Listening

With all leadership listening is involved. To be an effective leader you must be able to listen and comprehend what others are telling you. Servant Leadership takes this one step farther. A servant leader is one to seek out feedback and actively listen to the people they are leading. Servant leaders know that listening is not just the physical act of hearing, it is comprehending both verbal and non-verbal communication and acting accordingly for the will of the group.

The servant leader also understands the need for silence and is not afraid of a little silence. Greanleaf says “True listening builds strength in other people.” Being able to listen and give the people you are leading the ability to solve their own problems is empowering. This makes listening a key element of servant leadership.