Servant Leadership Philosophy

Words: 999
Pages: 4

Abstract
The servant leadership philosophy of management is different from transactional leadership in that it prioritizes the needs of the members of the group over the power interests of the leader (Greenleaf, 2008). The servant-leader, in an endeavor to make the group more autonomous and self-sufficient, inspires others to become servant-leaders themselves (Bass, 1991). The model of servant leadership may be applied effectively in both a non-profit and a for-profit setting (Carver, 2011; Melchar & Bosco, 2010). In a non-profit setting, servant leaders inspire through their passion for serving the greater good; in a for-profit setting, servant leaders create employees who are enthusiastic about customer service by responding to their employees’
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It seems intuitive that managers of non-profit organizations would embrace the servant leadership philosophy. Since servant leadership emphasizes kindness, empathy, and humility over coerciveness and authority, non-profit organizations can excel under servant leaders. In particular, servant-leaders who have a high degree of emotional intelligence, have a high aptitude for the service provided by the organization, and who are passionate about their job, are able to inspire their workers and be most effective in the workplace (Carver, 2011).
In a for-profit, corporate setting, a servant-leader may be able to develop a culture that attracts other servant leaders (Melchar & Bosco, 2010). The model of servant leadership has been tested in an organizational environment, and has been found to be more effective than authoritative or transactional leadership styles at creating an environment that is conducive to work. Since servant-leaders are able to identify and meet the emotional needs of their employees, employees of servant-leaders are better equipped to, and more interested in, helping