Servant Leadership Theory [Easy & Quick Explanation]

By: David Burkus

Published on April 1, 2010. Updated on February 23rd, 2024.

The magnum opus of Robert Greenleaf, Servant Leadership is a recent theory of leadership that argues that the most effective leaders are servants of their people. Servant leaders get results for their organization through whole-hearted attention to their followers and followers’ needs. Unlike many approaches to leadership, which offer suggestions on how top-level leaders can influence and motivate those further down the hierarchy, servant leadership puts its emphasis on collaboration, trust, empathy, and ethics. The leader should be a servant first, leading from a desire to better serve others and not to attain more power. The assumption is that if leaders focus on the needs and desires of followers, followers will reciprocate through increased teamwork, deeper engagement, and better performance.

Greenleaf first presented the theory in a 1970 essay, “The Servant as Leader.” However, numerous others theorists have contributed to our understanding of servant leadership. One theorist, Larry Spears, outlined ten characteristics of servant leaders by analyzing the writings of Greenleaf. These ten characteristics are listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of others, and building community.

Servant leadership is one of the more popular theories of leadership, especially among Christian leaders who vigorously cite Jesus as the penultimate example of servant leadership. However, its effectiveness in organizations is still being debated. Many researchers and theorists argue that servant leaders can become so focused on the needs of their followers that the needs of the organization suffer as a result. In any case, Servant leadership theory has a place within the spectrum of leadership theory, as it represents the strongest emphasis on followers of any theory.

Check out this video for more on transformational leadership theory:

More Articles in This Series:

HOME_AboutDavidBurkus

About the author

David Burkus is an organizational psychologist, keynote speaker, and bestselling author of five books on leadership and teamwork.

Recommended Reading

How To Handle A Toxic High Performer

Q: How Do I Handle A Toxic High Performer? A: Trick question. High performers who lack teamwork skills (or effort) are a common problem for leaders. But much of the problem stems from a misconception that one can excel in their role without effectively collaborating with their team. Contrary to this belief, the reality is […]

How To Deal With Nerves Before A Presentation

There’s a lot of situations that produce anxiety, but giving a presentation is quite possibly the most nerve-wracking off the professional workplace. it could be a presentation in a small meeting, or a pitch to the board, or an address to the whole company or a keynote speech at a conference. Whatever it is, standing […]

How To Earn Respect As A Leader [5 Strategies]

Margaret Thatcher once famously quipped that “Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.” As a leader, the same could be said about respect. If you wonder if you’re team respects you, they probably don’t. Being a leader is not just about having authority and power; […]