Leaders with this style serve their team and. The servant leadership style is based on the idea that leaders prioritise serving the common good. Leaders with this style serve their team and the organisation first. They do not prioritise their own goals.
Like any leadership model, the servant leadership model has pros and cons. One of the main benefits is that it boosts morale. Employees feel valued and know that you are looking out for them. That inspires them to work with more enthusiasm and to serve customers, which benefits your bottom line.
Another disadvantage of servant leadership is that it takes time to put into practice. The theory is based on building trusting relationships, team building and a general sense of ownership of each person in the workplace. This cannot be done in a short time. Service leaders need time to engage with workers, to know and understand what motivates them, and how they can combine the needs of the business with those of the employees to create a productive workplace.
Any workplace that seeks rapid change using servant leadership will fail, and will probably have to start from scratch. This may result in many leaders working longer and longer hours in a support role rather than a leadership role. This depends on building influence and authority rather than using control and toxic leadership tactics. We will also delve into some examples of how servant leadership can be used effectively to motivate and inspire your team.
Let's define servant leadership and discuss the pros and cons, benefits and characteristics of the concept. However, before adopting this style, it is important to understand the limitations of servant leadership. The servant leader philosophy fitted very well into the grand plans I had for the company and is still advocated in the way the company wants its people to thrive and develop in their careers. Of all the theories discussed this semester, servant leadership seems the most ideal, but the most difficult to achieve.
Different leadership styles have their own advantages and disadvantages that make them the best model depending on the context. For example, a servant leader might question how his or her efforts uplift those who are underrepresented or from a lower economic position before trying to achieve a position of control. You can make a decision to act in line with servant leadership and help your organisation become the organisation you want it to be. Above are the seven pillars from Sipe and Frick's studies, which support the concept of servant leadership principles.
But when one can commit to practising servant leadership, one can quickly see that the pros outweigh the cons. While the leader-first dynamic is geared toward appeasing a personal desire for power, the servant leader looks first at how his or her service benefits others. You can't talk about the disadvantages of servant leadership without recognising that putting the needs of your employees first can lead to a minimisation of the authority of the overall management function in your company.
