Learn About Servant Leadership

Learning to lead well often begins with thoughtful study and reflection.

I was surprised by the amount of education and training available on servant leadership. Then I realized that it was directed at the for-profit world. I discovered several certificates and other coursework available through online and traditional colleges. Because my focus is on continuing education for associations and other nonprofits, I thought I would only share three of them here.

Ken Blanchard on Servant Leadership | LinkedIn Learning

I am very fond of the training that LinkedIn Learning provides, and this course stands out as one that covers the subject well. In it, Ken Blanchard explains why servant leadership is important, what it means to be a servant leader, and how to become one. It provides a great overview of the subject and is a good starting point for any leader who is interested.

Leading with Empathy | ASAE Academy

This class from ASAE is limited to ASAE members. It focuses on empathy, a vital element of servant leadership. In particular, the panel of presenters explores the balancing act between serving your team and serving the organization’s mission. I particularly like that the session approaches empathy as a skill that can strengthen with intention and training.

Servant Leadership Certificate | University of Wisconsin

If you are interested in a deeper dive, this live online course at the University of Wisconsin is promising. Through a series of five interactive sessions, the course covers the foundations of servant leadership. It also explains the challenges inherent in this approach and explores its practical applications inside the workplace and beyond.

I may be fooling myself, but I have found that servant leadership benefits greatly from intention. Choosing to be a servant leader and then seeking to balance between the mission and the team provides a good start. But training continues to make a difference. 

ChatGPT provided light editorial input on this article.