SERVANT & TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Essence (Who You Are) Before Form (What You Do)

Leadership isn't about role or position, it's about wanting to make a difference. Everyone is a leader in his or her own realm of influence. A servant leader chooses to serve first - serve his/her people, team, and the greater good - understanding that leaders only succeed when other people are better off because of their leadership.

More than anything else, the leadership of any group or organization will determine its success or failure. Good leadership starts within each individual leader, and is then outwardly demonstrated. Good leadership is founded in a state of being, not just doing.

If we accept the axiom that every organization is a reflection of its leadership, then leaders would do well to increase their self-awareness. With increased awareness comes the ability to make behavioral changes, increasing the potential for personal effectiveness and business success. Companies that place a premium on openness, authenticity, and self-awareness are more creative, more energetic, and more profitable.

In today's world, with its increasing complexity and skyrocketing rate of change, the requirements for effective leadership are changing too. No longer is the traditional "command and control" style appropriate. Today's leaders must:

Become authentic, values-driven leaders who are experienced as genuine and honest by others and who inspire confidence from them. They must be open to the influence of others and foster an environment of safety and trust.
Develop emotional intelligence and effective interpersonal communication skills.
Understand and act on a new metaphor for leadership - symphony - where the goal is to have “all voices sounding together.” Beautiful music results when each individual musician comes together and functions cooperatively to achieve a common purpose. Leaders must learn to tap into the collective intelligence represented in any group of people while bringing out each person’s unique gifts and talents. They orchestrate movement from “me” to “we.”
Take a more “coach-like” approach to leadership. This means moving away from the old “command and control” paradigm to a style where leadership is equally distributed throughout the team or organization thus creating a culture of true empowerment.
Equip teams and organizations to have “conversations that matter,” conversations about who they are “being” together, not just what they are “doing” together. In the process, better relationships lead to better results.
Connect people to something much larger and more meaningful than themselves. Leadership is about creating meaning.
Be boundary crossers and bridge builders, having the ability to handle creative tension and paradox. Today’s leaders must learn to reject either/or choices and become masters of the “both/and”, seeking multiple options and blended solutions.

One place that leaders must successfully manage paradox is in the classic leadership versus management dichotomy. Many organizations are over-managed and under-led. Successful organizations understand that leadership and management are complimentary. Both represent skill sets that are needed for success in a competitive and changing environment. For example, leadership influences while management enables; leadership builds commitment while management builds competence; leadership focuses on effectiveness while management focuses on efficiency; and leadership focuses on people results while management focuses on financial results.

“The future doesn't just belong to the leaders. It's not just the leader's vision that leaders are accountable for enacting. Leadership isn't about selling your vision; it's about articulating the people's vision.” – Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner from "A Leader's Legacy"