During a recent interview, I was asked: What’s the biggest insight you’ve had regarding leadership throughout your career? How about you – how would you answer that question? The microphone is yours, what would you say?
During a recent interview, I was asked: What’s the biggest insight you’ve had regarding leadership throughout your career?
I really do like the question. It does what most hard-working questions do – it makes you think. Also, it requires a synthesis of countless moments in time, thousands of ideas and hundreds of possible answers. It’s the kind of question I like to ask others.
As I think about my answer to the question, my mind races through possible answers. I’m thankful to have been exposed to many great leaders who’ve been willing to share their wisdom with me and the world.
I know this idea is counterintuitive and countercultural. It always has been. To some, the idea that a leader should serve seems outlandish. But, think about electricity – energy flowing through wires to light our homes and power our appliances seemed far-fetched just over 100 years ago. Today, it is electricity that has modernized our world.
Just because an idea seems crazy at face value actually has no bearing on its validity. Servant leadership is a classic example. For me, to serve is at the heart of what enables a leader to become great. This idea applies at two levels.
First, is the issue of motivation – Why do you lead? Is it for you or for others? The best leaders think others first. It is a mark of their character. It is who they are or are becoming.
Second, SERVE represents the strategic practices of great leaders.
See the Future
Engage and Develop Others
Reinvent Continuously
Values Results and Relationships
Embody the Values.
To serve is a tall order for any leader. It is about why we lead, how we lead, how we think and how we see our role in the world. It is a high bar to shoot for every day. To do anything less creates an inferior form of leadership. Great Leaders SERVE!
"Serving is a core motivation for the best leaders." Mark Miller
