Manager dynamics: servant leadership
Is a good manager automatically a good leader? What’s the difference between leadership and management?
So…What’s the difference between a leader and manager?
The main difference between leaders and managers is that leaders have people follow them while managers have people who work for them. Success means having to be both a strong leader and manager to get their team on board to follow them towards their vision of success.
What is servant leadership and where did it come from?
“The servant- leader is 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 leader first, perhaps because of the need to reduce an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions. The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature.”
-Robert K Greenleaf
While servant leadership is a timeless concept, the phrase “servant leadership” was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in The Servant as Leader, an essay that he first published in 1970.
You have direct reports… Now What?
New managers or anyone who has people under them often struggle with maintaining efficacy and team morale when facing sudden new management responsibilities. This is more common in startups, as rounds of funding often translate to quick hiring sprees, but can happen in any kind of industry. (especially in restaurants)
Traditionally, the job of a manager was that of a supervisor. They assigned tasks to their direct reports, and supervised their work to ensure it was done. They hired, they fired and they measured. Perhaps, they even saw themselves are the experts in the field of their team’s operations. And their team served them.
This is an antiquated concept of management when offices were the center of work and productivity. It’s a complete antithesis to what modern management is about, especially in the context of a technology-driven company in a post COVID world.
The effective manager is an enabler, not a controller. They knows that the experts in the team are those on the front line, and they try their best to enable the team to achieve their fullest potential. The team doesn’t serve them, they serves the team. This isn’t out of some altruistic need either, a rising tide lifts all ships mentality is needed.
This system only works when there’s reciprocal trust between the team and its manager. Trust isn’t born overnight. It requires a conscious effort, especially from the manager’s part, to plan it, to materialize. It can’t be forced, but it can be built, and the best way of actualizing it is through mutual understanding.
5 Principles to servant leadership
Influence and inspiration separate leaders from managers, not power and control
Active Listening
You’ll serve people better when you make a deep commitment to listening intently to them and understanding what they’re saying. To improve your listening skills …
- Give people your full attention
- Take notice of their body language and tone
- Avoid interrupting them before they’ve finished speaking
- Give feedback on what they say
Empathy
Servant leaders strive to understand other people’s intentions and perspectives. You can be more empathetic by …
- Putting aside your viewpoint temporarily
- Valuing others’ perspectives
- Approaching situations with an open mind
Self- Awareness
Self- awareness is the ability to look at yourself, think deeply about your emotions and behavior, and consider how they affect the people around you and align with your values . You can become more self- aware by …
- Knowing your strengths and weaknesses
- Asking for other people’s feedback on them
- Consider how your actions and behavior impact others
Influence
Servant leaders use influence — rather than their authority– to encourage people to take action. They also aim to build consensus in groups , so that everyone supports decisions. There are many tools and models that you can use to be more influential, without damaging relationships or taking advantage of others.
You should also build your expert power — when people perceive you as an expert, they are more likely to listen to you when you want to persuade or inspire them.
Provide security and safety
This principle relates to the emotional health and “wholeness” of people, and involves supporting them both physically and mentally.
- Make sure that your people have the knowledge, support and resources they need to do their jobs effectively
- Foster a healthy work culture
- Take steps to help them be happy and engaged
Trust is dependent on credibility, integrity, and consistency. As a leader, you want to project these qualities at all times in front of your team. Try to steer away from projecting self-interest, as this is a major trust killer.
Servant leadership is a daunting task for sure. Leadership and management is a vast topic that cannot possibly be covered in a short article. However, I hope to help steer a new leaders towards servant leadership and provide guidance based on my experiences as a leader in different industries.
The key takeaways are indeed quite simple:
If you want to be an effective manager, be a servant leader. Enable your team to succeed while encouraging them from behind the scenes.
Being a manager can be an extremely rewarding experience, especially when you see your direct reports being successful. My greatest joys haven’t come from shipping products, but seeing people succeed and doing so with integrity. This is even more true when you end up training effective servant leaders as a pay forward.
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