.
Exercising leadership:
A set of direct and indirect actions to transmit the
vision on to the organisation; to create an environment
conducive to success; to build the necessary
capabilities, and to inspire enthusiastic pursuit of the vision
Three things leaders must be
Clear
Consistent
Creative
Source: Ready et al
Three things leaders must do
Reduce ambiguity
Be fair
Stay positive
Source: Todd Dewett
Three leadership stages
The survival stage
The stability stage
The creative/competitive stage
Source: Cangemi et al
Three types of leadership focus
Inner focus - knowing yourself and emotionally intelligent
Other focus - the ability to credibly empathise
Outer focus - the wider organisational environment
Source: Daniel Goleman
Three questions that guide a real leader
Where are you looking to anticipate the next significant change?
What is the diversity of your network?
Are you sufficiently courageous to abandon practices that have
led to past successes?
Source: Roselinde Torres
Three signs of a real leader
Great leaders dare to be different – they don’t just talk about
risks – they take them!
Great leaders possess considerable emotional stamina
Great leaders are not heads down – they see around corners
Source: Roselinde Torres
Three areas for CEO impact
Directing actions
setting direction
refining or changing course
Structuring actions
creating the environment within
which the organisation functions
Energising actions
triggering and inspiring performanceoriented, self-renewing behaviour
Three lessons leaders need to learn from success
When we succeed, we tend to give too much
credit to our talents, our model, or strategy,
and too little to external factors and luck.
Success can make us so overconfident that
we believe we don’t need to change anything.
We have a tendency not to investigate the
true causes of good performance.
Source: Gino and Pisano
Four indications of a credible leader
Honesty
Forward looking
Inspirational
Capability
Source: Kouzes and Posner
Four ways too many leaders contrast with ‘servants’
Harmfully over focus on short term issues
Glory in status, fuelling egos with vast salaries that
separate and alienate them from those they lead
Know little of, and therefore fail to appreciate the work and
contributions of seriously less well paid colleagues
Lack core values, leading to scandal, wrong doing and
severe damage to the organisation and those they lead
Source: Neuschel
Four types of inept leader
Over protected and uninformed
Delusional
Dysfunctionally ego driven
Incompetent
Source: Andrew Gibbons
Emotional intelligence – four leadership domains
Personal competence
Self management
Self awareness
Social competence
Social awareness
Relationships management
Source: Daniel Goleman
Five parts to the HEART model for servant leaders
H hunger for wisdom
E Expect the best
A Accept responsibility
R Respond with courage
T Think others first
Source: Mark Miller
Five ways leaders inspire - they are...
Ruthless with their use of time
Tough on under-performance
Brave in terms of never settling for second best
Able to focus on the important as well as the urgent
Trusting of others, believing in potential and capability
Five requirements of a leader
Integrity
Enthusiasm
Warmth
Calmness
Toughness and fairness
Source: John Adair
Five leadership traits for building growth
External focus
Clear thinking
Imagination
Inclusiveness
Expertise
Source: General Electric
Five signs of ‘being’ as a servant leader
Authentic
Vulnerable
Accepting
Present
Useful
Source: Autry
Six leadership styles for emotional intelligence
Positive styles that build ‘resonance’
Visionary
Coaching
Affiliative
Democratic
Negative styles that create ‘dissonance’
Pacesetting
Commanding
Source: Goleman, Boyatsis and McKee
Six signs of servant leadership
Put others’ needs ahead of their own
Resolve conflict through mutual understanding not confrontation
Respect colleagues, demonstrate honesty and seek consensus
whenever possible
Don’t misuse their power to intimidate or create fear
Requires commitment to a specific mindset
Show empathy and seek compromise
Source: Schroeder et al
Six ways those led by servant leaders benefit
Grow as a person
Become healthier
Wiser
Freer
More autonomous
More likely themselves to become effective servant leaders
Source: Greenleaf
Seven signs of exemplary followers
Focus on goals
Take initiative
Be who they are
Show commitment
Have a sense of direction, drive and intensity
Review progress and monitor skills to achieve goals
Are innovative and motivated true life long learners
Source: Banatu-Gomez
Eight slices of advice from experienced leaders
Make yourself accessible and available
In your actions demonstrate selflessness and total
commitment to your organisation
Project a sense of fairness
Trust others – they will trust you
Project authenticity, consistency and a sense of calm
Rise about pettiness and avoid arrogance
Remain true to your values
Simplify, simplify and simplify again
Source: Neuschel
Ten indications of real servant leadership
Listening
Empathy
Healing
Awareness
Persuasion
Conceptualisation
Foresight
Stewardship
Commitment to the growth of people
Building community
Source: Greenleaf
Ten ‘truths’ of leadership
You make a difference
Credibility is the foundation of leadership
Your values drive commitment
You can’t do it alone
Trust is essential
Challenge is the crucible of greatness
You either lead by example of you don’t lead at all
The best leaders are the best learners
Leadership is an affair of the heart
Source: Kouzes and Posner