What does it mean to be a servant leader?
The term servant leadership has been around for hundreds (really thousands) of years. Over the years the definition has been built upon, expanded, or changed to match the latest trending terminology or popular concepts in business, most of which are not new.
When I think about the people in my life (both personally and professionally) who have demonstrated servant leadership, their behaviors typically fall into the following categories:
They willingly shared their experience(s) and trained others.
They ensure the growth and development of others.
They hold themselves and others accountable.
Simply put, they “invite others in.”
I might also sum all of that up by using the single word: love
They have a love for the success of others and helping them achieve their goals. Sounds straightforward, right? Sure, it can be!
Servant leadership requires intentionality and balance. Both in relationships and operations. Serving others can be challenging, but servant-minded people view these opportunities with a broader intention that can help shepherd the entire team to a greater level of cohesiveness – regardless of your title. Servant-minded people do not use these opportunities for self-glorification or to seek rewards. They humbly recognize that they can be conduits to help others and provide a way to allow the team or the individual to collaborate and respectfully challenge one another.
Using a few of The 9 Leadership and Employee Expectations, I’ll share a little more detail. I intentionally refer to both groups here: leaders and employees. Servant leadership is not limited to those in formal or titled positions. Front-line or client-facing employees have the same opportunities to be servant-minded leaders within their scope of responsibility.
In our training sessions (leadership and employee sessions) we talk a lot about values and behaviors. Establishing company / team values is very important to achieve the orchestration of a company, operationally and relationally. However, if you haven’t defined what behaviors uphold those values, then each employee will create their definition of the values words based on their personal experiences and upbringing. These experiences can be vastly different. Notice, I didn’t say wrong; but different.
These are just a few behaviors within The 9 Expectations for Leaders and Employees that stand out and represent servant leadership well. I also include some of our I-Statements that clearly define behaviors within the expectations. Behaviors should spell out what a company expects from you (the employee) and what our customers and vendors can expect from us (the company).
Champion Organizational Values and Pride
Behavior or I-Statement: I willingly work with my peers and do not allow differences in age, personality, cultural background, or assigned responsibilities to distract us in serving our customers.
Being servant-minded, both in leadership and as a front-line employee, means appreciating and honoring the things that make us different. Keeping an open mind and recognizing that not one of these single factors (age, personality, cultural background, etc.) alone defines a person. When you take time to get to know someone (or “peel back the onion,” as we say in our training sessions), it can build trust and improve communication. Genuinely showing interest in others, shows respect, understanding, empathy and healthy curiosity. It shows that you have a desire to connect with them on a different level. One might also see an opportunity to create synergies within the team by intentionally understanding more about one another and where they came from.
Leaning into and learning from what makes each of us different can also add value to innovative thinking. It can also draw out context or promote respect in a long-standing employee with a lot of constitutional knowledge. Vendors, customers and other internal teams can feel tension when there is strain and strife among peers. Being intentional in appreciating one another's differences can bring a certain “coolness” and calm to the group overall. It creates a solid foundation in which the working relationship can grow and excel.
Hold People Accountable (for Leaders) / Embrace Coaching and Accountability (for Employees)
Behavior or I-Statement: I meet privately with others to discuss any concerns about their behaviors, performance, or other sensitive issues.
Those with a servant-minded approach also see the critical nature of holding people accountable. This can be one of the more difficult things to do. Holding someone accountable can run the risk of jeopardizing the longevity of a relationship. However, if done out of love for that person’s overall success, it can be the catalyst that helps bring the reality of one’s actions or decisions to light. Personally, I prefer to use ‘nudges’ that can provide redirection, keeping in mind that nudges need to be done early and not when crisis mode has hit. However, sometimes a private and sometimes difficult conversation is needed.
When meeting privately with a peer, your leader or an employee you lead, ensure you are leaning into the values and behaviors established by your company. This is another compelling reason to write them down and regularly socialize them. Bringing these to the forefront of the conversation when initially “Getting Awkward Early” can help remind each other of the values that can help to navigate accountability-oriented discussions to a positive and professional outcome. It won’t replace the awkwardness, but it can help get you through the conversation. It can help you remain in a place where open communication, appreciation for accountability and honest feedback drive results that support the culture and emulate servant-minded behaviors. Finally, knowing that someone on your team cares enough to bring a concern to your attention can cultivate freedom and trust; but it needs to be done in the spirit of your company values and with a loving heart.
Foster a Positive Work Environment (for Leaders) / Exhibit a Positive Attitude (for Employees)
Behavior or I-Statement: I follow through with what I say I’ll do but explain why if I can’t for some reason.
Early in my career, one of my mentors really stood out to me. She was approachable, accessible and friendly to everyone. She shared her experience and knowledge and was not intimidated by doing so. She did a great job of balancing the growth and development of others with the operational expectations. I believe part of what made her so successful at both is that she was really great at following through with what she said she would do – AND – explaining why, if she couldn’t deliver what was initially promised. I remember her “inviting me in” her office each time something new would come up and say, “Let’s work through this together.” She would ask for my opinion and reasoning and then share her 15+ years of experience and context with me, just so I could learn from her. So much of what we worked through was not scientific, but more of an art. There were always multiple ways we could have accomplished the same thing.
On the flip side, there were many times she would call me into her office to collaborate and then she would say, “You know what, I really need to get this done, so let me get this done and then we can talk through it together.” I was young and I could have taken offense to that, but I didn’t. Admittedly, I was a little taken aback the first time it happened, but when it happened the second and third time, I was not alarmed. The reason I was not concerned, was that in the end, she did exactly what she said she would do. She finished the deliverable and met the deadline she needed to meet, but then she set time aside for us to collaborate and train together on that scenario. Her desire to see others succeed was a direct reflection of her behaviors and follow-through. Looking back now, I have a great appreciation for how she invited me in and shared her knowledge and experiences with me in a very passionate and free-spirited way. She truly wanted to set me up for success.
I know the start of this blog may have sounded a little sappy when associating servant leadership with love – but it’s not hard to draw that connection at all. I was blessed to have a couple of people in my life that were great role models for servant leadership – they loved me well and I felt that! Because of those experiences, I genuinely want others to experience servant leadership or encounter others with a servant mindset. I have found through most of my career that collaboration for success is one of the ways that I am most fulfilled. I experience complete joy when I see someone else reach or achieve the thing they have been working so diligently toward. And if I had the opportunity to be even the smallest contributor to someone else’s success and achievement, then I feel gratitude and joy for that. I feel like maybe I invested in them or helped to empower them (and maybe I loved that person well.) Not for my own gratification or satisfaction but for the overall ‘win’ that individual is experiencing. In short, I tend to use my personal “joy barometer” (the moment when I witness someone that I care about ‘win’) – to let me know if I’m being servant minded or not. When you feel joy and overflowing gratitude for the opportunity to help others, this can serve as an indicator to knowing when you are operating in the space of servant leadership, or not. By incorporating or considering these key behaviors of servant leadership, you can promote a collaborative work culture in your role as an employee or leader.
To learn more about The 9 Expectations for Leaders and Employees, consider attending one of our multi-company VIP Leadership training sessions or reach out directly (Melissa@jonharrisonvip.com) to learn more about The VIP Way. Jon Harrison Calendar of Events
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