Servant Leadership in Government Institutions

David J. Kritz and Carly Speranza
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David J. Kritz: The American Military University
Carly Speranza: Marymount University

Chapter 38 in The Palgrave Handbook of Servant Leadership, 2023, pp 917-945 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Leadership theory continues to evolve. One of the newer and unique leadership styles is servant-leadership. Servant leadership is unique in that the practitioner is both simultaneously a servant and a leader who places the needs of the followers before their own and attempts to make the follower whole. This chapter explores how complex bureaucratic environments are often a barrier to the practice of servant-leadership. Through an in-depth literature review, the authors, leadership experts who served in government institutions, will examine specific barriers that servant leaders may experience within the government sector. We will analyze how Weber’s six distinct characteristics for bureaucracies align with ten characteristics of servant-leadership. This chapter will discuss how bureaucracies have historically applied power and authority, how power and authority may be enhanced through servant-leadership, how public service motivation affects servant leaders in government positions, and how it can also act as an impediment. This chapter will conclude with recommendations on how servant-leaders in bureaucratic environments can emerge by removing identified barriers.

Keywords: Servant leadership; Leadership theory; Bureaucracy; Hierarchy; Public service motivation; Followership; Weber; Spears (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-031-01323-2_53

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-01323-2_53

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