Context Matters

“The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve.” – Robert K Greenleaf

What does it mean to be a servant leader? Is it holding the door? Buying a lunch? Does it come with a specific title? Why does it even matter?

I was first introduced to the idea when I read Robert Greenleaf’s work on the subject, Servant Leadership: A Journey Into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness. The lengthy title belies the simple, humble perspectives shared within. I remember thinking, isn’t this just how humans should interact with each other? The concepts shared were so fundamental to me that I’ve come to think of servant leadership not as an “approach”, or a “methodology,” it isn’t a tool that I pull from my toolbox when the moment suits. No, for me, servant leadership is a personal core value.

Like any value, it becomes an ideal that I strive towards and sometimes fall short of achieving. Few moments sting more than when I realize that my vices have pulled me away from my values. Over time that gut wrenching, throat closing feeling teaches us to make different decisions, leading us to adjust our behaviors. That work is never finished; honest and routine self-reflection are necessary throughout all our seasons of life.

Servant leadership has been on my mind for several weeks. Leading up to and through the Easter season, I’ve considered how my religious upbringing and faith have shaped those core values. In our tradition, Jesus modeled the ultimate servant leader; he was God humbled to take our human form, carry our human burdens, and ultimately endure great suffering on our behalf. In his final hours he further modeled how we have been called to live, by kneeling and washing the feet of his disciples. If he can consider others in the worst of all moments, shouldn’t I be able to do the same?

But that takes us back to the original question, what is servant leadership in our modern context? What does it look like in practice in life, at home, or at the office? How does it shape my actions towards my family, my community and my co-workers?

First at home, where it can come naturally perhaps the most easily. One already cares for their loved ones, partners, children or parents. It brings us joy to nurture those relationships, invest time in being present, to cook meals and prep the coffee so that each day our family members can have their needs met. We help with homework, chauffeur, pay the bills, invest in college funds all in service of our children. We use our talents and resources to build homes.

My husband, like very many parents, beautifully demonstrated servant leadership during the pandemic. That season for us included managing two elementary aged children remote learning and a parent with rapidly declining health. We both worked full time, and like the world around us, we were trying to make decisions amidst uncertainty, fear and necessity. He didn’t hesitate; he took action to ensure that we were all safe and able to thrive in our new circumstances.

He took the lead in home-schooling, navigating new platforms, kindergarten zoom calls, and endless worksheets. He ventured out in the world, mask in place, to manage our groceries. He did all of the hard stuff to keep us comfortable, but he also held on to all of the fun things we love. He ensured we played games together, hosted socially distanced bonfires in our driveway, strung lights and played guitar.

His service to our family gave me space to serve in a different way, as my attention and efforts became focused at work. We were trying to save the world. I found myself employed by one of the largest liquid pharmaceutical contract drug manufacturing facilities in the US, and we were charged with producing the vaccines that would end the pandemic. From our newly created home offices, we added capacity, optimized production, and navigated an increasingly complex supply chain full of shortages and surprises. I played a role, but the true servant leaders in that moment were the front-line Operators. Every day on behalf of others, they braved the risk of virus and went into the facility and to do the physical work of making vaccines.

Those were extreme times, calling for extreme measures. But servant leadership is sometimes the most impactful in the quieter moments, the mundanity of everyday. As a project manager, and a people leader, I’m often put in the position of asking something of my colleagues. When will this activity be done? When will that report be delivered? Have you completed your training? Did you send the month’s invoices? My skill is organization, and so most of my time is spent organizing the work of others. We are ensuring that all of our efforts are aligned, that the team is moving in lockstep together towards the goal.

It can be easy to demand. Project management has the vantage point of seeing the big picture plan, while many of our colleagues are operating within the details. We can become insistent, impatient, indifferent to the process or structural constraints in the system. We risk losing our empathy when we focus only on the deliverable and not the individual(s) doing the thing.

A servant leadership mindset can guard against this tendency. If we consider each interaction as an opportunity to help, it changes how we ask the question. “When will it get done?” becomes, “What do you need to do it?” When we truly seek to understand then options become clear. The simplest, most common example that I see involves a request for information. A PM will ask for a status update, “What’s the deal with those materials?”

The question makes perfect sense to them. “Those” materials are understood and specific to the PMs project. This is not true for our team members, this person’s function serves all projects, they manage all of the materials in the facility. In these cases, if we just put ourselves in their shoes for a moment and ask, “How can I help them provide this update?” we can shape our approach differently, and with more kindness. “What’s the deal with those materials?” becomes, “I’m looking for an update on the release status of part number x, lot number y.” Our consideration of their needs helps them meet ours.

This example is a simple case, but a servant leadership mindset is scalable. It’s effective one on one, and with teams, with those that report to you and those that don’t. It’s impactful when you manage up as well. If you approach a job with the “how can I help” mindset, opportunities to bring value to an organization will reveal themselves to you. If you lean into these moments, others will take notice and reciprocate. Servant leadership is a self-fulfilling positive cycle. This is a culture I want to be a part of, one where we lean into helping each other.

For a long time, I’ve avoided writing about the subject of servant leadership because of all of the moments I’ve failed to live up to the value. I’ve barked orders at colleagues, huffed in frustration, focused on my timeline and not the person. I’ve avoided uncomfortable conversations and ignored emails I didn’t want to deal with. I’ve gossiped and griped, complained and whined. My fear is that I’m a hypocrite, struggling to practice what I preach.

But this year, this season, a different idea has taken shape. Maybe the point of servant leadership isn’t to be perfect, but simply to make an effort. My religious tradition tells me I can never be perfect, but I’m not expected to be either. I’m expected to follow the example provided and to use the gifts I’ve been given to the best of my abilities in the service of others. No more or less, simply to try.

So, I share this perspective on servant leadership because it is a core value of mine. One that when I try my hardest has been the most impactful for others, and also for me personally. When I remember to act in alignment with my values, it just feels good. And I hope by sharing my experiences, well maybe, that will help others as well.

#Servant Leadership