You're struggling to incorporate servant leadership into your daily work. What's the best way to get started?

I think that we need to drop the idea of “servant leadership,” as if there was really any other kind. Leadership requires affection for those you serve. If you don’t love them, you can’t lead them. Choosing each day to be the leader they need, walking beside instead of in front of or behind, demonstrating vulnerability, and listening to learn. Anything else is just management.

When integrating servant leadership into your daily work, start by assessing your mindset. Reflect on your current beliefs and attitudes towards leadership and serving others. Embrace the servant leadership philosophy by prioritizing the needs of your team and fostering a culture of collaboration and empowerment. Cultivate empathy, humility, and a genuine desire to support and uplift those around you. Challenge any preconceived notions or barriers that may hinder your adoption of servant leadership principles. By cultivating a servant mindset, you lay the groundwork for meaningful transformation in your leadership approach and create a positive impact on your team and organization.

Start scheduling your time around conversations instead of to-dos. Be open and honest, recognize the strengths of others, and acknowledge and delegate to their strengths.

Invest time in getting to know your team members, and understanding their strengths, challenges, and aspirations. Actively listen to their concerns and ideas, demonstrating empathy and respect. Foster an environment of trust and collaboration where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute. By cultivating strong relationships based on mutual trust and support, you lay the groundwork for implementing servant leadership principles effectively in your daily interactions and decision-making processes.

I tell my team that that are all in the position they are because in some aspect they are better at it than I would be. Delegate responsibility, not tasks. This develops other leaders and keeps your time free to do the things only you can do. This also leads to the best ideas, not just your ideas.

If you're finding it challenging to integrate servant leadership into your daily routine, start by empowering others. Delegate tasks and responsibilities, allowing your team members to take ownership and contribute meaningfully. Encourage open communication, actively listen to their ideas, and value their perspectives. By empowering others, you cultivate a culture of trust, collaboration, and shared responsibility, laying the groundwork for servant leadership principles to thrive. As you witness the positive impact of empowerment on your team dynamics, you'll naturally begin to embrace other aspects of servant leadership more seamlessly.

You can’t pray your way out of a situation you behaved your way into. Every action is a vote for your identity, the kind of person you want to be. What you tolerate you promote. However you think about it, modeling and holding accountability are one of the leaders most important roles. You can model once and have a ripple effect through the organization that will have a much wider impact than you ever could have on your own.

Lead by example by demonstrating the core principles of servant leadership in your actions and interactions. Prioritize the needs of others, actively listen to their perspectives, and offer support and guidance where needed. Foster a culture of collaboration, empathy, and inclusivity within your team or organization. By embodying servant leadership qualities, you set a powerful example for others to follow, inspiring them to embrace these principles in their work. Start small, but consistently practice servant leadership behaviours, and over time, they will become ingrained in your daily routine.

Listen to learn from everyone regardless of their place in the org chart. You don’t have to act on it all, but a wide range of feedback helps you find the signal in the noise. You will always have a couple of most trusted voices, but you can’t just listen to them. That’s a recipe for tone-deaf group think.

Engage with colleagues, mentors, or supervisors to gain insights into how you can embody servant leadership principles effectively. Actively listen to their perspectives and reflect on areas where you can enhance your approach. Additionally, seek out resources such as books, articles, or workshops that guide servant leadership techniques and strategies. By soliciting feedback and committing to continuous improvement, you can gradually integrate servant leadership into your daily practices and cultivate a more empathetic and impactful leadership style.