Servant Leadership in Hinduism and the Indian Cultural Context Essay

Servant Leadership in Hinduism and the Indian cultural context

Introduction

The servant leadership approach provides a distinctive outlook to literature on the subject of leadership, given its focus on leaders as firstly being servants. The above standpoint traverses organizational focus, concentrating instead on followers’ interests (Dierendonck & Patterson, 2010). This form of leadership has been ascribed to Christians and has been thoroughly examined by the scholars of the West. However, researches that explore a servant leadership model in the Hindu religion and Indian cultural context are yet to be conducted (Irving, 2010) and consequently, this paper aims to fill the aforementioned gap in literature and examine the servant leadership approach in Hinduism and Indian culture.

One of the most diverse and interesting nations across the world is India, characterized by several cultures, languages, religions and castes. The nation has witnessed the influence of a number of prominent, exceptional leaders such as M. K. Gandhi, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Sarojini Naidu, Rabindranath Tagore, and Jawaharlal Nehru. One vital means of developing leadership is through vicarious learning, whose basis is role models from whom the skill is acquired (Carroll & Patterson, 2014). India- based research on the ideal leadership approach (drawing on such role models) which may be adopted and taught within Indian business schools and leadership development initiatives is scant. Several international leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. (Barnabas & Clifford, 2012) claimed the Gandhian ‘non- violence’ doctrine formed their inspiration. Also, several writers worldwide present Gandhi as an adopter of servant leadership.

Servant leadership in India

Literary exploration of servant leadership’s behavioral aspects (Sendjaya, Sarros & Santora, 2008) within the Hindu and Indian culture contexts will be addressed in this section, using Gandhi as example; this choice of study model stems from his contribution to Indian vicarious learning.

i. Voluntary Subordination

Voluntary subordination represents a radical wilful act of giving oneself up to the service of others and considering oneself a servant. Service to humanity was a key tenet among Gandhi’s principles. Where a majority of leaders attempted to show themselves as being above their followers using power symbols, Gandhi chose to symbolize those he served through choosing to dress like them and adopt poverty voluntarily. He represented service, not power. His exceptional voluntary subordination components included the ‘servant first’ idea and practical acts of serving mankind (Senjaya et al., 2008; Dierendonck & Patterson, 2010). His services can be ideally illustrated through his South African days, in which he helped better South Africa- based Indians’ living conditions by teaching them English free of cost (Gandhi, 1948a, p. 157).

ii. Authentic Self

A servant leader can lead reliably, as proven by their steady portrayal of responsibility, vulnerability, humbleness, integrity, and security. Gandhi possessed this characteristic, together with the aforementioned five associated characteristics. Humbleness represents the capacity of making correct self- estimations. The freedom fighter had no interest in any influential position. Following the nation’s independence, Gandhi held no governmental position, choosing to continue serving his people and ultimately sacrificing his life to serve the nation’s cause. Integrity denotes consistency between one’s actions and words. Gandhi not only urged others to be forgiving, he showed forgiveness himself (Barnabas & Clifford, 2012). The term responsibility implies a leaders’ readiness to authorize certain individuals to pose challenging questions to them regularly, contest any action or decision they consider incorrect, and ensure leadership accountability. Servant leaders correctly grasp their own self- image, emotional stability and ethical sincerity, allowing them to readily work unobtrusively and not care about public recognition. Lastly, vulnerability implies the capability of honestly acknowledging one’s mistakes and honestly expressing one’s feelings, qualms and worries (Sendjaya et al., 2008). All the above traits could be clearly…