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Short video about "What is Servant Leadership"

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Leslie Knope, a character on the TV show "Parks and Recreation" is an example of servant leadership. Leslie serves as the deputy director of the Parks and Recreation department in the town Pawnee, Indiana. She is an enthusiastic leader who strives to make a difference in the lives of the town's residents. During the show, she works tirelessly to listen to the citizens concerns, takes their needs seriously, and effectively address the community's issues. Not only does Leslie directly serve her community, she also frequently mentors her colleagues by encouraging them to reach their career aspirations. Leslie Knope embodies servant leadership through the commitment of the well-being of others and a genuine passion for public service.

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Application in Occupational Therapy Practice 

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Application in Occupational Therapy Practice 

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The application of servant leadership to occupational therapy practice can be related to concepts from the person-environment-occupation (PEO) model given that servant leaders "have the opportunity to impact in the person, environment, and occupation spheres" (Laub et al., 2022, p. 67). The servant leader can be conceptualized as the person who obtains a variety of skills needed to achieve goals and these skills can be seen in the environment where occupational therapists serve (Laub et al., 2022). Servant leaders may be involved in occupational roles such as facilitating conflict resolution, goal setting with colleagues and peers, and team building (Laub et al., 2022). Therefore, the persons (servant leader) skills used to manage particular environments and occupational roles are in congruence, leading to optimal performance (Laub et al., 2022).

Servant leadership embodies a humanistic approach to supporting team members through the "incorporation of ideals such as authenticity in people development, community building, and valuing others," thus making it a strong consideration for occupational therapy leaders in a variety of settings (Laub et al., 2022, p. 68).

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1. Value people: servant leaders value those being led by believing and trusting in them, listening to them in non-judgmental ways, and give freedom for people to grow to their full potential as workers and leaders (Laub et al., 2022).
2. Develop people: servant leaders offer opportunities for those being led to grow while modeling the desired behavior and providing ongoing encouragement and affirmation (Laub et al., 2022).
3. Build Community: servant leaders value results but also care about relationships of those that they serve and therefore, they work to enhance team efficacy through deep relationships and commitment. Servant leaders encourage collaborative work and value each individuals unique gifts that are brought to the team (Laub et al., 2022).
4. Display Authenticity: servant leaders make themselves accountable to others by remaining open and transparent. Servant leaders are willing to learn from others, listen, ask questions, and remain honest (Laub et al., 2022).
5. Provide Leadership: servant leaders still lead while also serving others by holding people accountable and providing direction and clarity (Laub et al., 2022).
6. Share Leadership: servant leaders empower others to lead by sharing their power to make decisions and take action thus fostering paternalistic leadership (Laub et al., 2022).

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Dillon, T. H. (2001). Authenticity in occupational therapy leadership: A case study of a servant leader. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 55(4), 441–448. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.55.4.441

This case study of Sr. Catherine Genevieve Cummings published by AOTA describes the impact of an occupational therapist and occupational therapy educator who embodied servant leadership by making her first priority to serve her colleagues, students, and occupational therapy as a whole (Dillon, 2001). With her ability to observe others, clarify group thoughts, and spur critical thought, she authentically and effectively led others at the College of St. Catherine from 1960-1994. She strove to allow others’ needs be met first in order to facilitate an environment of safety which in turn created an environment conducive to productivity and success.

Ragnarsson, S., Kristjánsdóttir, E. S., & Gunnarsdóttir, S. (2018). To be accountable while showing care: The lived experience of people in a servant leadership organization. SAGE Open, 8(3), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018801097

This article by Ragnarsson et al. (2018) offered an insight into the effect of servant leadership on an organization that has implemented this approach for 30 years. The two most salient themes of accountability and caring for each other in the work space were identified through the use of interviews and observations. Overall, this article found that servant leadership is an effective leadership approach in supporting the success of all the stakeholders within an organization.

Alahbabi, A. M. F., Binti Robani, A., & Bin Zainudin, M. Z. (2023). A framework of servant leadership impact on job performance: The mediation role of employee happiness in UAE healthcare sector. Quality - Access to Success, 24(194), 69–79. https://doi.org/10.47750/QAS/24.194.08

Alharbi & Kundi (2023) examined how servant leadership has impacted various healthcare institutions in Saudi Arabia. Through its mixed-methods approach of interviews and reviewing literature, their research found that authenticity, setting clear goals, and emphasizing cohesion within the organization were effective traits associated with servant leadership. Furthermore, this study found that servant leadership was positively associated with factors linked to effective leadership: cognitive style and leadership efficiency. In sum, this research supports the implementation of servant leadership within the healthcare sector.

Barmanpek, U. (2022). The role of servant leadership on employee motivation and job satisfaction: Evidence from healthcare organisations in Turkey. Journal of Social Sciences Institute / Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 12(24), 200–208. https://doi.org/10.29029/busbed.1123709

Through surveying healthcare employees in clinical and non-clinical Turkish organizations, Barmapek (2022) found that servant leadership is positively associated with employee’s motivation and satisfaction with their jobs. Specifically, servant leadership and job satisfaction is mediated by work motivation. Therefore, servant leadership was found to have a positive association with employee outcomes.

Alharbi, M. F., & Kundi, M. G. (2023). Servant leadership and leadership effectiveness in healthcare institutions. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 21(3), 361–372. https://doi.org/10.21511/ppm.21(3).2023.29

Alahbabi et al. (2023) found evidence to support that servant leadership helps employees achieve personal and organizational goals, increased job satisfaction, and work motivation when examining this leadership approach in the healthcare sector of the United Arab Emirates. The researchers also found that employees with servant leaders tend to have higher satisfaction levels, trust, and creativity. The research supported the conceptual framework of the study that servant leadership is positively related to employee happiness which is correlated with increased job performance.

