To Serve, and to Be Served

Abstract

Through a systematic literature review, this chapter aims at mapping the servant leader's psychosomatic traits in organizational contexts, and how these induce beneficial effects in organizational performance. It predicts that such leaders would need to display those traits, crystallized into a set of attitudes and behaviors, to address, manage, and overcome the challenges brought by globalization. Leaders would need to be keen on displaying broad knowledge and experience, as well as boundless curiosity and enthusiasm, which also connects to the need of entailing a contagious optimism towards every aspect of life, openly believing in people and teamwork. They need to be assertive and assume high standards in ethical and moral terms, taking risks, and focusing on the long-term growth. Such leaders will commit to excellence, making use of a constant adaptive capacity, because authenticity, integrity, cooperation, and confidence are their distinctive trademarks. Those personality traits, exerted under the servant leadership style, increase overall organizational performance.