Leadership has been defined in many ways—but we have come to define it as “the process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.”

Servant leadership is a philosophy and practice that is grounded in principles of community-building and sharing power.

Servant leadership is characterized by leaders who “walk the talk” by modeling desired behaviors to the people they serve.

Servant leaders are service-oriented, paying attention to the needs of those around them and taking steps to address those needs in actionable ways.

In servant leadership, the leader does not separate their individuality and integrity from their ideology or goals; instead, they work to embody these qualities in their own lives and leadership roles.

Through servant leadership, leaders can inspire and motivate those around them by giving themselves an example to follow rather than simply telling people what they need to do to accomplish tasks.

Servant leaders are often more focused on building up their teams than competing with other individuals or entities.

In addition, servant leaders tend to have a good sense of empathy, which allows them to be deeply attuned to the needs of their communities.

Servant Leadership can be a great way for you to lead.

Philosophy and History.

Ten Characteristics

Key Concepts and Applications

Development and Training

Research and Criticism

A servant leader exhibits a high degree of emotional intelligence through empathy, listening, awareness, persuasion, and stewardship.

What is Servant Leadership – Robert Greenleaf

Servant leadership is both a leadership philosophy and a set of leadership practices.

*Robert Greenleaf, who coined the term ‘servant leadership’ and founded the servant-leadership movement, defines it as follows:*

The servant-leader is the servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first.

*Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead.*

That person is sharply different from one who is a leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions…The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types.