Servant Leadership

Servant leadership is an approach to product leadership that shifts the role of a leader from a directive manager to a supportive mentor. The focus is on empowering team members, fostering collaboration, and enabling them to reach their full potential. Servant leaders serve the needs of their team members, removing obstacles, providing guidance, and creating an environment where individuals can thrive.

Purpose

The purpose of servant leadership is to foster a culture of trust, collaboration, and empowerment, where the focus is on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong.

• Enhances team collaboration and trust.
• Improves job satisfaction and employee retention.
• Encourages innovation and flexibility by empowering team members to make decisions.

Context

Industry Context

We hire smart people to do smart things. But then we tell them exactly what to do and how to do it. We are limiting the potential of our teams by not allowing them to think for themselves. This leads to teams focussing on following a process rather than delivering value. With the pace of change in the industry, we need to be able to adapt quickly and this requires empowered teams.

ZeroBlockers Context

Product Teams need to empower Stream Teams to be able to deliver value to the customers. This requires a different leadership style than the traditional command and control. Servant leadership is a key part of the ZeroBlockers culture.

Methods

Anti-patterns

• Command and Control: Retaining decision-making power rather than empowering team members.
• Neglecting Team Needs: Focusing solely on project outcomes without considering the well-being and development of team members.