by Glenn Magas

Created on: December 03, 2009   Last Updated: December 04, 2009

By helping others achieve and attain what they want, you will achieve what you want. Leadership is influence. Everything begins and ends with leadership. Servant leadership, although a new management concept, is an old, tried and true way to success in any aspect of business and in life.

Servant leadership is often credited to Robert Greenleaf in his essay, "The Servant as Leader" and is a concept supported and taught by modern leaders such as Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, and Ken Jennings. Motivational speakers like Jim Rohn and Zig Ziglar credit their success (personal and financial) to servant leadership. Servant leadership is as old as the bible - as Jesus Himself practiced servant leadership.

Leadership, in itself, is also a misunderstood concept as so-called leaders of business misuse their role to 'dis-empower', lead by rule, or to only delegate tasks in order to take advantage of their position. Productivity will not be maximized; morale in the workplace will be low; and eventually failure will be the outcome.

The successful leader who runs their business through inspiration and by 'serving' those below them recognize servant leadership as the way to influence through inspiration instead of influence through fear. As the role of a leader moves their way up the proverbial ladder of success, their responsibilities must grow as their privileges decrease. This is the perfect model of the servant leader.

These are 5 big differences between servant leadership and ineffective leadership.

1. Servant leadership gets people out of the mess. Ineffective leadership keeps them in the mud.
2. Servant leadership is interested when people speak. Ineffective leadership likes to listen to their own voice.
3. Servant leadership praises with honest appreciation. Ineffective leadership always calls attention to mistakes.
4. Servant leadership looks to always give recognition. Ineffective leadership looks to always get recognition.
5. Servant leadership takes the blame and lets others shine. Ineffective leadership always blames others but will always takes the credit.

"People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader works in the open, and the boss in covert. The leader leads, and the boss drives." Theodore Roosevelt. Servant leadership is much the same. The servant leader is with the people, they are serving the people's needs. The 'boss' serves their own needs and 'bosses' people around from behind the scenes.

1. Servant leadership gets people out of the mess.

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