The Manager asThe Manager as Servant Leader Servant Leader

Getting the Right ResultsGetting the Right Results for the Right Reasons for the Right Reasons

Dr. John A. KlineDr. John A. KlineProfessor of LeadershipProfessor of Leadership

Troy UniversityTroy University

www.klinespeak.com john@klinespeak.com or or jkline@troy.edu

L & M: Questionable Distinctions• Leaders lead people; managers manage thingsLeaders lead people; managers manage things

• Leaders work for change; managers work for stabilityLeaders work for change; managers work for stability

• Leaders focus on long-term; managers on short-termLeaders focus on long-term; managers on short-term

• Leaders have a vision; managers have objectivesLeaders have a vision; managers have objectives

• Leaders appeal to the heart; managers to the headLeaders appeal to the heart; managers to the head

• Leaders find new roads; mangers take existing roadsLeaders find new roads; mangers take existing roads

• Leaders—transformational; managers—transactionalLeaders—transformational; managers—transactional– Transactional: reward/punishment; do what I tell youTransactional: reward/punishment; do what I tell you

– Transformational: inspires, motivates, encourages; often charismatic Transformational: inspires, motivates, encourages; often charismatic

(but not narcissistic); transforms people and the organization(but not narcissistic); transforms people and the organization

• While I question these seven distinctions, I said this:While I question these seven distinctions, I said this:

In a 2008 article for the Armed Forces Comptroller called “Managing People

and Processes,” I wrote:• “Leadership without management is vision

without fulfillment.” I also believe

• “Management without leadership often yields stagnation and lost opportunities.” Therefore, the point is this:

• Managers must also be leaders.

• The question is: What kind of leaders?

Great LeadersGreat Leaders

• Inspire, motivate, encourage and promote transformation of an organization and its people. (Transformational Leadership)

• Find good people, give them responsibility, and then help them succeed. (Shared Leadership)

• Serve others and the organizations to which they belong. (Servant Leadership) Implies shared & transfor…

Please keep this point in mind: Leaders always bear responsibility for what happens. None of the statements above imply absence of a leader who bears ultimate responsibility; no organization will succeed for any length of time without one person at the top.

Overview of Servant LeadershipOverview of Servant Leadership

• Traits or AttributesTraits or Attributes

• StylesStyles

• FocusFocus

• Remember, the main idea today is:Remember, the main idea today is:

The Manager as Servant Leader: Getting The Manager as Servant Leader: Getting

the Right Results for the Right Reasonsthe Right Results for the Right Reasons

Three Key AttributesThree Key Attributesof Servant Leadersof Servant Leaders

”Great leaders are servant leaders because”Great leaders are servant leaders because it is the best way for them to serve it is the best way for them to serve

the organization and others.”the organization and others.”

• Character—who you areCharacter—who you are

• Competency—what you can doCompetency—what you can do

• Confidence—belief in yourself and your Confidence—belief in yourself and your

ability to lead othersability to lead others

Character:Character: AA list of some qualities list of some qualities

• Inspiring—confident; get best out of people

• Courageous—persevering to accomplish a goal

• Honest—sincerity, integrity, displaying candor

• Fair-minded—sensitive to well-being of others

• Forward Looking—having a vision for the future

• How would you rank these? 1 is top; 5 is lastHow would you rank these? 1 is top; 5 is last

Competency:Competency: OPM’s Five Requisites to be an SES OPM’s Five Requisites to be an SES

“Manager”“Manager”

• Lead change

• Lead people

• Business acumen

• Results driven

• Communicate/Build Coalitions

ConfidenceConfidenceComes mainly from possessingComes mainly from possessing

Character and Competence Character and Competence

• Exhibit Character—who you are and who you seem to be; and they should be consistent

• Demonstrate Competence—know what you’re talking about; and show it

• Think Strategically

Have the big picture

Have a plan

Set solid priorities• Show You can Handle Adversity• Look, Act & Feel Confident

Styles of Leadership—a testStyles of Leadership—a test

Three Basic Styles of LeadershipThree Basic Styles of Leadership

• AuthoritarianAuthoritarian

• ParticipativeParticipative

• DelegativeDelegative

AuthoritarianAuthoritarian

• Leader tells what to do and how to do itLeader tells what to do and how to do it

