Top 5 Servant Leadership Thoughts

Often, in management circles, I have heard the common opinion that Servant Leadership is being a pushover.  I'm here to tell you, that is not true.  As an avid believer in serving others and a proven tester of this method of leadership, I assure you, it is not a weakness. To the contrary actually. I find a weakness in those who push over others, use strong words to bring others down because they do not like something they did or even those who talk disparagingly about others behind their back. This goes for those conversations with other dentists, family members, co-workers or other subordinates...

What it is...Yea, let us talk about that.  

It Encourages Diversity of Thought Servant leadership encourages everyone to think outside the box and considers every perspective when tasked with moving the needle forward. The final decision is the byproduct of collective collaboration and exchange of ideas. Power never rests with one person, but with everyone on the team contributing to the end result. Are you giving everyone a seat at the table? Why the heck not?

It Creates a Culture of Trust Our team here at Dentistry Support can call on any of our executives or other directors and we honor them through their curiosity. So, how can executives build a higher level of trust? By being crystal clear about everything. All communications need to be specific and disseminated to every single level of the organization, top to bottom. If you are not transparent and fail to lead with a clear purpose, no one is going to follow you. Being transparent foments trust, which has a direct correlation to work performance. Remember, trust is earned, not given. Have you earned your team’s trust? 

It has an Unselfish Mindset It’s not about you. It never was and it never will be. It’s about the people who make it all work. Ask yourself: Where would you be without the cogs that make the engine run? One common mistake leaders make is thinking that profits and people are to be seen as separate entities when they should go hand-in-hand. You can’t have one without the other, so why keep them separate? Great hero leaders help facilitate the success of others and make everyone feel valued and their contributions matter to the overall success of the company.

It Fosters Leadership in Others Fostering leadership comes in many forms, including coaching, mentorship, and growth. Take the time to teach someone the ropes, to offer words of encouragement and answer questions these young leaders have for you. Great leaders give back. Great leaders are able to put together a diverse group of people from all walks of life. In fact, diverse organizations are 1.7 times more likely to develop innovative leaders.

"Great leaders are able to put together a diverse group of people from all walks of life. In fact, diverse organizations are 1.7 times more likely to develop innovative leaders'."

Servant leaders give more of themselves not because they have to, but because they want to. Servant leaders are transparent, honest, and yes, even vulnerable. That sounds like it would be a weakness, but it actually can help build you up as a leader and let others see you as a human being, not just the person who signs the checks.

It is infectious  Being a Servant Leader creates more servant leaders. This fills us with joy when our mission is lived out by those who we build to become more for our organizations. Oh the power we hold and on the joy we experience when our employees are able to emulate our passions, best practices and goals alike. 

Cheers to a great week,