What is the best leadership style?

By Kristof Toth

There are various kinds of leaders and leadership styles, ranging from democratic to situational leadership. Leaders are an essential to the community in the modern ages, so let's take a look at one of the most unique ones: servant leadership.

So, what is Servant Leadership?
Unlike in a traditional top-down leadership approach where a team is seen to serve the needs of a leader, in a Servant Leadership system it's the other way around. A Servant Leader cares for his/her team’s well-being before their own, and a Servant Leader acknowledges the opinions and concerns of their teammates.

A servant-type leader can be highly beneficial for a team and for the connection between employees and employers. Servant Leaders prioritize the overall well-being of the team, which then leads to an overall better organizational culture, which will make people more open to communicating and working together. 
 
The concept of Servant Leadership was written and popularized by Robert K. Greenleaf in the 1970s. According to Greenleaf, a Servant Leader is someone who “begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, [and] to serve first.” This type of leadership aims and focuses on collaboration, trust, and understanding. 

Core Principles of Servant Leadership
1. Know your team - Do you know your team well enough? their personalities, backgrounds, goals and aspirations, strengths and weaknesses? It is important to know our team, especially when we are in a work environment.
2. Put your team first - Are you paying enough attention to your team? Listen to their advice and feedback and cascade control downwards in the organization. Communication and cooperation is essential when it comes to maintaining a healthy workspace.
3. Make decisions predictably - Apply the same principles (core values, purpose) when making decisions and encourage team members to make decisions on their own. Letting team members and/or co workers do certain things by themselves, will help to prevent micromanagement.
These three points build trust and empower team members, and also prevent the “Suffocation Spiral.”

Servant Leadership is not just a concept, but a practical approach towards the culture, feelings, and well-being of a team. Servant Leadership is really good for fostering connections between team members and leaders and improving the working morale of employees compared to other leadership styles.
​
This leadership style reminds us that true leadership stems from a desire to serve, and that from such service, a positive organizational culture can emerge.