Helping marketers and leaders to serve first.
Servant Leadership
A Philosophy for Life
What is Servant Leadership? It’s more than the latest hip theory on how to motivate employees, or the latest buzzword (no boiling the ocean over here). Instead, it’s a philosophy rooted in the writings of Robert K. Greenleaf, but found across generations of leaders, formal and informal, from all walks of life.
Listening
Listening and mindfulness help leaders remove barriers, seek greater understanding, and remove barriers. It is a key tool in perceiving what our followers need from us, building trust, and showing respect to our teams.
Empathy
Empathy begins with listening – truly being present in the moment with someone and listening with your whole self. It’s a key practice for Servant Leaders, and a responsibility to take seriously. It means showing up for someone and helping them be seen.
Healing
Listening, empathy, and compassion can help leaders recognize areas that require healing. Doing so can contribute to a healthier, emotionally safe workplace where people can grow.
Awareness
Greenleaf, asserted “awareness” is a critical element of successful servant leadership. He observed, “Awareness is not a giver of solace—it is just the opposite. ... The purpose of awareness, from Greenleaf's perspective, is to fulfill the needs of others and to persuade those being led toward the common good.
Persuasion
Servant Leaders use persuasion instead of authority or control to build consensus among team members. The goal of persuasion is to build trust, even if doing so takes longer or more effort than other more traditional methods.
Conceptualization
Servant Leaders dream big. They help look far beyond the day to day, giving larger vision and purpose to their followers.
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Foresight
Servant Leaders are students of history and human behavior. They hone the ability to predict the future based on past experiences, observations, and a deep understanding of the consequeneces of their decision-making.
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Stewardship
Servant Leaders walk the walk. They model the behavior they want to see in their teams, hold themselves and others accountable, and reflect often on their values.
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Growth of People
A deep commitment to the growth of people is a core belief of Servant Leaders. They are committed to the personal and professional wellbeing of everyone on their team.
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Community Building
Servant Leaders recognize the importance of play. They encourage team members to socialize, facilitate opportunities for connection, and are comfortable with employees building relationships with one another.
The Blog
Check out the blog for info about Servant Leadership, more detail on each episode, and thoughts on how marketing and communications professionals can serve first.
Episode 16 – Keith Reynold Jennings | How to be a Servant Marketer
Early in my graduate studies, when the idea of The Servant Marketer was just a thought I'd ruminate on late at night, I looked to see if there were any scholarly works or other marketers who were writing about the subject. What I found was scarce. While there was...
The Podcast
The Servant Marketer is a weekly podcast that explores the crossroads of Servant Leadership and the marketing profession. New episodes drop every Wednesday and feature marketing leaders, marketers, creatives, academics and entrepreneurs.
As Featured In
Guest Speaking, Writing & Media Mentions
Guest Post: The Evolllution
Wednesday, November 18, 2020
The Higher Education Servant Leader
Higher education is a world of natural servants, and the last eight months have brought that idea to the forefront. People are giving everything they can at every level of the institution. They’ve pivoted and pivoted and pivoted. They are exhausted, yet they continuously rally.
Niche Enrollment Insights Podcast
Episode #11
In the Enrollment Insights Podcast you’ll hear about novel solutions to problems, ways to make processes better for students, and the questions that spark internal reflection and end up changing entire processes.
UCDA Virtual Conference
Monday, October 12, 2020
The University & College Designers Association (UCDA) inspires designers working in academia in North America and around the world by delivering relevant programming and benefits in a personal and thoughtful way. UCDA works to elevate the importance of design overall. Join Jenny and the Slate Group as we discuss what it means to be a Servant Marketer.
Say Hello
Drop us a line and say hello. We’re always on the lookout for podcast guests.
