Servant leadership is an organizational management philosophy where the primary objective of the leadership leader is to effectively serve the people who work under him/her. This is radically different from conventional leadership in which the leader’s sole purpose is the survival of his organization or company. In addition, this style is also characterized by a strong emotional investment in the people who work for him/her. Leaders must place the people who work for them first in priority over everything else.
As defined by Wikipedia, “servant leadership” is an organizational management philosophy that places the employee’s needs ahead of the organization’s needs. According to this belief, individuals are much more important than the tools and processes of an organization. Employees should be free to pursue their own goals within the constraints of acceptable employment relationships. To illustrate, a manufacturing company may employ a system of command and control where all employees are told what to do. However, an independent worker who is concerned about the quality of his work will look into the conditions of the production process itself and how he can improve it.
While servant leadership requires an emotional intelligence on the part of its followers, it does not require the high degree of analytical and logical ability common in many forms of top management positions. Instead, leaders must be able to intuitively handle situations and effectively communicate their message to employees and their peers. Emotionally intelligent leaders are able to inspire loyalty and confidence in employees while motivating them to become productive. Additionally, such leaders also build strong relationships with their employees that lead to teamwork and productivity growth. In contrast to traditional management, emotional intelligence minimizes conflict and promotes smooth, effective working relationships between the company and its associates.