DL2022 Cheri Flewell - Smith - SEVA Leadership: A Decolonised Perspective

UX Australia

Traditional leadership styles are centred on Eurocentric concepts of authority figures influencing and guiding through the organisation to achieve their ends. SEVA leadership challenges this concept to create a new paradigm that integrates concepts of communal wellbeing, equality, and inclusiveness through service. Based on the Sikh concept of ‘Seva’ or ‘Sewa’,, there are three facets to SEVA Leadership: tan, man and dhan—physical, emotional and material service. ‘The SEVA Wheel’ is a simple, easy to apply design framework that offers a new perspective on how to embrace transformative, holistic, leadership for individuals, communities, and organisations to prosper.