(JZ) As we progress with our series, “Learning Leader As…,” we explore a topic that’s both interesting and unique. While it might initially appear to be just a leadership topic, its relevance extends across our entire industry. The concept of servant leadership is not new; however, its definition and core principles take on a distinct perspective within the context of the Learning and Development (L&D) world. Do you believe that servant leadership is a concept unique to learning leaders and our industry?
(MT) That’s a lot packed into your first question, so let me break this down a little. First, let’s define this term in case our readers are unfamiliar or perhaps view it in a slightly different manner. I define servant leadership as leading by serving others, focusing on empowering and uplifting individuals to achieve their best. In learning and development (L&D), this means prioritizing the growth and well-being of my organization, the learners within it, and my team members. It means fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and heard.
So while servant leadership is certainly a widespread leadership philosophy, I think it resonates well in our industry.This kind of thinking is core to our makeup as learning leaders. We want people to grow and learn so that they can improve their lives and the lives of those around them. Servant leadership enables that.
(JZ) Can you clarify who your audience is when you’re talking about servant leadership? In other words, who are you working with when practicing those principles?
(MT) Sure, I guess I was kind of unclear, and it’s important to define what audience you’re talking about when applying servant leadership principles. Honestly, I’m thinking about servant leadership in two different arenas. The first is leading my learning and development team. Whether you have a team of 2 or 50, servant leadership principles apply. But then, I’m also thinking external to my team. I can apply these same principles to the various departments or divisions that the learning and development team is supporting throughout the organization. And of course, I also need to serve the organization as a whole, so maybe it’s three arenas.
(JZ) So let’s start with your learning team then. What servant leadership strategies do you use to empower your team members to take initiative and contribute to the learning and development process?
(MT) I think I mainly apply these principles by transitioning from being the primary authority to a supportive facilitator for my team. This journey starts by focusing on the growth and development of each team member. I make it a priority to actively listen to their individual goals and aspirations, enabling me to customize development opportunities that align with their career goals. It’s always such a joy to get to know team members more and discover the gifts and abilities they currently have and where they want to develop. I try to keep that in mind as new projects surface. I try to match up the appropriate team members and their gifts with that project. Or I’ll pair someone looking to grow in that area with someone more experienced. It doesn’t always work perfectly, but my aim is to enhance morale and cultivate a more engaged and productive team, ensuring everyone has the resources and support they need to succeed. I truly believe this method nurtures an environment where innovation and learning are at the forefront.
(JZ) In my previous question, you were talking about ways you have helped your L&D team develop. Now, can you provide examples of how you apply servant leadership principles in the design and implementation of training programs that serve your larger group of learners and the organization?
(MT) One example is our collaborative needs assessment and curriculum design process, where we involve employees from various levels to contribute insights, ensuring the content is relevant and impactful. This participatory approach reflects servant leadership by respecting and integrating diverse perspectives. It might sound cliche’, but really listening to the various stakeholders and helping them get at the root of the problem is a way to serve them.
Because we serve a global audience, an extension of this thinking is that we take very seriously the diverse perspectives of our learners around the globe. It took me quite a while to learn this, and it’s ever evolving, but learning to make small or sometimes large tweaks in our content, images, audio, etc. makes a big difference for our global learners. Helping them see “themselves” in the learning experience to me is a big part of serving them.
(JZ) You just addressed this so I want to follow up. How do you practice active listening with your learners to ensure their needs and feedback are incorporated into the learning experience?
(MT) Our team regularly schedules dedicated feedback sessions with learners, both individually and in groups. During these sessions, we employ active listening techniques such as paraphrasing what the learner has said to confirm understanding, asking open-ended questions to encourage deeper discussion, and using non-verbal cues like nodding to show engagement. A really important part of this is to document the feedback received and make actionable plans to incorporate it into the learning design, ensuring that learners can see the influence of their input in future iterations. I should offer a caveat here. We don’t do this with every single learning experience we create. We just don’t have that kind of time. But we do for larger initiatives, and often what we learn we apply to all learning materials we make moving forward.
And another way we try to incorporate listening is through a variety of communication channels. I just don’t think you can ever communicate too much. We create multiple avenues for learners to provide feedback in a way that suits them best, such as through email, anonymous surveys, discussion forums, or online chat areas. When there is time and budget, we will host small live discussion groups as well. We try to encourage our learners to express their thoughts freely by fostering a supportive and open environment where feedback is valued and respected, even when it’s hard because we think we’ve put our best “product” out there. I should also add that none of these suggestions will make any difference unless our team demonstrates that listening by regularly reviewing these channels, acknowledging receipt of feedback, and transparently communicating how we plan to address their suggestions, further building trust and engagement. Once they recognize that you’re truly listening, they’ll share more honestly.
(JZ) What role does servant leadership play in fostering a collaborative and inclusive learning culture within your organization?
(MT) Servant leadership helps create an environment where open communication is encouraged, mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities, and everyone feels responsible for each other’s growth, which is essential in building a sustainable learning culture.
(JZ) It’s not always sunshine and roses, what challenges have you encountered when implementing servant leadership principles in L&D, and how have you overcome them?
(MT) One challenge is balancing meeting organizational objectives with nurturing individual growth. In fact, servant leadership is often criticised as not meeting the needs of the organization. It’s a claim that the constant focus on serving others might divert attention from the organization’s overall goals and strategic direction, potentially compromising long-term effectiveness. To address this, I’ve learned to align both by clearly communicating how personal development contributes to broader company goals. When we’re all aligned to organizational goals, and we’ve developed training and development pointed to them, there is no diversion of attention or focus.
Another common criticism or challenge found in servant leadership is the perception that it slows everything down, that it’s decision-making by committee. In my experience this hasn’t been the case at all. What servant leaders do is listen to the feedback from team members and alternate views, but they’re not afraid to make a decisive and sometimes quick decision. In fact, I would argue that your team and the larger organization will appreciate that. Critics of servant leadership often argue that these leaders also won’t make hard decisions, but again I would argue the opposite. I have often made hard decisions. If the team has been listened to, and understands the “why,” they respect the decision. It doesn’t always mean everyone is happy, but they respect the leader and the way the decision was made.
(JZ) Future Trends in L&D: How do you see the principles of servant leadership shaping the future of learning and development, especially with emerging technologies and evolving workplace needs?
(MT) Embracing a forward-thinking mindset is crucial to my role as a servant leader. I concentrate on anticipating future needs for both my team and the organization. Often my team is so busy getting the immediate or pressing work done. I can really serve them by staying updated on trends in learning and development, such as emerging technologies and methodologies. I strive to prepare my team to gain the skills and knowledge necessary for the future. This proactive approach positions us as a forward-looking unit, ready to drive organizational growth and transformation.
Specifically, I think I should address AI in this question. With the rise of AI and digital learning tools, servant leadership will help ensure technology is leveraged to enhance, not replace, the human aspects of learning. I feel very strongly that the expertise of my team will become even more evident when we can leverage AI to do the time-consuming knowledge curation tasks, freeing them up to design innovative learning experiences. When I look at the organization as a whole, I also feel strongly that I need to have a good understanding of how AI will impact the roles of those in the organization and design training to help them adapt with new knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
(JZ) Miriam, thank you for your thoughtful answers today. I know you’ve spent a lot of time thinking about and practicing servant leadership. No matter the current trends in learning and development, a learning leader who truly practices servant leadership will always earn respect and effectively lead a high-performing team that feels valued and empowered.
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