• Not simply bossing other people aroundNot simply bossing other people around

• Valuable if time is short, information is Valuable if time is short, information is

known, and followers are motivatedknown, and followers are motivated

• Effective if others recognize and respect your Effective if others recognize and respect your

authority; not effective if they don’tauthority; not effective if they don’t

• All leaders must be able to show authorityAll leaders must be able to show authority

Participative Participative

• Lets others participate in decision-makingLets others participate in decision-making

• Effective if the leader has only part of the Effective if the leader has only part of the

information; followers have other informationinformation; followers have other information

• Promotes teamwork and sound decisionsPromotes teamwork and sound decisions

• Leader still responsible for decisions Leader still responsible for decisions

• Important point:Important point: The leader maintains final The leader maintains final

authority and responsibilityauthority and responsibility

DelegativeDelegative

• Leader delegates specific responsibilities Leader delegates specific responsibilities

• Delegates expected to make decisions Delegates expected to make decisions

• Effective when leader trusts others and knows Effective when leader trusts others and knows

they have necessary competenciesthey have necessary competencies

• Leader still responsible for decisionsLeader still responsible for decisions

• Important point:Important point: The leader maintains final The leader maintains final

authority and responsibilityauthority and responsibility

The most effective leaders use all three styles depending on the situation; that is, they use each style at appropriate times

You can be a servant leader irrespective of the style you use; in fact, servant leaders must be able to use all three styles

Effective servant (sharing/transformational) leaders focus on both the task and the people doing it; and they avoid over-focusing on one or the other — let’s talk about this

Important Points

Task-focused LeadersBasic assumptions• People can’t or won’t direct their own behavior

• Individuals are often indifferent to group goals

Leaders often communicate this by• Telling not only what to do but how to do it

• Controlling or discouraging open communication

Followers often respond by• Performing to the leader’s “low” expectations

• Resisting responsibility; starting rumors; trying to

discover “company secrets”

People-focused LeadershipBasic assumptions• People are intrinsically motivated and will assume

responsibility; people are basically good• Conflicts/tensions must be reduced at all costs

Leaders often communicate this by• Emphasizing individual needs over organizational ones• Letting individual desires override task accomplishment

Followers often respond by• Creating an appearance of harmony in the group or

organization while relieving conflicts elsewhere• Showing dissatisfaction when leaders issue directives

Dual-focused LeadershipBasic assumptions• Flexibility is important

• Individual and group needs should be consistent

Leaders communicate this by• Demonstrating a willingness to adjust & be flexible

• Expecting a certain return for flexibility; task must be accomplished

• Followers respond with• Increased esteem for self and group; more open

communication

• Increased productivity while bringing individual behavior in line with group objectives

So what can we conclude?• Effective leaders show concern about both the task and

the people

• You need to know what style—authoritarian, participative and delegative—fits you, the people you lead and the situation

• You will be most effective if you possess strong character, competence and confidence

• Great leaders are servant leaders because it is the best are servant leaders because it is the best

way for them to serve the organization and others.way for them to serve the organization and others.

Characteristics of Servant-Leaders

• Communicate: vision; plan; why to follow

• Listen: for information; to understand people

• Implement change

• Mentor future leaders

• Motivate/Encourage others • This is my list—it coincides with what others say and

it requires: Character, Competency and Confidence

The main idea:The main idea: The Manager as Servant Leader: The Manager as Servant Leader: Getting the Right Results for the Right ReasonsGetting the Right Results for the Right Reasons

• Servant leadership is good. Servant leadership is good. • Self-centered, selfish, purely transactional Self-centered, selfish, purely transactional

leadership may work in the short term; but it leadership may work in the short term; but it simply won’t work over the long haul. simply won’t work over the long haul.

• Transformational, shared, servant-leadership Transformational, shared, servant-leadership results in greater productivity and results in greater productivity and worker/follower satisfaction.worker/follower satisfaction.

• Therefore: Managers who are servant leaders Therefore: Managers who are servant leaders get the right results and they get them for the get the right results and they get them for the right reason.right reason.

The Manager asThe Manager as Servant Leader Servant Leader

Getting the Right ResultsGetting the Right Results for the Right Reasons for the Right Reasons

Dr. John A. KlineDr. John A. KlineProfessor of LeadershipProfessor of Leadership

Troy UniversityTroy University

www.klinespeak.com john@klinespeak.com or or jkline@troy.edu