The concept of servant leadership as contemporary philosophy of management

Abstract

The modern world needs a new type of leader who develops a vision of the future for his / her followers and encourages them to be ready for it. These leaders ensure changes, they are not focused that much on the behavior of their followers / subordinates and on controlling their behavior. On the contrary, they are focused on the development of initiative and support becoming the servants of those they have to lead. The concept of servant l eadership is derived from the ideas of Robert K. Greenleaf. As R. Greenleaf states, it all starts with a natural urge – the desire to serve. The motto of this thought is “A good leader is primarily a servant”. The task of the leader is to achieve common goals by ensuring the well-being of followers and subordinates. Servant leadership is an attempt to become better, to become the person others would gladly follow. Such an idealistic vision of a leader as a servant is fruitful and is paid off even in a very competitive business world. A servant leader builds an organized and creative team, and this type of leadership involves the development of organizational culture which demonstrates a high level of trust. Being a servant leader means to help people overcome obstacles and get the tools and resources they need to perform better; to be an example; to facilitate the work of others; to be willing to do what others do. This model of leadership implies a “flattening” of hierarchies: a boss is a friend who listens to those who are with him/her rather than a person who decides what is best for them. This type of leadership has the powerful potential in today’s globalized world. The article aims to analyze the concept of servant leadership. The authors have used an interpretive research paradigm and multidisciplinary analysis.