How to be a servant-minded in business
The concept of servant leadership has been the key to success for many organizations. Companies have experienced the positive effects of leading by putting others first.
When servant leadership is practiced in an organization, employees are committed to the company’s vision and mission. How do servant leaders consistently inspire their people to give their best effort?
Understanding others
Be intentional about putting time and effort into getting to know your employees. You must get to know them on a deeper level. Your employees are more than their role or job title. Understanding your employees takes time and does not happen overnight.
Trust needs to be established on both sides to be able to create a relationship. Trust begins with being genuine with your employees.
Developing trust
This is a key factor in any relationship. It is especially important as a leader to develop trust with your employees. Without it, it will be very difficult to be successful. To be able to trust others, you will need first to trust, understand, and know yourself.
Then, when people can trust you, they will let their guard down, be more vulnerable, and open up to you. You must be consistent in your interactions with people to earn their trust. By putting the same energy and effort into your relationship each day, you will develop trust with your employees.
Commit to building up individuals
Servant leaders understand how essential people are to the success of an organization. You must be committed to your people, helping them reach their maximum potential.
As your people grow professionally and personally, the organization will benefit. Various methods can be used to help employees develop. Training, mentorship, and leadership education such as a graduate degree are some of the available tools.
A servant leader is unselfish and is not afraid to help people reach their full potential. Servant leaders want their protégés to surpass them in knowledge and skills.
Communicate clearly
Communication is also key if you want to achieve your goals and objectives. People need to know your vision, mission, and purpose. Clear communication leaves no room for uncertainty or misinterpretation. Lack of communication can lead to conflicts within teams and the larger organization. Effective communication helps ensure your goals will be met.
Conclusion
Servant leadership is an unselfish way of leading people. Servant leaders lead by example. They inspire their employees to reach their full potential. By establishing trust and using clear communication, organizational goals are achieved. In addition, employees are more committed to the organization.
It takes communication, empathy, unselfishness, trust, and listening to be an effective servant leader. The implementation of servant leadership has shown great success when exercised with a real desire to serve those you lead.
A good servant leader sees his role as serving the diverse needs of his team to put them in the best position for success. The best leaders are committed to helping those around them grow.
About the Author: Alyssia Faye is a Key Account Manager at AHG. She has worked in the aerospace industry for less than a year. She is currently working toward Master of Business Administration at Charleston Southern University.
