“If you help people get what they want, they will help you get what you want.” — Zig Ziglar
When you think of the word “Servant”, what comes to mind? Do you think of a person at the bottom of the chain performing a task for someone else’s benefit that is higher up on the chain of command? If so, then you have been given the wrong impression of a powerful style and the most effective style of leadership. And guess what, you’re not alone – That is how many perceive what servant leadership is!
Servant Leadership is ALL about attitude!
Just as you can sense when a person doesn’t want to help people, you can easily detect whether someone has a servant’s heart. When you encounter somebody who has the attitude of a servant leader, everything changes. Absolutely Everything!
The best leaders I know desire to serve others, not lead for themselves. In the end, the extent of your influence and the quality of your relationships depends on the depth of your care for others. That’s why it is so important for leaders to be willing to serve others.
It’s easy to get so busy in the weeds that we forget about the people around us. I remember a period in my business journey when I tried to do everything myself. I was a horrible leader and coach to my Team. To the point that I’d shut my door so I wouldn’t be bothered. As I worked to grow in my journey, and made sure that I made “quality” time to ensure that my team had what they needed to succeed, I made it a point to not rush all over our company anymore. Yes, I’m always busy with things to do – But I enjoy taking a slow stroll around our operations and just see how things are going with our people. I highly encourage you to make it your goal to connect with others by circulating among them slowly!
Here are (5) takeaways that I know can help you grow as a servant leader
- Listen to your employees needs (seeking to understand their situation) before guiding and directing – Don’t just speak, but listen to what your team has to say. Give ample opportunity for all team members to be heard, and then, listen carefully to what is being said and potentially what is NOT being said! From there, it’s up to you to ensure their needs(within professional reason of course) are being met. But you don’t know what you don’t know.
- Follow through – Recognize the importance of fixing problems and issues within the organization before moving on to new goals and projects! If you commit to doing something, DO IT! As our Team has grown over the years, I found it had gotten more difficult to work with them on their goals, and to also have accountability back to make sure I’m following through on my promises. Recently, we created accountability groups within our organization that meet frequently to go over each others goals and to be sure each other are supported in them! The feedback I have gotten from our leaders has been incredible from within these small group settings!
- Model Stewardship – Acknowledge and understand the importance of your responsibilities and make sure your people do too. Protect and uphold the trust and confidence given to you in your role and communicate this often. Lead by example, demonstrating the values and behaviors you want to see in your team members!
- Make a Commitment to personally grow and to help grow others – To be effective in helping others grow, you have to grow yourself first. Help your people become leaders themselves by leading by example and providing your team with opportunities to grow and develop. Take time to find out what your people’s personal goals are and give them what they need to help them achieve those goals.
- Build a Culture of Trust – When employees know they are trusted, they are more relaxed and confident in the job they do. Nobody likes being micromanaged, so trust your team to do their job by setting clear expectations and fair boundaries and filter everything through your organizational values. Your employees must also be able to trust you to make the right decisions that will be a win / win for the organization and your people!
I’ll close with this. If an attitude of servant leadership is absent from your life, the best way to change it is to simply start serving. Feelings will follow footsteps. If you’ll begin serving with your body, your heart will eventually catch up! Then, keep at it until your heart desires to serve others well. I can’t say it enough, it’ll change your life and leadership! If you want to be successful on the highest level, be willing to serve on the lowest. That’s the best way to build relationships – and your leadership!