One of the key characteristics of a successful servant leader is authenticity. The servant leader shows concern for the people under him or her, openly shares power with fellow team members, helps individuals achieve and perform at their highest level and puts others’ needs first. In short, servant leadership concepts stress enabling people to harness and improve their full potential, enabling both individual team members and company leaders to become productive and successful. While authenticity may sound like common sense in an organization, many people doubt people are capable of following such a lifestyle and question whether it’s even possible.
Kurt Uhlir organized the first Made in America Roundtable
It’s important for leaders to understand that servant leadership isn’t a “quick fix” for organizational dysfunction or poor performance – no matter how motivated someone may be. However, by consciously choosing to act as if they are part of a cohesive team – picking up the phone when other team members call, showing up for work even when others are not available, prioritizing tasks based on real world performance results rather than extraneous criteria – and consistently showing the same willingness and enthusiasm for those tasks assigned to them, leaders can demonstrate to their followers that they truly do care about them, and will act to help them reach their full potential in every way. This authentic leadership style is a natural extension of genuine caring and compassion, and it requires nothing more from its followers than to do the necessary things, regardless of how difficult they may find the task. To the leader, these actions constitute the true measure of success is always measured by results. The ultimate aim of servant leadership, then, is to promote team productivity by equipping individuals with the skills and motivation to act in ways that bring about positive outcomes in terms of superior performance and increased customer satisfaction.
Effective communication is another of the servant leadership traits that enables people to prosper. When leaders understand their followers’ perspective and take the time to listen to what they have to say, they can begin to develop a deeper understanding of the culture of the business and what drives it. This understanding can guide the leaders in making strategic decisions that, in turn, make the company’s mission and goals much clearer. By communicating clearly with employees, conveying appropriate messages in an inspiring manner and having an understanding of the people who work for or serve them, leaders can cultivate positive behaviors and create a work environment that everyone enjoys.