There are lots of buzz words that get tossed around the business world. The vast majority of them are used for a season and then tossed aside in place of trendier phrases that get regurgitated over and over by people seeking to look smarter than they actually are.
Servant Leadership is not one of those phrases. Servant Leadership is an approach to life and management that pays tremendous dividends creating stronger more cohesive teams.
Google the term and you are sure to find multiple definitions. One of my personal favorites comes from Mindtools.com and paraphrased by me that states “...as a servant leader, you’re a servant first...giving support needed to meet goals, participate in decisions, building a sense of community leading to higher engagement, trust and stronger relationships...”
I encourage you to check out the site, but listed within are 10 characteristics of a good servant leader.
Listening - more than anything being a good listener creates opportunities to engage with people on your team at a much higher level than constantly speaking over them or formulating your response prior to hearing their statement(s).
Empathy - having that baseline knowledge of where your team is coming from and being able to share in their feelings allows you to lead more effectively.
Healing - within the confines of a corporate setting, this probably isn’t as relevant, however I know groups that share in each others pains and celebrate each others victories leading unity amongst the team.
Awareness - this certainly can piggyback empathy. Having the foresight to be aware of the needs of your team gives you an edge in leading the team as you serve them.
Persuasion - did you know that as you serve your team having the ability to persuade them to a certain set of ideas or concepts becomes increasingly easier. The same can be said of your team, their ideas and concepts can persuade you as leader to see things the way they do leading to better outcomes regardless of whose idea it was to begin with.
Conceptualization - having the ability to see the idea and articulate it, or allowing the team to do it on your behalf.
Foresight - one of my favorite concepts. I try to always have the foresight to stay out of my own way and allow other peoples ideas to come first before my own.
Stewardship - being a good steward of resources is critical to success. Whether the resources are financial or the time and talents of those you lead, being mindful and respectful of that will always lead to better outcomes.
Commitment to the growth of people - if I’m the smartest person on the team, I’m on the wrong team. Always be on the lookout for your replacement and invest into that person when you identify them.
Building community - a good team is a community. Serve your team well and community will follow.
As 2018 winds down and 2019 gets revved up, I seek to be a better servant leader to the individuals and businesses I am fortunate enough to serve. Your time and talent invested in the team you lead will always pay dividends far in excess of the expenditure.
Take that time, I promise you that you will not regret it.
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