In the aftermath of the pandemic, many employees will be returning to their worksites after working remotely from home during the height of the pandemic. One of the complex challenges that all leaders, including academic leaders, will face is how to motivate the employee who returns to the worksite, showing symptoms of disengagement caused directly from working in isolation from a remote site. Disengaged employees typically have lost their passion or energy for their roles within an organization. Academic leaders may not readily notice the changes of disengagement, but some of the characteristics include social withdrawal at the workplace, a drop in productivity, changes in attendance or punctuality, lack of initiative, and silence. Unfortunately, there is no “one size fits all” solution to motivating a disengaged employee; consequently, academic leaders must consider the individual needs of each employee and match those needs to the most appropriate leadership style.
Servant leadership is an effective management style that can build employee engagement in multiple ways by addressing the individual needs of employees. Servant leadership is not a new concept; the term can be attributed to Robert K. Greenleaf in The Servant Leader, first published in 1970. Greenleaf believed that “the servant-leader is servant first…..it begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. This conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead” (1970). Servant leadership is a management approach that encourages leaders to prioritize the needs of their employees and stakeholders within the organization. One of the most important attributes of servant leadership is leading by serving others; consequently, a servant leader strives to promote an organization by focusing on the well-being of the individuals of that organization and the communities to which they belong. These actions help to establish a positive work climate and a sense of community by encouraging teamwork and empowering others.
Motivating disengaged employees who return to their positions after working remotely during the pandemic is a challenging task and will require strong academic leaders who are able to make complex decisions and in many instances without guidebooks to follow. Because the pandemic splintered so many functions of higher education institutions, the concept of “servant leadership” has become of renewed importance to academic leaders as they strive to restore normalcy to the educational programs of the institution. Academic leaders who are striving to meet the needs of disengaged employees will find that the principles of servant leadership may guide them in restoring engagement and boosting productivity of the institution. The principles of servant leadership include listening, empathy, healing, self-awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and building community. When used effectively, either in isolation or in combinations, these principles typically have a positive effect on the disengaged worker.
Listening
Of all the principles of servant leaders, listening seems to be one of the most urgent one for a leader to develop. After the pandemic, many employees returning to their worksites after working in isolation needed an outlet for venting their problems. Servant leadership may be helpful to these employees because the concept emphasizes active listening for truly hearing and absorbing what is being said. When seeking to motivate a disengaged employee, servant leaders who listen very intently to the conversation often develop a better understanding of the needs of the employee. Giving full attention to the employee also makes the employee feel valued and develops a re-connection to the educational setting. If more information is needed to act upon a post-pandemic situation, asking clarifying questions signals to the employee that his opinions are valued and that a response to his needs may be forthcoming.
Empathy
Another principle of servant leadership, empathy, is an especially effective strategy when working with a person who has been traumatized by the pandemic. Showing empathy for the disengaged employee’s feelings demonstrates that his/her point of view is important and valued. Sometimes, empathy is confused with sympathy. An empathetic leader puts himself in the shoes of the disengaged employee and tries to understand why the employee holds a particular point of view. A sympathetic leader, on the other hand, demonstrates feelings of sadness, sorrow, or pity for another person but does not feel the need to help. An empathetic leader tries to relate to the employee’s post-pandemic problems, whereas, a sympathetic leader may only demonstrate pity for the employee. A servant leader understands that he/she cannot just dismiss an individual’s point of view, even if that point of view differs from the values of the academic leader. Acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of the employee and striving to help that employee turn weaknesses into strengths will contribute greatly to the employee’s happiness and success on the job.
Healing
Healing might be one of the relevant tools for a leader to use when working with post-pandemic employees . Greenleaf’s definition of healing is “to make whole” (1970). Healing restores wholeness through supporting others both physically and emotionally. Emotional healing is especially important after experiencing pain or stress from the pandemic. Servant leaders often encounter opportunities to heal conflicts and problems within relationships and within an organization. Taking action to solve interpersonal problems or to resolve conflicts between individuals within the organization will foster a healthier working environment for all. Healing for the disengaged employee can be fostered in a number of ways such as coaching, mentoring, or providing the resources and the support that is needed. It is important to understand that healing can be a lengthy process and may require continued support and guidance toward restoring an individual or an organization to a state of wholeness.
Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is a servant leadership principle that is associated with how a leader relates to others and how a leader uses that understanding to improve the workplace. Self-awareness strengthens servant leadership skills by making a leader more aware of how his/her own thoughts and actions may affect all employees, including the disengaged employees. With a better knowledge of one’s own strengths and weaknesses, servant leaders are better equipped to develop lines of communication with a disengaged employee. Self-awareness also helps servant leaders to understand issues such as ethics, power, and values, which are significant factors that often affect the productivity of a disengaged employee. This principle is the most challenging to put into practice, but it can be the most meaningful for the faculty and students of an organization.
Persuasion
Motivating disengaged employees sometimes requires a reliance on persuasion, especially for those employees who resist change. The servant leader’s goal is to engage the disengaged employee in a conversation that leads to rejoining the team and embracing the goals of the organization. Relying on persuasion and collaboration rather than one’s positional authority often motivates the disengaged employee to move in the direction of teamwork. Persuasion often takes time and requires active listening, discussion, creative thinking, and effective collaboration skills.
Conceptualization
Conceptualization is the ability to create ideas for an employee or an organization that might be implemented in the future. When motivating a disengaged employee who has experienced trauma or hardships due to the pandemic, servant leaders may try encouraging the employee to think beyond the day-to-day realities of his/her position and instead create a vision of what he/she might want to accomplish in the future. Brainstorming techniques as to what needs to be done now to achieve future goals should be designed in a manner that connects the disengaged employee with the team’s long-term goals.
Foresight
Servant leaders who have foresight make decisions based on the past, the present, and the future. These leaders rely heavily on intuition. They utilize the outcomes of decisions made in the past to make wise decisions and to avoid previous mistakes. Although the pandemic changed the dynamic of many workplaces, leaders can reflect on the outcomes of emerging patterns and current trends to motivate the disengaged employee, drawing upon similar past experiences with disengaged employees. It may be necessary to create a baseline for the disengaged employee and then move forward using strategies from the past that were successful in motivating other disengaged employees.
Stewardship
Leaders of organizations serve as the stewards of the people and resources they manage. Greenleaf believed that all leaders should play a significant role in establishing their institution in trust for the greater good of society. Exemplary stewards place the highest importance to their responsibilities as leaders. They lead by example and set the tone for the rest of the team. The steward leader will assume responsibility for motivating all employees and will develop paths for disengaged employees to follow in order to reconnect with the mission of the organization.
Commitment to the Growth of People
Leaders who practice servant leadership are committed to the growth of people. Servant leaders nurture personnel to grow professionally, personally, and spiritually. An intrinsic need of all employees, including disengaged employees, is to believe that their supervisor cares about their welfare and well-being. When working with a disengaged employee, providing opportunities for training and professional development may recharge an employee’s interest in his/her position and lead to personal growth.
Building Community
The tenth principal of servant leadership is building communities. Servant leaders strive to cultivate connections and relationships among the community of the organization. By empowering the team as a whole, camaraderie and a sense of team-cohesion develops. Including the disengaged employee in team-building activities such as retreats, group outings, and collaborative meetings motivates the employee to re-unite with the community of the organization, builds his/her trust, and helps to move the organization forward.
Practicing Servant Leadership
In the aftermath of the pandemic, there is a need for servant leaders to bring a culture of belonging to an organization. Servant leaders focus on the needs of others and consequently, are more likely to engage employees and enjoy better relationships within the organization. Helping all employees to re-connect to the workforce in a post-pandemic world requires strong leaders who are able to build employee trust and commitment. Leaders who practice the principles of servant leadership create positive work environments and constantly strive to meet the needs of every employee within the organization.
Reference List
Greenleaf, R.K. (1970). The servant as leader. Center for Applied Studies.
Greenleaf, R.K (2002). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness (25th anniversary ed.) (L.C. Spears, Ed.). Paulist Press.
