Send us a text
“A Servant Leader’s Adventure.”
Greetings, Summit Leaders.
Rejoice! Again I say rejoice! We are doing something new!
Be encouraged that people are changing and growing because of your Servant leadership.
"I think the simplest way to explain it would be to say that servant leaders focus on identifying and meeting others' needs rather than trying to acquire power, wealth, and fame for themselves." Kent Keith, CEO of the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.
Everyone can participate in becoming a Servant leader and begin a new chapter of their life and career journey. The benefits are new strength, joy, fulfillment, higher impact, and expanded vision.
I love the fact that I have the opportunity to engage leaders in different stages of their journey. Some are starting their first day in a few weeks. Other Summit leaders celebrate their fourth and fifth year at IBM, and others are in their third decade.
They all have this unifying quality of "servant leader." A Servant Leader is more interested in the value they bring to people while delivering lasting change and results. They serve from a mindset of transformation linked to principles, values, and beliefs.
Gratitude is often a word I hear when talking with someone who has a Servant Leader mindset. This "attitude of gratitude" is their motivation in reaching people and creating value.
Whether it is serving a set of new clients, a volunteer community assignment, leading a group of senior sales leaders, an enterprise or a nation, the emphasis is always first on the people's best interest.
When experiencing business pressures, promoting new norms, or the opportunity to chart a new course for the good of the people and the enterprise, Servant leaders remain committed and steadfast.
Servant Leaders believe that they are in their roles for the benefit of those they serve, support, and lead.
Early in my career, this principle of Servant Leadership was unknown to me.
I focused on being better than everyone instead of seeking to serve.
My focus was not singular but divided by looking around to see who may appear to be ahead of me.
The quote, "If anyone among you wishes to be great, let them become servants to all." became my new roadmap to "good success."
Some examples of great leaders who embraced the principle of Servant Leadership are Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Mother Teresa, and Sam Walton, and T.J. Watson, Sr.
I asked a Summit Leader to share his perspective. "Servant Leadership defines a great leader. They show up and work hard every day for their employees while leading by example." Summit Leader
"Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it's amazing what they can accomplish." Sam Walton, Founder of Walmart and Sam's Club.
"Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love." – Mother Teresa
A Servant leader's motivation comes from the heart. Someone wisely said, "Before people will give you their hand, you must first win their hearts."
Our challenge is to guard our hearts because out of them flows everything we do in life. Your heart overflows into thoughts, words, and actions.
When our hearts are made new, our motivations and actions affect people to favor our leadership and us.
"If a man is loyal to himself, doing what his heart tells him is just; he is headed in the right direction and will always do what is best for his assistants, superior officers in the company and customers.
Thomas J. Watson, Sr.
Victory!
