Servant leadership turns the old perception of leadership upside down. Instead of being served by his or her followers, the servant leader is focused on serving those whom he or she is leading, helping them maximize their potential in life and on the job. In Part 1 of this article, we described what servant leadership is and made the point that servant leadership is not a set of skills but, rather, is an outflow of the character of a true servant leader.

If servant leadership grows out of the character of a certain sort of person, what are the traits of servant leadership? We can divide the traits of a servant leader into two categories – the internal traits and the external traits.

It takes a certain kind of person to be a true servant leader. Some of the internal traits that are typical of servant leaders are as follows:

• Self-aware– servant leaders tend to be highly self-aware, know their strengths and weaknesses and comfortable with who they are and who they are not.
• Mission-driven– servant leaders tend to have a clear understanding of their purpose in life and follow that purpose relentlessly.
• Forward-focused– servant leaders face the future with anticipation and expectation, seeing what can be with vision and expectation.
• Competent– servant leaders tend to be highly capable and constantly growing and developing themselves.
• A person of character – a servant leader is trustworthy, demonstrates integrity and high moral standards.

While these internal traits are often true of any highly effective leader, what really sets a servant leader apart is the way in which he or she interacts or views their relationship with the people around them. The following traits are typical of the relationships of servant leaders with people in their sphere of influence:

• Humility– servant leaders focus on the other people, not themselves. Their mindset is “you, not me.”
• Value of people– servant leaders have a general belief in the value of every person. No matter the role or personality of the other, the servant leader sees their value as a created being. Their focus goes beyond the role of the other person; they value the whole person. They express appreciation and demonstrate inclusiveness.
• Belief in people– not only is every person valued, but the servant leader sees potential in the other person. As a leader, they want each person to find the best opportunity to utilize their potential. They are encouraging and empowering.
• Stewardship– servant leaders understand the privilege and responsibility of caring for others and contributing to the development of the other person.
• Development of others– servant leaders make it a priority to help others in their personal growth. They look for potential and bring it out. They multiply themselves by developing leadership within others.
• Communicators– servant leaders are good communicators. They seek and provide feedback. They seek to hear and know others and they communicate vision and direction.
• Relational– servant leaders are open and inviting in relationship. They seek to know and be known. They are authentic and empathetic. They care about the other person.

One does not become a servant leader by simply practicing these skills. Rather these practices are a natural way of behaving because of the values and beliefs of the servant leader. If you wish to be an effective servant leader, you must first grow your character into the sort of person that naturally practices these traits.

The natural result of servant leadership is a team that is empowered and cohesive, valuing each other and working collaboratively toward the shared vision.

Is servant leadership a natural pattern for you? Are you growing your character towards becoming a more complete servant leader?