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5 Proven Characteristics of a Servant Leader

5 Proven Characteristics of a Servant Leader

Who is a Servant Leader?

A servant leader is dedicated to the growth of others as well as values-driven institutions that contribute to just, caring, and sustainable societies. Being a servant leader means valuing the power of teamwork as a necessary part of strengthening an organization’s growth and success. If learning how to become one has your attention, then you should consider earning an accelerated, online Master of Arts in Leadership degree from Ottawa University. Who is a servant leader? You are!

What is Servant Leadership?

You can improve your leadership style by employing certain tenets of leadership in your current job. Servant leadership is a style in which you lead by putting the needs of your team first. Being a servant leader involves actively contributing to the personal development and performance of the team and understanding that when team members feel personally and professionally fulfilled, they produce higher quality work more efficiently and productively. If you are interested in pursuing a successful career in management, then mastering these skills should be a top priority for you.

Advantages of Servant Leadership

Being a servant leader means focusing on the needs of others before considering your own. It can be displayed by acknowledging other people's perspectives, giving them the support they need to meet their work and personal goals, involving them in decisions when appropriate, and building a sense of community within your team. All of this leads to higher engagement, more trust, and stronger relationships with team members and other stakeholders. Being a servant leader is a way of behaving that you adopt over the long term. 

Five Characteristics of Servant Leadership

To be effective, it is smart to know the characteristics of a leader:

  1. Listening - listen receptively and nonjudgmentally. They are much more interested in hearing the viewpoints of others than having their voice be the loudest in the room. Seek first to understand, and then to be understood.
  2. Appreciation - value people and appreciate them for who they are, not just for what they give to the organization. They are committed first and foremost to their people.
  3. Humility - put other people first. They are humble. They know leadership is not all about them—things are accomplished through others.
  4. Trust - give trust to others. They willingly take this risk for the people they serve. They are trusted because they are authentic and dependable.
  5. Caring - have people and purpose in their hearts. They display kindness and concern for others. They are here to serve, not to be served. They truly care for the people they serve.

Need for Great Leaders

There is a mountain of statistical evidence linked to the proven effectiveness of leaders who have mastered the above traits. Yet many managers are experiencing unprecedented leadership failures. The essence has more to do with who you are and how you treat others. The position or title is secondary. Research suggests that managers who focus on service to others are more successful than those who do not.

Benefits of Earning a Degree in Leadership

Even if you are just beginning to think about developing your leadership style, then pursuing a leadership graduate degree with Ottawa University will help enhance your awareness of your values and how those values are reflected in your decisions and actions. The online MAL degree will help you gain the management, communication, and people skills needed to pursue a career in management and become the leader your organization needs in times of change. The curriculum for the MAL delves into the human elements of business, such as communication techniques, leadership theory, multicultural workplace dynamics, and team development. There is even a class devoted to this specific topic! By emphasizing more personal and creative approaches to management, a leadership graduate degree enables students to work with the emotional intelligence of individual subordinates and inspire them to reach their full potential.

Online Master of Arts in Leadership Degree

Ottawa University’s flexible, online MAL is the best leadership graduate degree in the institution’s adult markets of Arizona, Kansas, and Wisconsin. The program holds the esteemed accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), showing the high levels of business teaching within this degree. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Ottawa University and its online programs near the top of the best colleges in Kansas City.

Career advancement awaits with Ottawa University’s online Master of Arts in Leadership degree. Why not take the first step now? To learn more about earning this degree and more, contact an enrollment advisor today!

See Also:

Master in Business Administration

Master of Arts in Human Resources

Master of Arts in Accountancy

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Posted: 03/09/2021 by OU Online
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