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The Job of a Leader

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by Charlie Lang

"The only test of leadership is that somebody follows."

Robert K. Greenleaf, Author of “Servant Leadership”

As a regular reader of my articles you might have noticed that I particularly like concepts and thoughts that are very simple and to the point. One of my favorites is the definition of Corporate Culture as "...the way we do things around here" (Deal / Kennedy in the late 70s). Another favorite is the above quotation.

Robert Greenleaf (1908-1990), one of the greatest thinkers on leadership of the past century, promoted the idea that the main job of a leader is to serve those being led.

What is servant leadership

Particularly in Asia, we still find many leaders adopting traditional autocratic and hierarchical modes of leadership. However, these leadership styles have become more and more of a burden for many organizations, particularly for those that operate globally since those being led increasingly expect a more modern approach towards leadership.

The servant leadership model attempts to simultaneously enhance the personal growth of workers and improve the quality and caring of the organization through a combination of teamwork and community, personal involvement in decision-making, and ethical and caring behavior of its leaders.

Robert Greenleaf remarked that true servant leaders first (!) think of how they can serve and then only think of how it translates into leadership. For them, leadership is not a utilitarian purpose. For example, to become richer or more powerful is but a tool to serve in the most effective and impactful way.

"The best test (of a servant-leader) and difficult to administer, is: do those served grow as persons; do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?" Robert Greenleaf said.

The benefits of servant leadership

Besides the fact that servant leadership makes you feel good because you serve others, what are the benefits for the organization? Obviously, the staff will feel much more valued and cared for if led by a servant leader. Also, following the definition by Greenleaf, the servant leader supports the growth of his or her followers, which ultimately benefits the organization.

As a result, organizations can expect higher levels of engagement and loyalty, which typically lead to improved quality, higher revenues and profitability. If your corporate culture promotes servant leadership, you are also likely to attract better talent to your company.

What's more, with servant leaders in place, the question of corporate social responsibility (CSR) becomes no question anymore since servant leaders, by definition, promote care and ethical behavior as well as support for the community.

The risks of servant leadership, particularly in Asia

The benefits of servant leadership seem so clear. So why are servant leaders still rather a rarity in Asia? I believe it is because of a combination of traditional thinking rooted in Asia's cultures and various fears.

Especially in cultures coined by Confucius' philosophies such as Korea, Japan and Greater China, the belief that a leader must behave in an authoritarian manner is still widespread.

At this point I would like to make an important distinction between being authoritarian and being authoritative. "Authoritative" means the willingness to take the responsibility in making decisions and the willingness to accept the authority given in any position. "Authoritarian" means that the person likes to make decisions without collaborating with others in the decision-making process.

Having worked with Asians in Asia for about 15 years now, I have come to realize that authoritarian behavior is sometimes even promoted by the staff, e.g. by statements like "Tell me what to do, you are the boss, you should know it better than me." Obviously, in cases like this, the people don't feel comfortable enough to accept more responsibility and to participate in decision-making processes.

How to overcome this problem? Through communication. Your people need to understand that:

•  You want them to take more responsibility. You want them to grow and develop. Therefore, they will need to get involved at a deeper level.

•  Any contribution is welcome, even if your staff thinks it might not be intelligent enough, and that nobody will lose face because of this. (Note: It's the servant leader's job to create a 'safe' environment.)

•  If someone takes on a responsibility and things don't turn out well, there won't be any penalties, only constructive discussions on how things can be improved and what can be learned for the future. In other words, some error tolerance must be in place.

You see, the challenge of transforming from a traditional leadership style to a servant leadership style means not only transforming yourself but also getting your people to buy into this new way of leading.

Another challenge is not to lose the authority as a leader while being a servant leader. This can be best achieved by setting clear boundaries and by communicating them. This will 'protect' you while you get closer to your team members and open up to them.

Conclusion

Let me close with another quotation which reflects my own thoughts and experiences in leading people:

"Leadership is not so much about technique and methods as it is about opening the heart. Leadership is about inspiration--of oneself and of others. Great leadership is about human experiences, not processes. Leadership is not a formula or a program, it is a human activity that comes from the heart and considers the hearts of others. It is an attitude, not a routine.

More than anything else today, followers believe they are part of a system, a process that lacks heart. If there is one thing a leader can do to connect with followers at a human, or better still a spiritual level, it is to become engaged with them fully, to share experiences and emotions, and to set aside the processes of leadership we have learned by rote."

Lance Secretan, Industry Week, 10/12/98

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