How can servant leaders maintain their energy levels and avoid burnout?

you need to set the right boundaries as a servant leader to: - offer your time and attention to those who need them most - empower your team by delegating effectively so that they can prepare for your next role - prevent burn out so you can lead better and for the long-term - set an example to your team by prioritizing well-being and self-respect

It’s important to 1. Set boundary on when & what to work on, this allows you to have time for other things 2. Overcommunicate your boundary & capacity, this helps others to plan without being blocked by you 3. Have retrospective and reflect back, this helps you to become more efficient and see clearly your goal & purpose

The concept of servant leadership, with its focus on supporting and elevating others, is both noble and demanding. Maintaining energy levels and avoiding burnout in such roles requires a conscious effort to balance the needs of others with one's own well-being. Knowing your limits is crucial. It involves recognizing when to say no and understanding that you can't help others effectively if you're overextended. This awareness helps prevent overcommitment and the resultant stress.

- Something that has worked for me - follow your passion to gain energy and bounce back at work. In my case it is playing sports as a source of gaining that energy, what is yours?. As a leader you cannot stop people to approach you , its not easy. You can always see how you can bounce back ....

Learning how to ground yourself in the present is a great way to set and maintain boundaries. Years of yoga, meditation, and self-reflection helps me master my energy, but so would starting today. What happens when I need to check in with my body? I become present with my 5+ senses and ask myself, "what's true for me?" By taking this brief pause, I am much more apt to respond rather than react. Giving myself permission to take a moment and respond with thoughtful intention not only helps me serve others as my best self, but it helps others witness me practicing my own well-being, and inspires others to practice doing the same. Over time, triggers dull and the wisdom of the body takes over. New neural pathways create more ease.

One of the key habits we help Servant Leaders develop through our workshops is the habit of "Pause and Recharge". And we recommend 45 minutes of this per day. This is where you disconnect from everything else, especially the gadgets and be with yourselves. Based on your world view, you can choose the way you do it. You can do it through Mindfulness exercises, or meditation , or prayer, or solitude . Whichever path you choose, it is important for you to make a habit out of this. We live in a task oriented world and if we do not take time to self-reflect and self-care, we will certainly burn ourselves out. As I highlight in my discussions on the topic of Significance, you have to be well, before you can serve others. So take care of self-care

Have you ever booked a flight for the wrong date? Showed up to a meeting that wasn’t actually happening at that time? Forgot to respond to an email after you said you would? Or, have you noticed employees on edge? Showing up late to meetings? Making unusual quality errors? Cue, self-care. As a servant leader, not only must you put your own self care first but you must pay attention to others. You will do this naturally, but, are you taking action and encouraging them to? Implementing daily walks, healthy snacks, gym time, gratitude journals, and simply drinking (and supplying!) enough water are a few things we encourage in our office, which only scratches the surface. Just be human and you’ll master this!

It's important to say no when you're getting overloaded. No one can do everything. It's okay to tell someone that you aren't able to take something on at the moment for them, but that you'll be happy to come back to it at a later time or that you will find a resource that will be helpful as soon as things slow down. As much as servant leaders want to help others shine, they must also keep their own light bright.

Mindfulness is key. An old Zen story descibes a teacher who is pouring tea for his student and continues pouring even as the cup is overflowing to illustrate the point that as you taking in information/emotions/etc. you have to empty your mind before you can accept more. I personally take a walk in the midday, both for exercise and as a way of clearing my mind to prepare for the rest of the day. I also subscribe to the idea of 'motorcycling as mindfulness.' Getting on a bike with a head full of you or your patients' problems is a bad idea. Motorcycling forces you to focus on what you are doing and what is around you right now and can turn a commute into an exercise in mindfulness.

You have likely heard an analogy often used about introverts and extroverts. It is that each of us begins the day with a certain number of "energy" coins. Whenever an extrovert has a social interaction it gives them additional coins. If an introvert has a social interaction it costs them coins. Vice versa if the work of the day is more individual heads-down work. Thinking more broadly than just personality styles, a great self-care practice is to notice what activities throughout your day make withdrawals and which make deposits. Armed with some self-awareness be intentional that your schedule has more deposits than withdrawals. We can't avoid withdrawals and that's ok, it's why we need those deposits!

Invest in deep connections with other leaders in your industry/function/similar role - one specific format that has been essential in my career is a group of “peer coaches”. These are people who sit in similar positions at other companies and can support you with empathy & advice, coach you, and challenge you to achieve more. These types of relationships are often overlooked but essential for leaders to maintain perspective, balance and energy.

When leaders surround themselves with other leaders who inspire and challenge them to be better, everyone wins. By seeking continuous feedback and bouncing ideas off of each other, opportunities abound. Personally, I like to stretch myself by attending local and global conferences in my field and also in tangent fields, so I can learn and be inspired by people in my field AND surrounding my field. I also love attending free online webinars that former and current clients put on or those that friends recommend. Joining a board in something you're passionate about also connects you with fellow leaders. This year, I got myself a personal coach to help me see myself from an external perspective, with presence, curiosity, and patience.

Sei dir sicher von wem du Feedback willst. Feedback ist kein Geschenk sondern oft der Wunsch des Feedbackgebers wie er dich gerne h?tte. Mache die Probleme anderer nicht zu deinem. Hilf und unterstütze aber sage nie ?ich kümmere mich da“ oder ?ich mach das für dich“, denn so machst du das Problem anderer zu deinem und du musst liefern.

Feedback and support from seniors and client has helped me to groom. Participating in scrum master forums is what I have loved the must. Discussions with other scrum master on any specific incident and how it was handled; seeking their feedback and sharing experiences.

