Do you believe in ethical servant leadership ?

Ethics Leadership Teams

Gretta Kelzi Operations Manager/Ethics Insights Team| Esri Lebanon/PMI Jdeidet Al Maten, Al Maten, Lebanon

Last week, I was reading an article about servant leadership. It mentions sharing power, priortize the needs, helping other develop and perform … and the list goes on…

It is clear that being a servant leader means respecting needs and treating others in a rightful way…

The same article mentions that « not all ethical leaders are servant leaders but all servant leaders are ethical leaders”

What do you think about this?
Do you agree/disagree?
is servant leadership different from ethical leadership? And how?

Posted: Aug 22, 2021 4:37 AM

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Thomas Walenta Global Project Economy Expert Hackenheim, Germany

Gretta,

I am with Sergio, that ethical and servant leadership are different concepts.

They might overlap often, but you can be a ethical leader without acting as a servant leader. And while servant leaders might mostly act ethical towards their(?) teams, they may have ethical issues regarding other stakeholders (think the enemy soldiers for military leaders).

If ethical behavior or servant leadership prevails depends on the situation and context.

Thomas

Posted: Aug 25, 2021 12:37 PM

Peter Rapin Subject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent Consultant Ontario, Canada

If you split leadership into two extreme methodologies, authoritarian and servant at each end on the spectrum, the objective remains the same - deliver the project as effectively as possible. I do not see one method as being more ethical than the other - one can be ethical or non-ethical in either case.

In reality leadership is a combination of both extremes, one is servant when one needs to be and authoritative when necessary. The military being a prime example. It is an authoritarian structure yet has to have the support of the troops to meet the set goals. Support is achieved by serving their needs - I support you, you support me; I serve you, you serve me.

One could argue that all leadership methods or styles are selfish, servant leadership no less. "I serve you so that you give me what I want". "the better I serve you the more you will try to give me what I want". I don't see that as being unethical.

Posted: Aug 25, 2021 3:34 PM

Albert Agbemenu Managing Director| Seag Focus Ghana Ltd Accra, Ghana

From my perspective, servant leadership and being an ethical leader are completely different. You may agree with me that a good servant leader might be engaged with a team that is operating in unethical/ immoral activities. This leader will could be leading with all the good qualities that a servant leader requires but superintending over a team operating in a very negative environment. Being ethical is being morally upright and just in all your activities, no matter the conditions or environment.

On the other hand, an ethical leader may also come out not to be a great servant leader. One could be an ethical leader with all the positive attitudes but however may not have the great charisma to lead a team as expected of a servant leader.

These are my views...

Posted: Aug 26, 2021 3:50 AM

Albert Agbemenu Managing Director| Seag Focus Ghana Ltd Accra, Ghana

Aug 22, 2021 4:34 PM

Replying to Peter Rapin

...

I don't agree that "all servant leaders are ethical leaders". It depends on the reason or purpose of choosing to be a servant-leader. If the intent is get get power over others or attain a position of inappropriate influence then I would question the ethics. Ethics has to do with the intended results of your actions. They can be honourable or ethical or quite the opposite. If a gang leader is respectful of his members and gets their input and buy-in to rob a bank is he/she ethical?

A leader who promotes him/herself as a servant-leader is most likely not as ethical as they may believe they are.

I agree with you Peter. Exactly what my opinion is.

Posted: Aug 26, 2021 3:53 AM

Michael Coleman Memphis, Tn, United States

'Ethical servant leadership' should permeate all team roles and facilitate the objectives of the project team.

Posted: Sep 25, 2021 3:40 PM

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Do you believe in ethical servant leadership ?

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