Ten Characteristics of a Servant-Leader

Listening—Leaders have traditionally been valued for their communication and decision-making skills. These are important skills for the Servant-Leader. These need to be reinforced by a deep commitment to listening intently to others.
Empathy—The Servant-Leader strives to understand and empathize with others. People need to be accepted and recognized for their special and unique spirits. The most successful Servant-Leaders are those who have become skilled empathetic listeners.
Healing—Learning to heal is powerful force for transformation and integration. One of the great strengths of servant-leadership is the potential for healing oneself and others.
Awareness—General awareness, especially self-awareness, strengthens the Servant-Leader. Awareness also aides one in understanding issues that involve ethics and values.
Persuasion—The Servant-Leader seeks to persuade others, rather than to coerce compliance. This element offers one of the clearest distinctions between the traditional authoritarian model and that of servant-leadership. The Servant- Leader is effective at building consensus within groups.
Conceptualization—Servant-Leaders seek to nurture their abilities to "dream great dreams." The ability to look at a problem (or an organization) from a conceptualizing perspective means that one must think beyond day-to-day realities.
Foresight—Foresight is a characteristic that enables the Servant-Leader to understand the lessons from the past, the realities of the present, and the likely consequences of a decision for the future.  It is also deeply rooted within the intuitive mind.
Stewardship—This is defined by Peter Block (author of Stewardship) as "holding something in trust for another." Servant-leadership, like stewardship, assumes, first and foremost, a commitment to serving the needs of others. It also emphasizes the use of openness and persuasion rather than control.
Commitment to the Growth of People—Servant-Leaders believe that people have an intrinsic value beyond their tangible contributions as workers. As such, the Servant-Leader is deeply committed to the growth of each individual within his or her institution.
Building Community—The Servant-Leader senses that much has been lost in recent human history as a result of a trend in which large institutions, rather than local communities, have become the primary shapers of human lives.

Compliments of Khaled A. Matlagaitu, DTM
Candidate for International Director, Region 11 (EMEA)
kamatlagaitu@gmail.com
www.kmat4id.com
Phone: +966 50 5901429