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SERVANT LEADERSHIP APPROACH FOR SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

R.Vira

Abstract

Servant leadership is a philosophy that includes methods, principles, practices and many useful concepts that can be applied to build better organizations, help businesses run more effectively and efficiently, to protect and encourage well-being. The term servant leadership is firstly used in essay “The servant as leader" and is created by Robert Greenleaf in 1970 [5]. Servant leadership is important for its approach and views of organizations, individuals and communities, it focuses on their growth and well-being [3]. Servant leadership differs from traditional leadership where power has one at the “top of the pyramid” with putting the needs of others first and sharing this power. Most important characteristics of servant leaders includes healing and awareness, listening and empathy, foresight, persuasion, conceptualization, stewardship, building the community and commitment to the growth of others [5]. The servant leader helps employees, customers and community to develop and perform as highly as possible and is focused on serving stakeholders, however it can be at the expense of the other needs. This might happen if business’s only driver is profit, leading to override other stakeholders what is against servant main principles. It is crucial to find the right balance between these activities. The Latvian business environment as the new environment, where business, leadership principles are careful chosen, lack of trust between employers and employees. Dominates authoritarian style, as greater efficiency can be achieved using this type of the approach. The commitment of employees, study of their needs takes time, that is always lacking in the battle of competition. However, no one denies that a professional leader is the cornerstone of the successful organization`s functioning. How to become a good and efficient leader, it has always been the main issue. According to author`s study, most managers do not have information about this leadership aspect – servant leadership. Therefore, it was interesting to identify opportunities, the knowledge and psychological readiness to become a servant leader.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgemsocial2017/15/S05.104

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