In The Service of Others

In my work life, I support leaders who are aiming to be successful in their careers. They all take different approaches in pursuit of this success, but most often I see success come more quickly and last longer for those with a particular mindset: Serving others.

With this in mind, I've done a lot of reading and exploring around the concept of "Servant Leadership". To better understand why this approach and mindset can be so effective, I think its helpful to look at the principles that define a Servant Leader, and also think through reasons those principles can be difficult to embody, for me and many of the leaders I serve.

Really, it boils down to the fact that Servant Leaders think beyond themselves on a consistent basis, and are focused on how they can support the success of others. The decisions they make are filtered differently, and although they may provide personal benefit to the leader, those decisions are not self-serving. But here's the other thing--Servant Leaders are human, and they will serve themselves and their own interests from time to time. How they respond to those moments further defines their leadership legacy. Responding in humility is a key mindset and approach of a Servant Leader. Own it. You are going to screw up...it's a certainty. Own it, admit where you missed the boat, make it as right as you can, and move forward with a renewed focus on serving.

It can be hard for some leaders to change their mindset and approach to that of a servant. Here are some of the areas that have helped me in my growth as a Servant Leader, and some thoughts around how I've reframed my thinking:

Focus more on your teams' success than your personal success:
Focus on growing your team and find your success in their achievements. Growing your people and their results is a much better indication of your leadership, and positions you more strongly toward your career goals.

Hold your "title" loosely:
You may be the leader, but you must also be a member of the team. You must be vulnerable, approachable, and a collaborator with those you serve. Don't think of yourself as set apart from those your serve. Humble yourself, and learn from everyone.

Get over yourself and the credit you "deserve":
It's not about you. It's about your team, and the individuals you serve. Give them credit, whenever and wherever you can. Celebrate and call out their contributions.

Actively seek feedback and do something with it:
Ask your team for feedback regularly. If you open up the doors, and are truly teachable with a track record of receiving feedback graciously, your team will be honest with you. Thank them for helping you grow. Also, "own" the times you have not received feedback well. Remember, you will make mistakes--respond well to those mistakes.

Make the conversation about them, not you:
Start applying this filter--Everything you say should be for the purpose of adding value to the other person. This filter keeps us from trying to impress others, dropping hints at our accomplishments, coming up with a better story, etc. This is a hard one, and requires discipline. It is okay to share these things, but they need to add value to the person I'm serving. If my story is more about my agenda than adding value, I dig deeper into their story instead. (this is the hardest one for me)

This is just scratching the surface, but these are the things I continue to work on daily as a leader myself. I don't have it all figured out. There is always more to learn, and my team teaches me with every interaction. Here's to the continued journey!