The Gabriel Center Blog

What if servant leadership had not been initially labeled servant leadership?  How many times has this been pondered as this value-laden leadership concept evolved?  And why does the name itself present an impediment for implementation, empirical researching, and overall comprehension?  Can we not argue that the oxymoronic implication the terminology suggests has hindered the spirited and necessary debate within leadership, management and organizational behavioral circles, both academic and anecdotal, to nearly subjugate this important leadership theory to others such as transformational or authentic leadership?

 This brief essay is not intended to offer substantiated results of exhaustive research that are based on testing various terminologies and definitions in an effort to “poll”, if you will, labels that might be less controversial.  But when most – at least in my experience – conversations about servant leadership begin with an almost obligatory and extensive discussion on the terminology itself rather than on the characteristics of the theory, it causes me to wonder what if the contemporary founder, Robert Greenleaf, had selected another term.  Of course one could make the argument that a conversation on the definition of the term aids the overall explanation of the theory.  But I will leave that debate for another day.

So what is it specifically about the term servant leadership that creates a barrier to further understanding?  I believe that the challenges are primarily three-fold:  the contradiction inherent in the term, the religious connotations that are implied and the lack of operational clarity offered by the theory’s title.  I offer the suggestion that a slight adjustment to the theory terminology itself could open the door to further acceptance within the wider community.

 Servant and its entomological cousin, service, by its very definition imply assuming an inferior position to a “master” or “leader.”  Those who are either in positions of leadership or those who aggressively seek these offices (which causes its own set of servant leadership implementation issues) are immediately disengaged when they encounter passive terminology.  How can one effectively and efficiently lead while taking an inferior posture?  Moving past this initial barrier can be accomplished if the individual is able to translate servant into supporting or, better yet, into stewardship rather than focusing on the more stereotypical passive role of a servant. 

Issues of faith are complicated within a standard corporate environment.  Not only does their exist an intangible quality to one’s belief system that varies greatly across the world but also there are human resource and legal implications that have to be seriously considered which makes the discussion of religious subject matters taboo within most situations.  The frequent use of the term servant within religious circles as well as the well-used example of Jesus Christ as the pinnacle of servant leadership has given the impression to many that servant leadership is strictly a faith based approach to leadership and may work in those arenas but not in a serious business environment. 

Compounding this issue is the servant leadership community itself.  There have been many academic programs that teach servant leadership and attempt to define the theory for future research.  Many of these “centers” have emerged at faith-based institutions who teach it within a biblical context.  Certainly there are moral parallels within servant leadership that line up well with religious instructions but until the servant leadership community matures past “do these things because they are the right thing to do” and into showing compelling, measurable increases in output, the theory will continue to remain primarily anecdotal.

Finally, the term does not provide implicit instructions on how to implement the style.  Authentic leadership means to lead authentically.  Transformational leadership means to lead by transforming.  When our hypothetical corporate leader stumbles across servant leadership, although those of us within the subculture know that it means to lead by serving, to the CEO this immediately brings up connotations of inferiority which brings us back to square one of this essay.  What if servant leadership was not called servant leadership

I ask this question merely to generate conversation on a clear hindrance to the development of this wonderful leadership concept.  Is it possible to alter the labeling terminology to open up the concept to further research or is the fact that the term “servant” being in the definition give the theory strength and separation from other value-laden leadership approaches?   What other terms could be applied to allow the theory to gain more widespread recognition?

By JJ Musgrove, Graduate Student in the Master’s of Science in Organizational Leadership Program, Servant Leadership Track, Columbus State University, Columbus, Georgia.

I remember almost every single coach I have competed for starting with tee ball when I was five all the way through my current triathlon coach. These coaches do not stick in my mind because we were the best team (they invented the 5 run mercy rule for my little league team) or had the best record (except maybe the longest losing steak); rather, they remain in my mind and were (and are) great because they epitomized the paradoxical nature of coaching being not only leaders of their teams but also servants to their teams.

The leadership part of a great coach is obvious. Coaches are expected to provide guidance to their athletes and lead them to "glory"-be it a championship ring, a winning season, or a small personal achievement like losing weight or getting in shape. This type of leadership, though, is only half the job. They also have to lead their athletes off the field. In high school and college, when I had a problem -- be it academic, social, or familial -- I went to my coaches. Their office door was always open and even if they were extremely busy, they seemed to make time to listen. They did not always have an answer nor could they always fix the problem, but they could provide an open ear and understanding. They would turn off their cell phone, shut their laptop, and then sit with an open heart, a compassionate tongue, and patient mind while I unloaded my troubles. They rarely came up with the magical solution or tell me exactly what I wanted to hear (more often then not they would give me the right advice even if it was not what I wanted to hear), but by providing this outlet, they coached and led me through the rough spots and rejoiced with me in the good, a leadership quality that good coaches carry over into their athletic profession.

Similar to how they are present when their athletes struggle in life, coaches are also present when their athletes struggle on the field. In a hard interval set, race, or loss, the coach is there with his or her team as the team struggles and leads the team through it. They empathize with how tough the situation is but also gets the team through the exertion because the coach has been there as well. Instead of standing apart from the team, they are there with the team, relating and suffering with them and thus their gaining the respect. A team who feels that their coach can relate to them and their struggles will respect their coach as a leader and follow him or her because they know that the he or she is physically and emotionally invested in them through good times (or scores) and bad.

I remember almost every single coach I have competed for starting with tee ball when I was five all the way through my current triathlon coach. These coaches do not stick in my mind because we were the best team (they invented the 5 run mercy rule for my little league team) or had the best record (except maybe the longest losing steak); rather, they remain in my mind and were (and are) great because they epitomized the paradoxical nature of coaching being not only leaders of their teams but also servants to their teams.

