Why servant leadership?

During my first work experiences right after university I learned a lot about the negative effects that bad leadership or the lack of leadership can have on work culture, employee motivation and performance. I was determined to learn all I could about best leadership practice as I was certain there must be a better way to lead people. 

Years later life set me up to work for a servant leadership led organization. The sense of purpose, meaning, trust and joy – yes!-  among the leaders and employees was so tangible and left an incredible impact on me that to this day drives me to teach, train and promote servant leadership as the best way to lead people well and get results. 

Leadership is often confused as an achievement to be reached rather than a commitment to serve. Leadership in essence is influence. When it comes to how leaders influence others there are significant differences in how they go about it and the outcomes they gather from it.

Servant leadership is not a strategy, management technique or yet another leadership style or trend. Instead, it’s the heart of a leader and his mindset to make his people number and see them as the company’s most important costumer.

A servant leader feels responsible for helping people learn and grow, feeling purposeful, motivated and able to contribute at their highest level. Servant leadership lived well is therefore the kind of leadership that guarantees results and human satisfation because it values BOTH people and results.