Servant leadership is more than a style of leadership. It is a way of being. There are many approaches and elements that contribute to being a servant leader. One of the most important qualities of a leader is to allow their team to function at their highest level and support their growth. This sounds straight forward, but can often be challenging in practice.
Some people are doers, and stepping back is a challenge. We could be facing deadlines or struggling with multiple projects and multiple people. Letting people navigate their inexperience, set their own priorities and grow into their role can be frustrating, especially when you are focused on your own priorities. Even with all of these things being true, there are still positive ways to approach situations that strengthen your team.
Let’s first define who is a leader. We usually think of leaders by their rank, title or position. The title or Director or Vice President does come with authority, but that doesn’t make a person a leader. Similarly, just because there is a boss, doesn’t mean the people that work for her or him aren’t also leaders. In reality, leadership is a way of being. If you are collaborative, connect with others and are able to leverage their strengths to get things done, and support others, you are a leader. Title has nothing to do with it. You can lead your peers, subordinates and yes, you can lead your boss. It’s called leading up!
How do you lead others that are your peers, or have a higher position than you? The same way. By being collaborative, supportive and connecting to leverage their skills and yours to accomplish your goals. But how, you may ask, are you supposed to know what they need for collaboration and support? That is a great question. I love great questions. The answer to that great question is another great question: How can I be helpful?
How can I be helpful is an incredibly powerful question because it accomplishes four things at once. First, it requires you to look at the larger situation, not just your part. This gives you a chance to see what you, or others may be missing. Second, it focuses on others. When we get siloed things get missed. Asking how you can be helpful requires you to see other’s needs. Third, this question moves ego out of the way. When you are focused on others, it is impossible to be selfish. This way of being can and does accomplish amazing results. Fourth, this question means you are supporting others and the team. Helpful may mean picking up a little extra work or taking ten minutes to talk with someone who is having a bad day. Helpful may be offering a plan to get organized or ordering pizza when everyone is working as planned. This question fits perfectly inside the stoic philosophical saying, “Do what you can, with what you have, from where you are.”
“How can I be helpful” accomplishes much more than those four things. Practicing it regularly increases your emotional intelligence, social capital and team efficacy. You will also build lasting bonds with your team, up, down and sideways. Perhaps most importantly, asking that question requires you to pause to consider your response instead of just reacting to a situation.
There are thousands of great leadership tips and traits and thousands of great questions. Many are based on emotional intelligence and resonant leadership, just like this question. Wherever you go, I encourage you to ask yourself, “How can I be helpful?”
Doug Babcock is a leadership coach who works with operational teams and leaders to develop resonant leadership to achieve amazing results. His lifetime of service in public safety now helps others to align values for success. Counterparts Coaching and Consulting was founded on the values of Integrity, Inquiry and Choice. Find out more at counterpartscoaching.com
