Are you a servant-leader?

"The servant leader is servant first.  It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve.  Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead."  -- Robert K. Greenleaf

 

I'd like to share 5 charateristics of Servant-Leader with you.   They are:

 

1. Listening: Leaders have been traditionally valued for their communication and decision-making skills.  While these are important skills for the servant-leader, they need to b reinforced by a deep commitment to listening intently to others.

 

2. Empathy: The servant leader strives to understand and empathize with others.  People need to be accepted and recognized for their special and unique spirits. 

 

3. Healing: Learning to heal is a powerful force for transformation and integration.  One of the great strengths of servant-leadership is the potential for healing one's self and others. 

 

4. Awareness: General awareness, and especially self-awareness, strengthens the servant-leader.  Making a commitment to foster awareness can be scary--you never know what you might discover.  Awareness also aids in understanding issues involving ethics and values from a holistic position.

 

5. Persuasion: Rather than using one's postional authority, in making decisions, the servant-leaders seeks to convince others, rather than coerce compliance.

 

These characteristics are just a few that make up a servant-leader?  Do these qualities resonate and apply to your style of leadership?