As many of you know, I’m a huge reader of John Maxwell books. To me, he is the absolute best teacher when it comes to developing leaders.
One of the things he focuses on is servant leadership. This is where your goal, your focus, as a leader is to serve others. In his book, Developing The Leader Within 2.0, he offers some questions you can ask yourself to become more of a servant leader.
- What can I do for people to help them succeed?
Because servant leaders define others’ success as their success, they focus on helping others succeed. One of the best ways to do that is by adding value to others. - What do people need from me daily that they may not want to ask for?
The best servant leaders anticipate what their people need from them. They are proactive in helping the people they lead. - What can I work on that will help me serve people better?
Servant leadership is all about the person you serve. To grow in effectiveness you must value what is valuable to that person. - How will I know if I am serving other people well?
It’s important to ask questions as a leader. Setting expectations is also essential. This gives clarity to the entire team. Also, ask to know the expectations of the people you’re leading so you know what a win looks like to them. - What is it like for the people who work with me?
We all have blind spots, things we don’t see about ourselves. As a leader make two assumptions. First, assume you have blind spots that hurt you. Second, recognize that others may be too intimidated to tell you about them. - How can I gain value while adding value to others by serving?
It’s more fun to help others win than to win by yourself. Serving others purifies our motives. Doing things well for the right reason gives us great value. - What do I do best that allows me to serve people best?
As leaders, we serve others best in the areas where we are most gifted. Think about what you do best that will allow you to serve others best. - How can I serve people in a way that will inspire them to serve others?
Why you lead and the way you lead are important. They define you, your leadership, and ultimately your contribution. Making service to others a core part of your leadership values raises your game and empowers others.
~Evolution of Self
#leadership #people #servantleader #focus #success #team
