17th Annual Global Conference | International Leadership Association | Barcelona, Spain.
In recent years, the interest in values-based leadership approaches has surged, particularly in the wake of economic downturns and ethical failures in leadership. This article delves into the concept of servant leadership, which emphasizes meeting the needs of followers first, leading to more productive, innovative, and loyal employees.
Background
The study highlights the importance of finding leadership approaches that resonate with a diverse workforce, including Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. Servant leadership, characterized by humility, motivation to serve, and stewardship, is proposed as a solution to bridge generational gaps and restore trust in leadership.
Research Questions
The study aimed to answer three key questions:
- What are the key servant leadership activities and behaviors, and how do followers perceive and respond to them?
- What individual leader characteristics are needed to be an authentic servant leader?
- What are the differences in perceptions and responses to servant leaders among three generational cohorts?
Methodology
A qualitative exploration was conducted using interviews with 25 followers who worked for servant leaders. The study employed a Servant Leadership Survey (SLS) to select participants and used NVivo10 for data analysis.
Key Findings
Servant Leader Characteristics: Authentic servant leaders are humble, motivated to serve, and exhibit stewardship. They have a long-term vision and care for all stakeholders.
Servant Leader Activities: Five key activities were identified: enabling and empowering followers, holding them accountable, praising them, and forgiving their mistakes.
Servant Leader Behaviors: Servant leaders are understanding, respectful, courageous, fair, and authentic.
Follower Responses: Trust, teamwork, job satisfaction, loyalty, engagement, and commitment were identified as key outcomes of servant leadership.
Generational Cohorts
Interestingly, the study found no significant differences in how the three generational cohorts perceived and responded to servant leaders. This suggests that servant leadership is a universally effective approach across different age groups.
Conclusion
The article concludes that servant leadership can lead to positive organizational outcomes, including greater follower commitment, engagement, and improved organizational performance. Embracing servant leadership attributes can help leaders connect with followers on a deeper level, fostering trust and loyalty.
Zimmerer, T. E., & Latham, J. R. (2015, October 16). Exploring What it Is Like to Work for a Servant Leader: Perspectives of Three Generational Cohorts. Paper presented at the 17th Annual Global Conference, International Leadership Association, Barcelona, Spain.