Servant Leadership

5 minutes 5 Questions

In Agile Project Management, the concept of Servant Leadership is often used in contrast to traditional hierarchical leadership methods. A servant leader acts as a facilitator rather than a commander, enabling team members to perform their best work. They provide the resources and support needed fo…

Guide on Servant Leadership in Agile Project Management

According to the Project Management Book Of Knowledge (PMBOK) Seventh Edition, Servant Leadership is a key aspect of Agile project management. It is a leadership style where the leader, rather than seeking to be served, prioritizes the needs and development of their team members.

This approach fosters a collaborative and supportive work environment. In this setup, the leader serves as a facilitator and mentor more than a traditional 'boss'.

The concept is important because it has been shown to lead to higher performing teams, with more engaged and satisfied members. It also compliments very well with the agile model of self-organizing and empowered teams.

Now, how does Servant Leadership work in practice? The leader helps remove obstacles that impede the team's work, enables team members to realize their potential, and fosters a culture of trust and collaboration.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Servant Leadership
Understanding the concept and its importance is a must. When answering questions, be sure to stress the leader's role in serving the team, providing values- driven guidance, and boosting team performance.
Emphasize on aspects of trust, empowerment and collaboration. Always remember that Servant Leadership means putting the needs of your team first, and your role as a leader second.
It might be useful to provide examples on how you as a leader solved team issues, empowered team members or promoted a secure, trusting environment.

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PMP - Servant Leadership Example Questions

Test your knowledge of Servant Leadership

Question 1

When a new hire joins the team, what is the servant leader's approach to ensure they feel welcomed and can quickly integrate into the team?

Assign them a high-pressure task on their first day to see if they can handle it. Provide only a list of tasks without any context or support. Delegate the onboarding process entirely to other team members. Exclude them from team meetings and opportunities until they pass a set probationary period. Do nothing and let them figure everything out on their own. Introduce the new hire to the team, offer mentorship, and give them access to resources they need to succeed.

Correct Answer: Introduce the new hire to the team, offer mentorship, and give them access to resources they need to succeed.

A servant leader focuses on creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels supported and empowered. Providing mentorship, resources, and an introduction to the team ensures that the new hire is immediately integrated and given the tools necessary for success.

Question 2

A high-priority bug has been discovered during the final stages of testing and the team is unsure how to resolve the issue. As a servant leader, your role is to...

Blame the team for letting the bug slip to the final stages. Make a decision about the bug-fixing approach without consulting the team. Demand the team to work overtime to find a fix, without providing any support. Deny responsibility and let the team deal with it on their own. Gather the necessary resources and create an environment for team members to collaborate on finding a solution. Ask the team to ignore the bug since it is too late to fix it.

Correct Answer: Gather the necessary resources and create an environment for team members to collaborate on finding a solution.

As a servant leader, your role is to provide resources, support, and an environment for team members to collaborate and resolve the problem. Authoritarian, blaming, or dismissive approaches do not exhibit servant leadership characteristics and may hinder team collaboration and growth.

Question 3

Your team is doing really well and the stakeholders are satisfied with progress, however, you notice a few members of your team are not showing satisfaction with their own performance. As a Servant Leader, how would you proceed?

Take no action, since stakeholders are satisfied. Force members to accept that they are performing well. Have open discussions with the concerned members to understand the cause of their dissatisfaction and help them to set achievable goals for further improvement. Guilt-trip them about their dissatisfaction, saying it brings down the team’s morale.

Correct Answer: Have open discussions with the concerned members to understand the cause of their dissatisfaction and help them to set achievable goals for further improvement.

The best approach as a Servant Leader is to have open discussions with the concerned members to understand their dissatisfaction. Servant Leaders are known for taking an interest in the growth and development of their team members. This involves understanding their worries, challenges and helping them find solutions, set achievable goals, and improve. This approach is captured in the answer 'Have open discussions with the concerned members to understand the cause of their dissatisfaction and help them to set achievable goals for further improvement.'The other options are not considered the best practices for several reasons. Forcing team members to accept that they're performing well is an act of authoritarianism and negates the Servant Leader concept. Guilt-tripping team members can trigger negative mental health implications, create a hostile work environment, and ultimately impact overall team performance negatively. Finally, doing nothing because stakeholders are satisfied undermines the importance of the individual members' satisfaction, which is an integral part of team success and sustainable performance.

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