Understanding Management, Leadership, and the Power of Servant Leadership
In any team, people guide work and influence others. But how they do it matters, especially in Agile environments. Let’s explore three key approaches: Management, Leadership, and Servant Leadership.
Traditional Management:
Focusing on Order & Control
- Core Idea: Ensures tasks are done efficiently and processes are followed correctly. Focus on stability and predictability.
- Primary Focus:
- Tasks, Processes, Resources
- Planning & Budgeting
- Organizing & Staffing
- Controlling & Problem-Solving
- Approach to People:
- Directs and assigns work.
- Monitors performance against plans.
- Sees people often as resources to execute tasks.
- Source of Authority: Primarily Position / Formal Role.
- Key Verbs: Plan, Organize, Staff, Control, Assign, Monitor, Measure.
- Goal: Achieve predictable results, maintain stability, “Do things right.”
- Think: The Director orchestrating the play according to the script.
- Agile Context: While some management functions are needed, a purely directive style can hinder Agile teams’ self-organization and adaptability.
General Leadership:
Focusing on Vision & Influence
- Core Idea: Inspires and motivates people to achieve a shared vision. Focuses on change, direction, and inspiring action.
- Primary Focus:
- Vision, Strategy, Direction
- Aligning People
- Motivating & Inspiring
- Navigating Change
- Approach to People:
- Inspires commitment and shared purpose.
- Empowers and trusts (to varying degrees).
- Sees people as followers or collaborators towards a vision
- Source of Authority: Primarily Influence / Vision / Personal Charisma.
- Key Verbs: Envision, Align, Inspire, Motivate, Influence, Coach, Mentor.
- Goal: Create change, move towards a vision, “Do the right things.”
- Think: The Navigator charting the course and inspiring the crew.
- Agile Context: Essential for setting product vision (like a Product Owner) and inspiring teams but doesn’t fully capture the Agile emphasis on team empowerment
Servant Leadership:
Focusing on People & Empowerment
- Core Idea: Prioritizes the growth and well-being of people and the communities they belong to. Puts the needs of others first to help them perform as highly as possible. A specific type of leadership.
- Primary Focus:
- Serving the Team’s Needs
- Removing Impediments / Obstacles
- Listening & Empathizing
- Developing & Growing Others
- Fostering Collaboration & Community
- Approach to People:
- Listens actively and seeks to understand needs.
- Empowers the team to make decisions and self-organize.
- Protects the team from distractions and roadblocks.
- Focuses on team member growth and well-being.
- Source of Authority: Primarily Trust / Service / Demonstrated Commitment to the Team.
- Key Verbs: Listen, Empathize, Support, Enable, Remove Obstacles, Shield, Coach, Develop, Empower.
- Goal: Empower the team to achieve their best, foster growth, build a high-performing, self-sufficient team.
- Think: The Gardener/Coach/Facilitator creating the environment for the team to thrive.
- Agile Context: Crucial for Agile! This is the primary style expected of Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches. It enables the self-organization, collaboration, and continuous improvement central to Agile principles.
Key Takeaways:
- Not Mutually Exclusive: Individuals can exhibit traits from all three areas. Effective leaders often blend management skills (organization) with leadership vision and a servant approach.
- Agile Values Servant Leadership: Agile thrives when leaders focus on enabling and empowering teams rather than directing and controlling them.
- Focus Shift: Management focuses on how (process), Leadership focuses on what & why (vision), Servant Leadership focuses on who (people) and removing barriers so they can determine the best how.
- Insight: Understanding these differences helps you identify effective leadership styles in Agile and cultivate your own approach to supporting Agile teams.
(Attribution): RMC Learning Solutions – Agile Concepts
