ITM Group, Inc., ITM: Strategic Human Resource Management Consulting

“Servant Leadership is a simple idea; those who serve first and then choose to lead can make the biggest difference in an organization, and in peoples’ lives.”

- Don Frick, Biographer of Robert Greenleaf

Servant Leadership was started in the 1970’s by Robert Greenleaf, Director of Management Research at AT&T. Greenleaf’s profession was to study how the best leaders emerged in organizations. Personally, Greenleaf was troubled by the student unrest on college and university campuses.

Greenleaf decided the best way to understand the youth movement was to read a novel that was very popular at the time. The novel was “Journey to the East” by Hermann Hesse.

“Journey to the East” is about a group of people who are traveling to a new land. Accompanying the group is their servant, Leo, who sings songs and takes care of their needs. During the journey, Leo disappears from the group. The group struggles to stay together and eventually disbands. Several years later, it is discovered that Leo (the group’s servant) was really their leader.

Inspired by Leo’s character, Greenleaf realizes that the key to leadership is to serve first. He then writes his most famous essay, “The Servant as Leader”, outlining the basic characteristics associated with Servant Leadership. In the essay, Greenleaf identifies 10 competencies associated with Servant Leadership.

1) Building Community – Servant Leadership evolves from our basic involvement with community. It is our desire to improve community that prompts us as individuals to serve institutions (i.e. business, education, worship, government.)

2) Stewardship – As a leader in an institution, we can be a (1) inside leader who handles the daily activities or (2) a trustee who oversees the organization and insures that goals are met.

3) Commitment to the growth of people – Practicing Servant Leadership includes helping others become good servant leaders.

4) Healing – Servant Leaders are continuously searching for ways to bring ‘wholeness’ to our life.

5) Empathy – We must not only identify with others, but accept what others contribute. Servant leadership requires a tolerance of imperfection.

6) Listening – The natural Servant Leader responds to a problem by listening first. True listening will build strength in others.

7) Conceptualization – This is a means of persuasion. It is the spirit of the message that contains the power. Being able to articulate a clear vision with passion, will raise the strength of others.

8) Persuasion – Whether it happens one person at a time or one action at a time, Servant Leaders are willing to use their talents and demand little from others. Even if it means standing aside and serving when asked.

9) Foresight – Being able to sense the unknowable and foresee the unforeseeable is what gives leaders their “lead.” As a leader, we must use good decision making skills. And remember that a lack of decision making can be perceived as an ethical failure.

10) Awareness – As Servant Leaders, we must be able to open the doors of perception and see what’s inside. That can be a disturbing thought. Awareness is not considered to be solace…it is to provide reality and see things in perspective.

As individual contributors, it is our commitment to Servant Leadership that will help us grow as persons. It is our collective spirit which will allow our organizations to accomplish its mission of inspiring excellence.

“Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, and more autonomous (self-reliant), more likely themselves to become servants?”
- Robert Greenleaf

Sharlyn Lauby, SPHR is the President of ITM Group, Inc. in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. ITM (Internal Talent Management) provides strategic and technical consulting services to enhance talent in the workplace. For more information, go to www.itmgroupinc.com.