You and Chris both have interesting perspectives about the characteristics of a “leader” and his or her role in an organization. I think they relate in important ways to the relationship between the larger scope of leadership as you are viewing it, and its role, or purpose, in organizations, which, after all, is what generates its presence and force.

A discussion of this is the third entry on my list of new posts items generated by this discussion – thanks to all of you!

I think Blanchard hits it on the head in his book, “Lead Like Jesus”. He divides up leadership into 4 key areas; head, hands, heart, and habits. Most leadership books do not deal with the heart, but instead deal with ethics.

We can learn how to think like a leader and manager, but how do you learn to have a heart of a servant?

In the purer form of servant leadership, I also think the organization’s goals are secondary. Scary thought, I know, for the company that wants to try servant leadership as the management flavor of the month! Primary for the servant leader is caring for others.

Consider a servant leader supervisor in a work group. His motivation of listening, empathy, and caring for his workers is not the organization’s goal of producing a thousand more widgets. His goal is serving others. I agree that it’s likely the outgrowth will be maybe an organization that creates TWO thousand more widgets. But that’s a byproduct, not a goal.

This servant leader supervisor would be just as happy if the workers says, “You know, you’ve helped me discover that my fulfillment in life is not producing widgets, but instead I want to become a world class violinist.” Or something like that.

Chris, I agree with you that the servant leader need not – ought not – be simply the top boss – it is a philosophy of “leadership” that is supposed to be exhibited by everyone who is in a formal leadership position in an organization.

But especially, like Steve, I really like your comment about what many might consider the unexpected influence of such an entry-level clerk as you describe. I think this observation is very perceptive, and touches on two important points: one is that a well-managed company ought to be able to survive the absense of its managers – the other is the presence in all organizations of an “unofficial” chain of command or, even, institutional personality (never mind culture). This latter point actually is getting pretty close to the main issues addressed in the book I refer to in the post.

In fact, I’ll probably be altering my posting schedule to publish a few thoughts on these topics, so I appreciate your bringing them up so effectively!

Steve, your observation about the influence of Western culture on leadership – particularly in its peculiar contrast with the organizational culture of Western military formations – is perfect.

Your call for us to pay more attention to the presence of this kind of influence at all points, especially the “lower” levels, of our organizations is an important one. I hope it is heeded.

Thank you both for some very thought-provoking observations!

I like Chris’ observation about the organization falling into disarray when a clerk takes another job. I can think of more examples of that happening than organizations buckling as the result of a CEO or VP moving on.

Servant leadership to me has always been an issue of the heart and represents an entire way of life that an individual chooses to adopt. It recognizes the power in acknowledging one’s limitations while, at the same time, understanding the power in lifting up and supporting others.

The selfless nature of servant leadership is, of course, inconsistent with traditional Western culture, especially in the U.S. Yet when I think of highly successful military leaders–Eisenhower and the AEF, for example–I see an exemplification of servant leadership.

To close, I’ll join with Chris once more: we need to pay more attention to the servants who are lifting our organizations in the eyes of our customers every day. At the lower levels of our organizations there’s a lot more to lift.

Good posting. Though, I believe the servant leader need NOT be the position at the top of the hierarchy. I believe someone low in the hierarchy can practive servant leadership. The most important characteristic is a desire to serve. The servant leader listens, empathizes, and supports the growth of others.

In fact, sometimes the humblest position in any organization, maybe an entry-level clerk, is the person who most lifts an organizational unit to success by his or her caring service to others. Many of us in organizations don’t break a sweat when an upper manager leaves, but fall into disarray when the kindly, supportive, always-there-for-you clerk goes to another job.