Servant Leadership: Pros and Cons for Organizational Behavior

This essay analyzes the approach of servant leadership in organizational behavior, identifying its pros and cons. It explores the seven core elements of servant leadership and how it can impact team building and employee satisfaction. The essay concludes that servant leadership is a valuable approach for organizations to survive in a competitive business environment.

Running head: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
Organisational Behavior
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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Introduction
The essay helps in analysing the approach of servant leadership which can be used
by the organisations. The pros and cons of servant leadership are required to be
identified which will be useful for the overall growth of the company in an appropriate
manner. According to Sipe and Frick (2015), servant leadership is not a style of
leadership or technique; however this requires the leaders to put the other
individuals first. This is the view of leadership which emphasises the overall positive
development of the different followers which will be helpful in attaining the different
goals of the organisation appropriately.
Overview of Servant Leadership
Chen, Zhu and Zhou (2015), have opined that servant leadership is the kind
of philosophy of leader in which the primary goal of the leaders is to serve the
company positively. The servant leader shares the power along with putting the
needs of the individuals at first which helps the individuals in developing along with
performing in the best possible manner. This is the technique of behaving which can
be adopted by the individuals in the long term and this will be beneficial for the
success of the organisation and the employees as well.
Moreover, Panaccio et al. (2015), has commented that servant leadership
helps in complimenting the democratic style of leadership along with few similarities
of the transformational leadership which can be used in handling the different
situations in the business environment effectively as well. The encouraging of the
employees act as the servant leaders which benefits the entire aspect of the
organisation as well. This will improve the moral and unity which fosters in creating a
positive work environment between the organisations along with communities which
will be appropriate for analysing the different challenges in a unique manner.
However, on the other hand, Shaw and Newton (2014), have commented that
the servant leadership is problematic for hierarchical along with autocratic kind of
culture wherein the different managers and leaders are expected to make the
decisions all by themselves. In such types of scenarios, the servant leaders may
require to struggle to earn respect in the organisation culture.

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The approach of Servant Leadership in Organizations
There are different kinds of procedures of the servant leadership in the organisation
which can create a positive or negative impact on the various tasks which are being
performed in the organisation. The basic idea of servant leadership is serving the
overall organisation wherein the outcome of the same will provide for the growth and
performance of the followers working in the organisation effectively.
According to Grisaffe, VanMeter and Chonko (2016), the seven-core element
of the servant leadership follows the conceptualising, putting the followers at first
place, helping the different followers to grow and succeed which will be creating
value for the organisation. Liden et al. (2014), have hypothesised that the servant
leaders have the potential to understand and empathise with others which will be
successful for the overall success of the organization.
On the other hand, Keith (2015), has opined that the servant leadership helps
the organization in building along with sustaining the value of the stakeholders which
will be successful for managing the different aspects of the organization to become
successful in their approaches in a positive manner. This has been noticed that
servant leadership has added the benefit of reducing the ego from the ones who are
in the leadership position as the ego can be driving force which can lead to the
overall failure of the organization in a negative manner.
Keith (2015), has commented that there are few significant characteristics of
the servant leaders which will be beneficial for the overall success of the firm in a
positive manner. Firstly, the leaders try to empathize with the others which helps in
building trust, and this is the crucial ingredient in creating long-lasting partnerships
as well. Moreover, this helps in making partners and community wherein the leaders
are being motivated to perform in a unique manner which will be positively
benefitting the organization.
Pros and Cons of Servant Leadership in Organizations
Advantages of Servant Leadership

