Servant Leadership is more than just a catchy buzzword or a well-known leadership style. It's an opportunity for Leaders to go beyond their own self-interest and instead focus on helping their Team's grow, develop, and succeed. Think People-Centric Leadership vs simply being a Manager. How you show up for your teams directly impacts how they show up for themselves and the business. Servant Leadership fosters a culture of collaboration, empathy, and mutual respect, which leads to enhanced productivity, improved employee engagement, better decision making, and builds a culture of accountability.
So, how do you demonstrate Servant Leadership?
First, engage your Team by showing a genuine interest in their professional development. Have 1:1 conversations with them beyond the annual and interim performance reviews. Get an understanding for their career aspirations and then assign projects to them that allow them to grow their skills.
Second, empower your Team with the tools and resources they need to unleash their productivity. Identify barriers to execute and remove obstacles to create an environment where they can thrive. Break down cross-functional silos by demonstrating and encouraging collaboration with other Leaders and their teams. Doing so not only builds a high-performing and motivated team, but also instills trust and confidence in your leadership.
Third, be an inclusive and informed Leader by practicing active listening and using a Community of Practice framework. This helps you foster a safe space for your team to solve problems, promote best practices, and get their buy-in as you navigate executing strategic plans. Remember, a Servant Leader is also well-informed and draws upon a collective wisdom instead of only focusing on what they want to do.
Last but not least, Servant Leaders lead by example and consistently demonstrate accountability. They are accountable for their own actions and instill it as a part of the operating system within their teams. Create an environment where mistakes are welcomed as a pitstop on the road to innovation and success. Take responsibility for mistakes you make as a Leader and never use your team members as scapegoats. Acknowledging when things go well and not just when they go wrong, goes a long way and builds trust.
Join the conversation in the comments below. Share your thoughts using #ServantLeadershipSuccess and let's create a community of empowered Leaders who build thriving teams!
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