Max Webb, Head of Client Services at Gushcloud, shared advice with young leaders on adopting servant leadership

Youth is the future! With their fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, they have the potential to redefine leadership paradigms. They are our next leaders, so we must unleash and nurture their power while they’re young and guide them to use it to empower others by practicing servant leadership. Head of Client Services at Gushcloud, Max Webb, shared valuable advice for young leaders.

“Start adopting the mindset of a servant leader.”

In order to become a leader, you must learn how to serve first. Servant leadership is teaching leaders to have? a servant-first mentality rather than a leader-first mentality. This leadership theory was coined by a 20th century researcher, Robert Greenlead. It encourages leaders to focus on the growth and development of the team members, so they can be independent, and reach their full potential. Listening; empathy; healing; awareness; persuasion; conceptualization; foresight; stewardship; commitment to the growth of people; and building community are the ten principles of servant leadership.?

Max Webb believes in servant leadership, and he shared 3 important qualities that a servant leader should possess:

The first quality is to have the heart to serve sincerely.

A servant leader must have a strong desire to serve others? just like Princess Diana of Wales, one of the greatest examples of servant leadership. She used her power and royalty to bridge the gap between the royal family and its constituents. She went above and beyond to make people feel her passion and efforts to help them and create a better world. With her compassion, she was able to break the stigma on AIDS in 1987, and raised global awareness on hunger. She believes that, “Everyone needs to be valued. Everyone has the potential to give something back if only they had the chance. ” Indeed, she’s the people’s princess.?

We must have the heart for our people. It is essential for leaders to have the compassion to understand the needs of the people and organization, and the passion to help them to address every challenge and develop their potential personally and professionally. As Max Webb said, leaders’ responsibilities are not just about taking care of a client’s projects. It also entails the responsibility to guide and develop the people that you’re working with.

The second quality is to have the call to lead.

Leading is a calling. It is not just about holding a position or power. It is about your commitment to helping others and showing up, especially during difficult times. Someone’s leadership is tested when there are challenges and difficulties. “A leader shows up in the most difficult times,” as the former Vice President of the Philippines, Leni Robredo, said. Another example of showing up is the Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy. He chose to stay and be present with his people as they defend their country during a war.?

We might not be in a war, but we can still encounter difficulties or challenges while working on a project or achieving organizational goals that will test your people and leadership. A good reminder from Max Webb is “You always have to show up and be present with the people you’re with.“ It is always important to assure your team that you’re with them through thick or thin. This will help you and the team to foster team work and resiliency among the people. Showing up for your people and acting with urgency will make things better for them.

The third quality is to have the courage to build relationships.

Building relationships is not easy, you must have the courage to get to know every person you work with, especially the people in your team. It seems easy, but it requires you to have?

a deep level of empathy, vulnerability, and genuine interest in others. It can be challenging since people are diverse, but once you successfully get to know them, it will be easier to have open communication and foster a collaborative and supportive work environment.?

When you value and understand the people you lead, it boosts not just their productivity, but at the same time, you’re lifting their confidence and morale. As Max Webb aptly pointed out, building meaningful relationship is beyond 9 to 5 traditional workdays. Here are some tips on how we can start building meaningful relationships with our people:

• Take time to know and understand each person's? strengths, weaknesses, goals, and aspirations, so you know how you are going to support them to grow and reach their best potential.?
• Listen attentively to what they're saying and pay attention to their body language as well.
• Show empathy by understanding their feelings and putting yourself in their shoes.
• Create a safe space for everyone to speak and express themselves.?
• Invest in the growth and development of each team member through mentorship. -
• Celebrate your team members, and their efforts, contributions, and wins.

With the emerging challenges of the 21st century, our world needs a new kind of leader - a servant leader who is not only knowledgeable and skilled, but also compassionate, consistent, and courageous to help the people, resolve challenges, and create a better reality for all.

At Gushcloud, we believe that the future of leadership is bright with the determination and aspirations of our youth. We believe that our youth plays a vital role in creating tomorrow's positive influence across the globe, and we're here to inspire the next generation of leaders!

Keep inspired,

Gushcloud International