Introduction
An opportunity to achieve goals and objectives through adequate leadership decisions is an important perspective that many organizations seek to advance. Determination and self-confidence, in turn, are valuable traits that allow leading colleagues and coordinating the dynamics of the work process due to timely interventions and adjustments. At the same time, in addition to this style, there are other approaches that are less harsh and straightforward. In particular, servant leadership is a concept that some employees develop. The key essence of this style is to create the conditions for moving forward and motivate personnel. Servant leadership is a practice that helps engage colleagues in a productive work process by personal example and proves one’s interest in achieving high operational results.
Basic Features of Servant Leadership
The high dynamics of market relationships, the need to overcome a competitive barrier, and other relevant tasks are essential prospects that many organizations strive to achieve. By utilizing different leadership styles, responsible employees coordinate colleagues’ work and help adjust activities in accordance with short and long-term goals. In such circumstances, abandoning an authoritarian form of control can be an effective solution. According to Gandolfi and Stone, servant leadership may be characterized by two paradigms: a) every employee has the potential to develop individual leadership skills; b) leadership is an acquired but not innate quality (264). In other words, this approach is a concept that does not distinguish a leader from other employees but rather emphasizes his or her equality. As a result, equal opportunities and shared responsibilities create an enabling environment in which competition is not a significant aspect.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Servant Leadership
Servant leadership is a practice that can be promoted in different operating environments. As Williams et al. state, one of the main advantages of this style is an opportunity to promote employees’ creativity due to building workplace spirituality (178). This means that all the members of one team can demonstrate individual abilities and talents equally and can count on the adequate assessment of personal achievements. Another valuable characteristic of adhering to servant leadership is a chance to maintain an ambitious approach to performing immediate responsibilities. Gandolfi and Stone note that “servant leadership is neither disengaged nor weak and it does not lack enthusiasm and determination” (265). Contrary to the misconception of many skeptics, this concept does not equate a leader with a weak-willed employee who is unable to motivate colleagues. Conversely, this mechanism for coordinating operational activities contributes to creating a productive environment and allows unleashing employees’ potential through individual initiative. Therefore, in a close-knit team, this leadership technique may be a valuable element in building a sustainable strategy to achieve ultimate goals.
When speaking about the disadvantages of servant leadership, one can mention not its specific disadvantages but rather inconveniences and challenges in application. According to Eva et al., if employees are unwilling to take on personal responsibility and intend to avoid assuming immediate duties, this style is unacceptable (119). In addition, the authors mention such negative consequences as ego depletion, a long time to establish the necessary communication, and the inability to use servant leadership in any organization (Eva et al. 127). With team unity being promoted as one of the key criteria for success, employees can lose sight of their ultimate goals. As Gotsis and Grimani remark, by focusing on creating a favorable climate, a servant leader pays much attention to promoting belongingness (985). This, in turn, distracts from control over other significant aspects of work, for instance, diligence or subordination. Thus, by applying servant leadership, an employee can create productive conditions for building a sustainable work algorithm, but inattention to other aspects of operational activities can affect final outcomes negatively.
Areas to Introduce Servant Leadership
One of the value implications of using servant leadership is enhancing communication among colleagues. While discussing the scope of this approach, Gotsis and Grimani suggest looking at diverse organizations in which promoting sustainable growth and development is a valuable professional perspective (996). Lacroix and Verdorfer support this idea and note that the field of cross-cultural management is a conducive environment for introducing servant leadership in view of the prospect of creating close interpersonal contact among colleagues (6). A focus on overall performance at the expense of individual authority is a practice that is associated with altruism and social responsibility. Therefore, promoting a culture based on stimulating serving behavior among colleagues cannot be universal and is limited to the profile of a particular organization. Thus, servant leadership is a valuable and appropriate tool for creating a sustainable workflow based on close peer collaboration and equality.
Conclusion
Servant leadership is an approach to coordinating the work process and a practice that allows engaging colleagues in productive activities by promoting equality in the team and demonstrating initiative by personal example. The key essence of this approach is creating opportunities for unbiased collaboration. Such a style has both advantages, for instance, building workplace spirituality, and disadvantages, including limited application and the loss of ultimate goals. When applied objectively, servant leadership can be a valuable practice in organizations promoting social responsibility principles and in a diverse work environment.
Works Cited
Eva, Nathan, et al. “Servant Leadership: A Systematic Review and Call for Future Research.” The Leadership Quarterly, vol. 30, no. 1, 2019, pp. 111-132.
Gandolfi, Franco, and Seth Stone. “Leadership, Leadership Styles, and Servant Leadership.” Journal of Management Research, vol. 18, no. 4, 2018, pp. 261-269.
Gotsis, George, and Katerina Grimani. “The Role of Servant Leadership in Fostering Inclusive Organizations.” Journal of Management Development, vol. 35, no. 8, 2016, pp. 985-1010.
Lacroix, Martin, and Armin Pircher Verdorfer. “Can Servant Leaders Fuel the Leadership Fire? The Relationship Between Servant Leadership and Followers’ Leadership Avoidance.” Administrative Sciences, vol. 7, no. 1, 2017, p. 6.
Williams, Wallace Alexander, et al. “Servant Leadership and Followership Creativity.” Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 38, no. 2, 2017, pp. 178-193.