The 3 Paradoxes In Being A Servant Leader
- Aug 18, 2021
- 3 min read
Written by: Omu Obilor, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
There’s a famous quote by Mahatma Gandhi, the prominent political figure in the Indian freedom struggle and an influential leader of all time. It says, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Servant leadership refers to the philosophy or leadership approach that focuses on the needs of others, lets you help others achieve their goals, and build a sense of community within a team. It’s about putting others first before you, to accomplish a common goal.
But sometimes, the two words ‘servant’ and ‘leader’ collide against each other, resulting in a paradox. How can someone serve others and lead at the same time? Keeping that in mind, here are the three paradoxes in being a servant leader.
1. The Paradox in Leadership to Others
As a servant leader, you might look for opportunities and places where you can serve others, where you can make a difference or an impact to uplift others. And there arises a paradox in being a servant leader.
It's because to be a part of something larger and look beyond your self-interest, you need to look within yourself first. You need to know yourself, hold yourself up accountable to that standard, you need to treat yourself right, you need to serve yourself, and much more.
If you are aware of the areas that you need a change or improvement within yourself, then you’re ready to set up the standards for others too. But, if you don’t incorporate self-leadership, then dreaming about being a servant leader is impossible.
2. The Paradox in Motives
When you’re a servant leader in an organization, one of your goals is to make your employees or your team members feel like a customer or client themselves. You might hire them, promote them, or even pay them as a leader, but your aim might be to keep them happy and satisfied with your services. There arises a paradox in such circumstances.
What might be the best for you as an individual might be the worst decision for your organization or team as a whole. You might have aimed for personal fulfillment and simultaneously leading the organization to success. But that doesn’t work all the time. Sometimes, you need to give up on your personal needs to provide more for others.
3. The Paradox in Hierarchy
The most difficult paradox in being a servant leader is the paradox in the hierarchy. Although the goal of being a servant leader is to serve as many people as you can, it can only be possible when you move up the ladder. When you get promoted to a higher level in an organization, you will have to work harder, and you will have more people to serve. That means you will have to give more of yourself to others. Success can make your work more challenging!
Visit Omu's website to learn more!
Omu Obilor, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Omu is an International Coach, Speaker, Trainer, and Thought Leader. Her mantra is “Living my best life," this she achieves by living Intentionally. Her mission in life is to empower others to live their best life, curating the life they want for themselves. As a founding member of the John Maxwell Team, she has mastered intentional living in personal and professional life. She performs the role of Executive Director and National Trainer in Business Network International (BNI), which empowered her to master training networking. Omu has, over the years, poured out her all into the lives of her clients. Walking them through the various transitions in life and mentoring them through the transformation. She is driven by her passion for helping individuals realize that it is possible to live the life they dream of. Extremely passionate about Transformation in people, she works tirelessly to see this through. Her approach is designed to increase awareness and accountability to increase morale and determine values. She runs a mentormind group for women looking to grow in their personal and professional lives. She also runs masterminds monthly, amongst others.
