Servant Leadership

There are as many ways to be a leader as there are ways to be an excellent veterinarian or physician. How then are we to determine the most effective way to develop our skills and leadership philosophy? In my mind, perhaps the best determinant is to think about those leaders we have all known who not only made a difference but who motivated us to reach our fullest potential. Whether or not they were assigned the designation “servant leaders”, these inspirational change agents most likely fit the criterion.

When I was first introduced to the concept Servant Leadership, I had two responses. What in the heck would such a leadership style look like and would it fit for medicine and health care? Several conferences, articles and books later, I am sold on the model and suspect that its focus on humility and compassion make it a near perfect match for the veterinary profession.

Servant Leadership, as opposed to many forms of leadership, is never hierarchical. It presumes the leader wishes to create the best possible reality for those he or she works with and suggests that leadership is a means to help people not wield power for power’s sake. The power of leadership, as seen by the servant leader, is a means to generate an environment that empowers people to be the best that they can be. I’ve heard it said that the true Servant Leader establishes a workplace in which others can shine and then gets out of the way. For most of us, I suspect, this sounds noble but unreachable.

But, according to founder, AT & T executive Robert Greenleaf, servant leadership puts the whole concept of leading people into a new perspective. People follow someone they respect, who casts a vision that is compelling and who cares for them. The leaders they admire usually share some of these qualities; honesty, awareness, empathy, passion, the ability to overcome obstacles, and a sense of joyfulness. I don’t know about you, but I’d appreciate more of all of these characteristics in my life and in my leadership approach.

For those of you who think that this sounds like a leadership theory for the weak...imagine the quiet strength of Gandhi, Mother Theresa or Martin Luther King. Although not powerful in a domineering sense, their power came from their ability to work alongside their followers in the trenches while encouraging those followers to see the possibility of a better future through mutual effort. In the words of business sage Stephen Covey, they sought first to understand rather than to be understood. I wonder what our practices would be like if we were to live by this edict?

On the right side are my two favorite books on Servant Leadership if you're interested in learning more.