Self-leadership in the service leadership theory

The economy in many countries has been transforming from a manufacturing economy to a service economy. The service economy requires service providers to have strong self-leadership to direct and improve oneself and make on-the-spot decisions independently before leading others. Although existing research has demonstrated the importance of self-leadership to both individuals and organizations, there is a need to examine self-leadership in the service economy based on the service leadership theory (SLT) proposed by Dr. Po Chung (co-founder of DHL International). With reference to the existing literature on selfleadership and the SLT and interviews with Dr. Chung and his former colleagues in DHL, we examined the nature and outcomes of selfleadership in the service economy according to the SLT. Besides, we explored strategies to improve self-leadership based on DHL practices. This study emphasizes the significance of cultivating and practicing selfleadership in the service economy and highlights practices adopted by DHL International to improve self-leadership in organizations.