Has Servant Leadership Created A Generation of One Dimensional Leaders?

Has Servant Leadership Created A Generation of One Dimensional Leaders?

Servant Leadership has been a theory that has been taught for some time now. The belief that one has to serve to lead is not an uncommon ideology used around the world. Companies now insist that their employees climb the ranks to gain an understanding of their subordinates and to better understand the individuals they lead. At its core, the principles of this theory sound more like a passage from the Bible versus a blueprint for aspiring leaders. Don’t get me wrong, I believe there has to be a certain level of compassion for ones subordinates but how much is too much compassion? At what point will leaders gain the skills necessary to make the tough decisions, take necessary actions and encompass the other “less glamorous” aspects of true leadership.

People First, Leading Second

One of the major problems I am seeing with this theory, is the perception that people come first and leading is second. As a result, these types of leaders are only developing one particular skill set and neglecting to nurture the other areas. Servant Leaders are now doing their subordinates a great disservice by failing to perfect their crafts. Particularly, in the third sector where this theory is the cornerstone for training / equipping the next generation of leaders.  The third sector is where you will find more of your low income projects, churches and other nonprofit organizations. One of the biggest problems I’m seeing is the notion of “people first, lead second”. It seems to be some unwritten rule and it is producing ineffective leaders in the “business” aspects of these organizations. I absolutely believe that people are vital to any organization but I also believe that the absence of a villain (or tough decision maker) will be detrimental. Leaders have to understand that leading will not always make them popular nor will their organization run itself. Even in churches, the belief that a celestial being is going to magically rectify their poor operating decisions is unrealistic.

Not An Independent Theory  

Observing what has transpired in this new age leadership, I don’t believe that the Servant Leadership Theory should be taught independently. In my opinion, it should be taught in conjunction with another theory preferably the Transactional Leadership Theory. Transactional Leadership focuses more on supervision, organization and performance. In essence, creating a balance between it and the Servant Leadership Theory. Transactional Leadership would call for leaders to focus equally on the supervising and leading aspect of leadership. Reciprocally, Servant Leadership would allow leaders to stay connected to their subordinates. Thus, allowing new leaders to create a healthy and productive hybrid of the two theories.