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Spears and Lawrence (2016), have opined that there are different pros and
cons of servant leadership which can affect the overall growth of the organization
positively or negatively. Firstly, the first merit of the servant leadership approach is
that the different decisions are being made in the interest of the organization and not
the individuals working in the organization. In the respective leadership approach,
the managers along with the leaders try to look at the different requests from the
staff members through the lens which will be best suitable for the business which will
be beneficial for the success.
Furthermore, Stouten and Liden (2018), have opined that with the
implementation of the servant leadership, this helps the staffs in growing along with
succeeding as this allows the teams of the organizations to develop as the leaders.
With the usage of the servant-leadership, this assists the managers and leaders in
determining the missions and goals of the organization which will be based on the
viewpoints of the staffs.
In the servant leadership approach, the employees play a significant role in
determining the transition of the organization which will tend to be a definite
advantage to the bottom line of the organization. Moreover, this has been noticed
that when the employees in the organization work under the servant leaders, the
employees operate typically as a collective approach which is beneficial for the
different individuals in a positive manner. The satisfaction of the employees improves
as all the needs are being met positively as well (Spears and Lawrence, 2016).
Stouten and Liden (2018), have opined that the team building is one of the
unique approaches which is created by servant leaders as this will be advantageous
for the entire firm and the employees well being as well. The servant leadership
approach helps in involving all the team members in the process of change
management which will be beneficial for the success of the organization, and this is
helpful in maintaining the cohesiveness of the team as well along with sets the tone
for the organization.
Liden et al. (2014), have opined that the leaders in the organizations need to
follow the servant leadership style which will help in gaining a great deal of trust
along with respect from the different employees. The confident and robust type of

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feelings between the employees along with management is being promoted in
managing the high sense of morale among the employees. This kind of leadership is
essential for the diverse type of work which will be appropriate for creating a sense
of loyalty among employees.
Cons of Servant Leadership
On the other hand, Liden et al. (2014) have commented that there are
different cons of servant leadership wherein this takes longer to make different
decisions in the organization. The servant-leadership is disadvantageous as there
can be various problems related to growth. The employees can lack the motivational
approach as the managers are always ready to help them with the solution and this
can impact the progress of the employees negatively as well.
According to Keith (2015), the particular approach of leadership is too internal
as this is immersed into introspections and this encourages the employees in
analyzing and making them understand the importance of the tasks and these are
growing the issues which will be ineffective.
As per Stouten and Liden (2018), there can be different parental issues
wherein this resemble the parent-child relationship wherein the managers act to
emotionally and physically cater to the diverse needs of the employees. This leads to
the relations which become too dependent, and this decreases the productivity of the
organization negatively as well. Furthermore, Focht and Ponton (2015), have
commented and opined that the servant leadership opens the door for bullying in the
entire industry. When the leaders of the organizations dedicate all their efforts in
understanding the grievances and the needs of the employees, the servant leader
can be a manipulative figure, and this will be an unethical practice.
Conclusion
Therefore, this can be concluded that the servant-leadership is one of the
approaches wherein this has positive along with negative impacts on the
organizations along with the team members working in the organizations as well. It
can be seen that leaders do not have the formal type of authority to get the things
done which will be perceived as the weak approach. However, on the other hand,

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the servant leadership helps in working for the best interests of the entire
organization, and this increases the overall productivity of the organization positively
as well. Servant leadership is a practice wherein the leaders try to solve the
problems of the employees working in the organization above everything, and this is
quite similar to the democratic style of leadership as well. Lastly, this can be
concluded that the servant leadership approach is basically of huge importance that
can help the organization to survive in the competitive business environment and this
will be creating positive attitude among the employees.

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References
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fire? A multilevel model of servant leadership, individual self-identity, group
competition climate, and customer service performance. Journal of Applied
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Ebbrecht, A. and Martin, B.N., 2017. The mentoring experiences of four Missouri
teachers of the year through the lens of servant-leadership characteristics. The
International Journal of Servant-Leadership, 11(1), pp.337-372.
Focht, A. and Ponton, M., 2015. Identifying primary characteristics of servant
leadership: Delphi study. International Journal of Leadership Studies, 9(1).
Grisaffe, D.B., VanMeter, R. and Chonko, L.B., 2016. Serving first for the benefit of
others: Preliminary evidence for a hierarchical conceptualization of servant
leadership. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 36(1), pp.40-58.
Keith, K.M., 2015. The case for servant leadership. Greenleaf Center for Servant
Leadership.
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Sipe, J.W. and Frick, D.M., 2015. Seven pillars of servant leadership: Practicing the
wisdom of leading by serving. Paulist Press.
Spears, L.C. and Lawrence, M. eds., 2016. Practicing servant-leadership:
Succeeding through trust, bravery, and forgiveness. John Wiley & Sons.
Stouten, J. and Liden, R.C., 2018. Social loafing in organizational work groups: The
mitigating effect of servant leadership.