Interacting with individuals who grasp the complexities of servant leadership establishes a mutual understanding. This connection enables leaders to engage with those who recognize the distinctive challenges and responsibilities linked to this leadership approach. Supportive individuals have the capacity to present constructive challenges, providing leaders with insights and perspectives that may not have been previously considered. This feedback contributes to personal and professional growth, ultimately bolstering the leader's proficiency in navigating intricate situations.

The little things matter. Of course, we are going to celebrate big wins and accomplishments, but these can be rare and sometimes the result of something out of our control. For good and bad, the small things done most often are what define your team culture. Become aware of what team members do for each other in small and simple ways that make a positive difference. Then find a way to show your appreciation, maybe through a simple note, a brief thank you, or Slack message. Follow two simple rules: 1. Be specific on what they did, 2. State the impact on you or the team. Thank you for reading this contribution, it shows the LinkedIn community these topics are important!

Don't forget the hardest thing of all: Celebrate Failure. It's definitively an art. Too little, no value. Too much, indulgence. But in order to realy "enable people", which is your major objective as a Servant Leader, you must be able to make them brave and intelligent risks takers and learn to fail with "ellegance" as that is an option always. Celebrating Failure is a powerfull message of "keep trying" in a world full of quitters, cowards, and impatients who can not delay gratification. It's the perfect occasion for reinforcing courage, vision, ideals, and after that, inspecting and adapting before trying again. The trick is to help them to learn how to design incremental experiments or decompose great goals in small steps.

It is good always make a habit of celebrating your small and little wins it makes you appreciate the journey you have walked and how much you ha e achieved.

Recognizing and commemorating the favorable aspects of your work serves as positive reinforcement. It solidifies the belief that your dedication and contributions are creating a significant impact, nurturing a feeling of achievement and motivation.

Servant leaders are consciously honing their ability to observe the people around them in order to create an environment that is sensitive and adaptable to their team. Because of this, become masters at holding space, pausing to reflect, and personalizing recognition. Servant leaders know what makes each person "tick" and feel legitimately appreciated.

Usually, the largest hurdle in our learning and growth, especially when we become leaders, is time. This happens when we approach learning as separate from our work or work with our team members. Satya Nadella is the CEO of Microsoft. He has focused on transforming Microsoft from a "know-it-all" culture into a "learn-it-all" culture. What would change about your leadership if you saw every team member as a potential teacher? What could you learn? What gifts do they possess that you want to know more about or gain yourself? You will find that becoming a "learn-it-all" leader will be contagious across your team!

Working for a servant leader can be an amazing developmental opportunity as they are deeply invested in your learning. But a servant leader must also prioritize their own development. Given their strong other orientation, they might benefit from growing their delegation, corrective feedback giving, and boundary setting skills. It may take a mindset shift to recognize the long term impact on others when we ask for more and hold them accountable, give honest actionable feedback, and be clear on what we want and are willing to tolerate. In the end, we take care of others and ourselves.

He aprendido a hacer retrospectivas personales, alimentar la curiosidad y estar abierto a nuevos retos. Experimentar ese frío y esa sensación en el estómago al decidir iniciar algo desconocido que requerirá esfuerzo, dedicación y apertura al aprendizaje me ha ayudado a descubrir posibilidades, oportunidades y crecimiento personal y profesional. La curiosidad y los retos me han llevado a enfocar aprendizajes, buscar libros, mentores, seminarios, conversaciones con amigos y adquirir nuevos conocimientos y habilidades.

From a mental health coach's perspective rooted in biblical principles, embracing continuous learning and growth aligns with the idea of renewal and transformation. The process of reflection, incorporating feedback, and applying lessons can be viewed as a form of self-examination and repentance, fostering personal development in accordance with one's faith. As a servant leader, the commitment to ongoing learning not only enhances leadership skills but also nurtures a spirit of humility and openness to God's guidance in navigating challenges and pursuing goals.

Nicht nur lernen und wachsen, sondern auch lernen und teilen. Geteiltes Wissen l?sst nicht nur einen selber sondern auch sein Team wachsen.

Find and hire other servant leaders to surround yourself with. People that are aligned in a similar vision and mindset when it comes to their leadership philosophy. This will add to your energy. Those not aligned in servant leadership can be exhausting.

I believe that leadership is both a privilege and a huge responsibility. Considering yourself a servant leader needs to be closely linked to appreciating such privilege. Hence, the risk of burnout is imho manageable. Why? Because you simply enjoy what you do to support others without felling the urge/pressure to do so.. You're living your dream and hence are driven by endorphins and positivity which avoids stress hormones to take over... However, it is important that you stay conscious all the time. That you ground yourself frequently in your family/friends environment to not lose touch with reality nor to become obsessed with your challenges as a servant leader.

Absolutely! Injecting humor, fun, and playfulness into your team dynamics is a great way to foster a positive work environment and support your high-performing team members. It's not only about productivity but also about well-being.

Real servant leaders abound across various fields. Mahatma Gandhi's nonviolent dedication to India's independence and Nelson Mandela's focus on unity are exemplary. In business, Herb Kelleher prioritized Southwest Airlines employees, while Mary Kay Ash empowered women through Mary Kay Cosmetics. Modern leaders like Satya Nadella at Microsoft emphasize empathy and collaboration. These examples highlight the universal applicability and impact of servant leadership, showcasing its enduring relevance across diverse contexts and time periods.

Servant Leadership is not the end all be all... (Is anyone still reading?) Leadership is a process of influence. Like any other process, we should continually evaluate and make process improvements. Servant Leadership is an approach that can help you learn if being focused on the greater good would enhance your leadership process.