Are you a Servant Leader?

This past weekend was Veteran’s Day and I attended several Veteran’s Day events and ceremonies. I heard thank you for your service several times which I’m take a lot of pride and honor is wearing it.  As a Veteran, we all have something in common – we all have served our country. But let me ask you, how do you define serving? What does that mean to you?  What about your service as a leader in your community, team, or organization?  As military service members, to serve means we are serving the greater good, we are serving the people of this nation and other nations as well, for the liberties and freedoms this nation was founded upon. We are serving others before serving ourselves and often times our families without expecting anything in return.

But once our time is done and we have hung up our uniforms, those characteristics and qualities of our servant hearts don’t go away. We seek places that will accept us or allow our skills and qualities to be used in the same manner.

Many times, veterans go seeking for employment because they don’t know where they belong in society. But I have discovered that being a servant leader makes a significant difference with those around you. Whether you’re serving customers or serving your team, company or organization, being a servant leader is about putting others first and then taking action.

Author Robert Greenleaf wrote,”Servant Leadership is having the natural feeling to serve first, then consciously choosing to lead”.

I believe people are searching for those leaders to lead them because they themselves are searching for meaning, purpose, and values. They are wanting to grow.  They want someone to partner with who will allow them to grow and be apart of something bigger than themselves.

Now as a business owner of my coaching and mentoring company, I still take a lot of pride in those I’m serving because it makes the difference between success and significance. I utilize my strengths and enjoy teaching, coaching, and mentoring others and when I get a chance to speak with others, it helps them and their companies grow and become more successful.

I encourage you rise up as leaders and start living out the example to others and stop talking or thinking about it or waiting for others to do it first.  I’ve learned once you show people that you care, they will see it and will naturally follow you and strive to achieve that same standard. Stop relying on your titles and positional power to gain influence and start developing real relationships with your followers.  I encourage you to learn the heart of service by volunteering and being a part of the solution and not the problem. And continue to invest in your own personal development as a leader as well as your followers by supporting their goals, dreams and  personal development. Doing so will initiate and promote growth within your team or organization?

If you are a leader wanting to grow and develop your skills leading others, be sure to follow me and join my mailing list by clicking here. I am seeking leaders and organizations who are wanting to go further in 2017.