In one of my recent college courses, I came across the term, “servant leadership”, the meaning of the term can be found within the name itself. Upon studying it further, I found that I had come across it many times and found it within the best of my previous or current supervisors, divisional officers, Chiefs, and elders. It was something I also strived for when leading less experienced or younger sailors.
There is a distinct approach that servant leaders take when guiding their teams, instead of focusing on personal gain or holding power, they center on elevating and equipping the worker-bees of their team. This method creates an environment where every team member feels acknowledged and valued.
One of the major foundations of servant leadership is empathy. It’s about truly understanding and addressing the needs and perspectives of others. Leaders who practice this style prioritize humility, another foundation, allowing team members to focus on their development. The goal is to foster an environment where everyone is recognized and appreciated as an important member of the team. Practicing servant leadership effectively starts by examining your leadership style, and committing to the individual success of others. Actively seeking input and learning from your team will build strong, authentic relationships with the outcome being a team that knows how to function as efficiently as possible. Address challenges with empathy and keep the needs of your team central to your decision-making process. This will lead to some necessary self-sacrifice to pick up where a subordinate may be lacking. The more a leader serves their team the better equipped the team will be to accomplish its task.
