BUS603: Managing People

Servant leadership is the theory that suggests that in order to lead, one must first be a servant. A servant leader knows that through emotional intelligence there is a better chance of encouraging passion in others. Servant leaders exhibit immense amounts of care for others, have the ability to set good examples for others to follow, provide a standard set of ethics that are never put into question and hold an immense drive to support others.

The core values that makes servant leadership such a great fit for healthcare systems are as follows:

1. Prioritize Service: Servant leaders strive to serve the most vulnerable first. Much like that of a triage nurse that determines those that need immediate attention, servant leaders will look to prioritize resources towards those issues that need the greatest need first.

2. Share Power: By nature, servant leaders want their followers to assume leadership responsibilities when appropriate. With servant leaders, decision making is shared and each individual feels like they have a voice that is treated equally.

3. Demonstrate Care: In this core value, the leader strives to show empathetic interest. Of course, having empathy is especially crucial in the healthcare industry.

4. Develop Others: A servant leader really measures success by developing others. Through empowerment, the follower often stakes on more ownership and provides additional activities and outcomes.

5. Eschew Wealth: Servant leaders will work for the greater good, not for an accumulation of money. Their aspirations are about principles and not about what the job market dictates.

6. Build Trust: Much like the other theories to come, trust is a vital part of those that are of a servant leadership mindset. Without trust, followers will not stay continually engaged.

A current co-worker of mine is the quintessential Servant Leader. Her team of direct and indirect reports realize that she "cares" and that she wants every one of her individuals to succeed. She works by always being available for questions, and prides herself not by hitting certain metrics, but by how safe her followers feel in making mistakes and learning from them. She also knows her job is never done in mentoring those of her group who have moved onto other roles. Several of my direct reports have come from her team, and she makes a point to check in to make sure they know that she is always available to help (even if she is not their direct supervisor).