The leadership part of a great coach is obvious. Coaches are expected to provide guidance to their athletes and lead them to "glory"-be it a championship ring, a winning season, or a small personal achievement like losing weight or getting in shape. This type of leadership, though, is only half the job. They also have to lead their athletes off the field. In high school and college, when I had a problem -- be it academic, social, or familial -- I went to my coaches. Their office door was always open and even if they were extremely busy, they seemed to make time to listen. They did not always have an answer nor could they always fix the problem, but they could provide an open ear and understanding. They would turn off their cell phone, shut their laptop, and then sit with an open heart, a compassionate tongue, and patient mind while I unloaded my troubles. They rarely came up with the magical solution or tell me exactly what I wanted to hear (more often then not they would give me the right advice even if it was not what I wanted to hear), but by providing this outlet, they coached and led me through the rough spots and rejoiced with me in the good, a leadership quality that good coaches carry over into their athletic profession.

Similar to how they are present when their athletes struggle in life, coaches are also present when their athletes struggle on the field. In a hard interval set, race, or loss, the coach is there with his or her team as the team struggles and leads the team through it. They empathize with how tough the situation is but also gets the team through the exertion because the coach has been there as well. Instead of standing apart from the team, they are there with the team, relating and suffering with them and thus their gaining the respect. A team who feels that their coach can relate to them and their struggles will respect their coach as a leader and follow him or her because they know that the he or she is physically and emotionally invested in them through good times (or scores) and bad.

Some coaches quit when the season looks grim and move to another team which may have a better record or players.  

Good coaches, though, see their team as the proverbial hand that they are dealt and then works with them through both wins and losses. They are therefore, in a way, selfless. They are able to shelve their own pride and aspirations for personal accomplishment so that the team itself rises as a unit. Therefore, they push their teams hard but not so that they themselves could win glory but so that the team, as a collective unit, could. It might be tempting for a coach to push an athlete to the absolute breaking point in order to achieve glory -- not the glory of the team but their own personal glory -- at the risk of injuring and alienating the team. It might be even more tempting for coaches to cut or not play the "Rudy"s of the team in order to avoid a loss or look bad in front of other coaches and teams. Great coaches though resist all these lures, sacrifice their own pride, and put the team as a whole in front of themselves. They recognize that no win is as important as an athlete's health and happiness and that if an athlete is willing to put in the time and effort, then he or she is part of the team and deserves just as much attention as the star. In doing so, they become servants to their team.

While Coaches Battaglia and Owen (my little league coaches), Leiderman (my crazy Russian wrestling coach), Delinsky (high school cross country), or Norman (middle school lacrosse) may not be elected to the Coaches Hall of Fame anytime soon, in my mind, they are up there already, right next to Joe Paterno, Vince Lomarbdi, Phil Jackson and even Mr. Miyagi because they were both leaders, leading their team as part of the team, and servants, serving the group as a whole with a selfless passion and commitment. Their screams, tears, curses, and sweat may have faded but because of their servant-leadership their impact on me and others plays on, which outlasts any trophy, record, or ring. As a cross country and triathlon coach now, I hope to bring the same loving commitment to my own team and athletes, motivating them to reach and surpass their own limits, and if they do not, then I still will take them out for ice cream after.

Chris Hague, an '07 graduate of the University of the South and 4-year varsity runner, is currently assistant coach to his former team; he remains an active runner and triathlete.

This month, we are excited to have the opportunity to facilitate LaGrange College's servant-leadership group's annual retreat on February 24th-25th at Callaway Gardens in Georgia. The group, convened by The Rev. Dr. Quincy Brown, Vice-President for Spiritual Life at LaGrange, will focus on the power of reflection, defining servant-leadership, and honing personal awareness. College students around the country are thinking about servant-leadership.  Below is a video filmed on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi that prompts us to think about servant-leadership and the next generation of leaders. http://youtu.be/Z36wzpBErKQ?t=2m26s

Twelve women, all members of Brenau University's Servant-Leader Scholars Program in Gainesville, Georgia, participated in their organization's annual Fall Retreat this past weekend, October 7-9.  Facilitated by Gabriel Center staff, the retreat focused on servant-leader skill development, the connections between commitment and servant-leadership, and communication and feedback skills.  Here are a few testimonials from the weekend. 

"This weekend has brought many excellent aspects of leadership skills that are necessary to know or at least recognize to be a good servant-leader.  By understanding what a servant-leader is, it has opened my eyes to wonderful and productive techniques that I can carry throughout my college years and life.  Things as simple as feedback were discussed in depth and the ways to bring about constructive criticism are astonishing.  I’ve learned so much and know that I’ve grown as a leader and more importantly, I’ve grown myself.  I’m extremely lucky to have been able to attend and know what an amazing opportunity I’ve been given." --Brittany A.

"On this retreat I have gained many valuable skills that will help in becoming a better servant-leader.  Specifically having effective listening skills will encourage my peers to come to me if they ever need to discuss anything." -- Amanda B.

"This week I have learned that I need to voice my opinion.  I feel blessed with a compassionate, servant’s heart and I need to serve anyone I can." --Ashley V.

"This weekend has taught me how to listen to others and effectively execute a task in a timely manner.  I’ve learned how to put the technology away and focus.  Sometimes taking everyone’s different thoughts and experiences and using them enriches any situation." --Allison G.

"This weekend has allowed me to learn things about servant-leadership that I’d never even considered.  How to give effective feedback, how to listen actively, how to appropriately delegate responsibilities: all of these things are necessary to be good servant-leaders.  Participating in this retreat has forced me to take a step back and inspect my leadership qualities, and determine which ones need improvement." --Elizabeth S.