Q & A: Servant Leadership With Frank Shushok

Who was Robert Greenleaf and why is he considered the founder of the servant leadership approach?
The late Robert K. Greenleaf, often given credit for coining the phrase servant-leadership, developed his theory while an executive at AT&T. His initial thinking was born in the tumultuous 1960s when he began to question why many young adults were rebelling against American institutions, especially colleges and universities. Greenleaf concluded that institutions failed to serve well, and thus, lead well. His book, Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness (1977), is considered a seminal text by many leadership scholars and practitioners. The Center for Applied Ethics, which he founded, is now called the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant-Leadership. See www.greenleaf.org

What is unique about the servant leadership model?
More contemporary notions of leadership are often associated with position, influence and power. Moreover, "leaders" are often labeled so because of characteristics such as charisma or communication skills. This is sometimes translated into an assumption that people become a leader in order to serve. In contrast, servant-leaders seek to serve and therefore, emerge as a leader out of this commitment. Mother Teresa, for example, was no doubt a leader. Did she prepare to be a leader or become a leader because of her desire to serve first? Greenleaf (1970) wrote that the best test is to ask: "do those served grow as persons; do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society; will they benefit, or, at least, will they not be further deprived?" As Christians, it seems pretty clear that Greenleaf is advocating for something modeled very well by Jesus.
What are the main tenants of servant leadership?
Servant leadership is based on at least four important assumptions:1) people choose to serve first; 2) as a result of service, people then lead as a way to increase service to other individuals and institutions; 3) people frequently do not hold formal leadership positions or formal authority; and 4) servant leadership encourages collaboration, trust, listening and the ethical use of power and empowerment.

What are some of the benefits of a student trained with a servant leader perspective?
Servant-leadership advocates awareness into what motivates our work (a better world for self? or a better world for others?) It is fundamentally "other-centered" and "other-centered" people are those who change the world, make it more humane and more just. They see their work environments as places to serve. What industry doesn't need more people with this disposition?