Ann McGee-Cooper says servant leadership can be the philosophy that challenges people and organizations to move from mediocre or average to extraordinary.

The founder of Ann McGee-Cooper and Associates Inc. (AMCA) consulting firm has seen this transformation many times, having worked with large organizations that include Southwest Airlines and TDIndustries, an all star winner of Fortune magazine’s Top 100 Best Companies to Work For, as well as governments and educational bodies for more than 35 years.

She defines the practical philosophy that was developed by Robert Greenleaf,  a mentor of McGee-Cooper’s, as encouraging people to serve first, in their life and work.

While serving may sound easier than having to lead, McGee-Cooper argues the opposite, and says servant leadership requires a person to grow themselves and others while accomplishing the work.

“It really means you have to live in a way that engenders people to want to do their best because they see you as being highly effective and highly committed,” McGee-Cooper tells Axiom News.

“I really think that when we boss and bully people we kill their spirit, and you have to be much more skillful to inspire a person than to bully a person.”

A key test for servant leaders is to ask themselves if the people they serve are growing, such as becoming healthier, wiser, freer and more autonomous. Servant leadership also asks if, through one's practice, they are developing new servant leaders.

McGee-Cooper says she still gets goosebumps when she thinks about some of the stories she hears about servant leaders who are inspiring others to change their life and work. One such story involves a police sergeant who had the courage to call another officer on his behaviours.

“The sergeant came into his office, shut the door, and held him accountable. He said ‘You have so many gifts, and you can do so much better. What you are doing is ruining your life, and its impacting everyone and I believe you can take those gifts and be an outstanding officer instead of being miserable and destructive,” recalls McGee-Cooper.

The sergeant asked the officer to consider the option, and when the police officer accepted the challenge, the whole department supported him in his transition.

This officer shared his turnaround at a servant leadership meeting, in which he credited the sergeant for being his champion, despite his work ethic.

McGee-Cooper says developing an organization of leaders is at the heart of servant leadership, and these types of organizations “run circles around their competition.”

“You just enjoy your life in a different way when you are accountable for whatever level of performance you choose for yourself,” she says.

“Why would you be mediocre when you can be stellar or extraordinary? It’s fun to be extraordinary, and you can do it much better with people around you who are supporting that level of aspiration.”

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