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In 1970, Greenleaf devised an essay titled " The Servant as Leader" to describe a new style of leadership that placed emphasis on a leaders attention to their followers' personal growth and development in an ethical manner (Canavesi & Minelli, 2021). The author saw a servant leader as the 'first among equals,' which indicated a need to treat others first before themselves on an equal platform. Thereafter, service leadership has flourished beyond Greenleaf's original concept. Service leadership is a moral-based and multidisciplinary leadership style that is grounded in a desire to serve with the intention of leading and developing others to achieve a higher purpose for themselves instead of gains for the leader (Coetzer et al., 2017).

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Mother Teresa exemplifies the principles of servant leadership. Mother Teresa was a Catholic nun and humanitarian whose life work involved caring for others. In 1950, she founded the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata, India dedicated to serving the sick and dying. She led this group into a worldwide organization offering medical treatment, comfort, and dignity to those near death. She also served homeless individuals by establishing shelters, orphanages, and schools for those in need. She believed in the importance of education, especially for women and children who may not have had access to it before. Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, bringing more global attention to her service. To this day, Mother Teresa's selfless example of servant leadership inspires others to engage in acts of compassion, especially towards those who are typically marginalized by society (Keets, 2017).

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Servant leadership is a type of leadership that can be accepted by any leader. Servant leadership "brings together two constructs, servant and leadership, in a paradox that produces a powerful way of leading others" (Laub et al., 2022, p. 58). Servant leadership progressed from an idea to a set of theoretical models, making it valid and usable in various settings.

Laub's conceptual model of servant leadership identifies six key disciplines that a servant leader poses including valuing people, developing people, building community, displaying authenticity, providing leadership, and sharing leadership. Taking each of these six key disciplines into mind, "servant leadership has the capacity to create healthier organizations, resulting in higher performance of both leaders and workers" (Laub et al., 2022, p. 59).

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Servant leadership prioritizes the good of those being led over the leader’s own interest (Laub et al., 2022). This leadership approach shifts a leader's primary role to first serving those who they lead instead of serving their own interests. By doing so, this leadership approach aims to create a foundation of workers’ needs being met first in order to bolster the organization’s mission and support workers’ well-being. This leadership has been viewed as being opposite to common sense by influencing others while simultaneously serving them (Braveman, 2016). This approach to leadership emphasizes seeing follower's potential and fostering an environment where they can be empowered to reach their fullest capacity.

Many scholars have suggested different characteristics of servant leaders. Many of these characteristics include authenticity, empathy, altruism, building community, empowerment, and forgiveness (Braveman, 2016).

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Accountability: The responsibility of individuals or organizations to answer for their actions or decisions.
Altruism: The act of selflessly acting for the well-being of others
Authenticity: The quality of being genuine, real, and true to one's own values, beliefs, and personality.
Community: A group of individuals who share a common location, interest, or identity, and interact with one another.
Job Satisfaction: An individual's overall fulfillment and positive emotional response to their job or occupation.
Motivation: The force that drives individuals to take action, set goals, and strive to achieve them.
Teamwork: The collaborative effort of a group of individuals who work together to achieve a common goal or objective.

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While servant leadership's concepts have been seen for thousands of years, Robert Greenleaf was the first person to name this leadership approach and bring more attention to its impact on current institutions (Laub et al., 2022). Servant leadership can foster better outcomes for the organization as a whole, leading to improved performance of workers and their leaders.

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Laub's 6 disciplines of servant leaders (Laub et al., 2022)

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Alahbabi, A. M. F., Binti Robani, A., & Bin Zainudin, M. Z. (2023). A framework of servant leadership impact on job performance: The mediation role of employee happiness in UAE healthcare sector. Quality - Access to Success, 24(194), 69–79. https://doi.org/10.47750/QAS/24.194.08

Alharbi, M. F., & Kundi, M. G. (2023). Servant leadership and leadership effectiveness in healthcare institutions. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 21(3), 361–372. https://doi.org/10.21511/ppm.21(3).2023.29

Barmanpek, U. (2022). The role of servant leadership on employee motivation and job satisfaction: Evidence from healthcare organisations in Turkey. Journal of Social Sciences Institute / Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 12(24), 200–208. https://doi.org/10.29029/busbed.1123709

Braveman, B. (2016). Leadership: The art, science, and evidence. In B. Braveman (Ed.), Leading and managing occupational therapy services: An evidence-based approach (2nd Ed., pp. 3-32). F.A. Davis Company.

Canavesi, A., & Minelli, E. (2021). Servant leadership: A systematic literature review and network analysis. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 1-23.

Coetzer, M. F., Bussin, M., & Geldenhuys, M. (2017). The functions of a servant leader. Administrative Sciences, 7(1), 5.

Dillon, T. H. (2001). Authenticity in occupational therapy leadership: A case study of a servant leader. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 55(4), 441–448. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.55.4.441

Keets, J. & Abaldo, A. (2017). Servant leadership: Learning from servant leaders of the past and their impact to the future. International Journal of Management Sciences and Business Research, 6(1).

Laub, J., Dunbar-Smalley, S., & Callendar, L. F. (2022). Servant leadership and the person-environment-occupation model. In S. Dunbar-Smalley, & K. Winston (Eds.), An occupational perspective on leadership: Theoretical and practical dimensions (3rd ed., pp. 57-70). SLACK Incorporated.

Ragnarsson, S., Kristjánsdóttir, E. S., & Gunnarsdóttir, S. (2018). To be accountable while showing care: The lived experience of people in a servant leadership organization. SAGE Open, 8(3), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018801097