It looks like you are in United States. Go to the United States site Arrow right icon

×
Servant Leadership: How leaders can put their employees first

Employee Ownership

Servant Leadership: How leaders can put their employees first

By , September 12, 2022
servant leadership & employee ownership - succession plus

The term ‘servant leadership’ is often referred to by management consultants and also appears in some of the academic literature covering employee ownership. But it is often misunderstood. For me, the definition, originally outlined by Robert Greenleaf, can be summarised by six key ideas:

  1. Leadership is not about controlling people; it’s about caring for people and being a useful resource for people.
  2. Leadership is not about being a boss; it’s about being present for people and building a community at work.
  3. Leadership is not about holding onto territory; it’s about letting go of ego, bringing your spirit to work, being your best and most authentic self.
  4. Leadership is less concerned with pep talk’s and more concerned with creating a place in which people can do good work, can find meaning in their work, and bring their spirits to work.
  5. Leadership, like life, is largely a matter of paying attention.
  6. Leadership requires love.

Some well-known examples of servant leadership include Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr and Mother Teresa.

To become a servant leader, you can start by working on the following 10 characteristics:

  • Listening.
  • Empathy.
  • Healing.
  • Awareness.
  • Persuasion.
  • Conceptualisation.
  • Foresight.
  • Stewardship.

As you can see above, the Servant Leadership philosophy appears to go hand in hand with employee ownership, building your people up for the betterment of not only themselves but the business they are working for. If you’d like to discuss implementing an employee ownership model into your business, please get in touch.

Craig West

Dr Craig West

Founder & Chairman | Succession Plus

Dr Craig West is a strategic accountant who has over 20 years of experience advising business owners.

With a background as an accountant in practice and two master’s degrees, Craig formed a strong view that the majority of business owners (and often their advisers) were unprepared and unaware of the steps required to prepare for exit. He then designed and documented a unique 21-Step Business Succession and Exit Planning process to assist owners and their advisers in navigating this process.

Craig now acts as a strategic business and financial mentor for mid-market business owners. Craig has written four critically acclaimed books educating business owners on employee incentives, succession planning, asset protection, and exit strategies. Additionally, he has completed doctoral research on Employee Share Ownership Plans (ESOPs) for succession.

Craig is a Member of the Forbes Business Council where he leverages his extensive experience to contribute valuable insights on helping business leaders navigate the complexities of growing and exiting their businesses.

In April 2024, the Exit Planning Institute admitted Craig to the International Exit Planning Circle of Excellence.

Interested in offering staff a stake in your business?
Get your free ESS guide.