snooty or sweet? acts of servant leadership...

Years ago, an unknown rider stumbled upon some soldiers trying to move a heavy log. Their corporal and a commanding officer stood nearby, watching the soldiers struggle with their tasks. The rider was taken aback. He asked why the corporal did not help his men.

The corporal replied, "I am the corporal and only give orders."?

Robust and powerful in stature, the rider dismounted and bent over to lend the soldiers a helping hand. Together, the rider and soldiers moved the log. And as he was leaving, the rider turned to the corporal and said, "The next time your men need help, send for the Commander-in-Chief."?The corporal and his men were stunned.

For the rider was George Washington, the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. And yet, for a man of such stature, Washington did not flinch in helping his soldiers with even the most minor tasks. Washington's humility empowered his soldiers and earned him a position of respect among his troops.

In leadership, humility reigns supreme,

A trait that makes the great, truly seen.

Lincoln and Gandhi, with hearts so pure,

Showed us how to lead with a spirit secure.

For Rabindranath Tagore once said,

"We come nearest to the great when we're humble instead."

Servant leaders know this all too well,

They flip the hierarchy and break the spell.

With employees at the very top,

The leader's role is to never stop,

Serving those who work hard each day,

And that's how servant leaders like to play.

So let us all embrace humility,

And serve those around us with authenticity.

For true greatness lies in how we lead,

With a servant's heart, in word and deed.

That's because these leaders possess a serve-first mindset and are focused on empowering and uplifting those who work for them. They are serving instead of commanding, showing humility instead of brandishing authority, and always looking to enhance the development of their staff members in ways that unlock potential, creativity, and a sense of purpose.?

The result? "Performance goes through the roof," says Art Barter, founder and CEO of the Servant Leadership Institute and Datron World Communications, Inc.

"Magic happens," agrees Pat Falotico, a former executive leader at IBM who is now CEO of the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.?

Why Act with Humility?

Today, ego-centric and self-promoting attitudes have become the social and professional norm necessary to survive in a world of cutthroat competition and one-upmanship. In a December 2009 article for Forbes magazine titled "The Right Way To Sell Yourself At Work," Helen Coster highlights the importance of self-promotion to achieve success in the workplace.

"Like it or not, self-promotion is part of responsible career management," Coster writes. "People who tout their own achievements land plum assignments and promotions. Actions don't always speak louder than words."

Coster goes on in the article to outline methods of "perfecting a 'bragalogue'--a short, pithy story that incorporates a few bits of information about who you are and what you've done." This piece is among many articles, debates, discussions, and books dedicated to the art of self-promotion. But most of these commentators caution that too much self-promotion can be harmful and that individuals must strike a balance between selling their brand and maintaining the appropriate humility.

But historically, humility has held a more prevalent position in the American cultural psyche, according to New York Times Columnist David Brooks. On September 15, 2009, Brooks wrote a column titled "High Five Nation," which examined American reaction to the Allied victory during World War II.?

“The allies had, on that very day, completed one of the noblest military victories in the history of humanity,” Brooks wrote. “And yet there was no chest beating. Nobody was erecting triumphal arches.” He continued, “Humility, the sense that nobody is that different from anybody else, was a large part of the culture then.”

Brooks recognized that Americans had handled a historic victory with dignity that was generally devoid of arrogance, conceit, and false pride. Contemporary commentators and experts are increasingly pointing to that same cultural trait of humility as an essential quality for effective management and leadership in today's competitive global economy. Through humility, managers create a collaborative environment that celebrates successes and facilitates learning. Such leaders can constructively introspect on their shortcomings and reshape them into strengths. But most importantly, they can create a work culture premised on compassion, teamwork, and appreciation.

Bill Gates , the founder of Microsoft and one of the world's wealthiest people, said best: "You've got to want to be in this incredible feedback loop where you get the world-class people to tell you what you're doing wrong." According to Gates, a pioneer, innovator, and servant leader, humility is necessary for personal and professional progress.?

In our personal lives, humility is often reflected in how we treat each other. American gymnast, John Orozco's mother shared an example from her son's life in an interview with CNN during the 2012 Olympics, where Orozco was part of the US Olympic Team.

Orozco was nine years old when he won his first gymnastics medal. But his real triumph came after the competition when he saw a little boy crying. Orozco spoke to him and learned that the boy was being teased because he had not performed well during the match. Without hesitation, Orozco removed his medal and placed it around the young boy's neck, asking him not to cry. Orozco chose to respect his competitors and consider them his equals, regardless of their victory or failure.

Similarly, humility means that we each choose to treat others with esteem and graciousness. Humility allows us to approach each ebb and flow as a learning experience. We can make intelligent choices and develop long-lasting relationships by being sweet rather than snooty.

The Servant Leader sees the Good in All.

Humility is how we choose to act with people and, more importantly, how we choose to perceive people. Though we might resolve to behave humbly with people, if we perceive them to be lesser than ourselves, our arrogant perspective towards them will eventually become apparent to all, if not to ourselves. However, if we see everyone as more significant than us, we will naturally act humbly toward everyone. Genuinely humble, one perceives no one as flawed or small but everyone as great.

Bhagwan Swaminarayan talks about maintaining such a humble perspective in Vachnamrut Gadhada I-28. He states, "…when a person is likely to progress in Satsang …day by day, he sees only virtues in all satsangis. He views all devotees as superior to himself and considers himself insignificant. Moreover, he experiences the bliss of Satsang in his heart 24 hours a day… The more such a person practices Satsang, the more he benefits and attains profound greatness."

I have found this ideal in my guru, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, whose life exemplifies true humility, Servant leadership through compassion without regard for his position.

In April 2001, President Bill Clinton met with Swamishri in Gandhinagar while visiting community leaders in India.?He specifically altered his schedule to meet with Swamishri and lost track of time while talking with him.?As President Clinton was leaving, Swamishri's attention turned to a group of villagers from the Kutch region who had recently lost their livelihoods in an earthquake.?Swamishri met the villagers with equal enthusiasm and consideration as he had met with President Clinton.?In a few minutes, he had met with a world leader and a group of poor villagers with the same reverence.?Swamishri embodies the quality of sweetness with his daily interactions and inspires everyone to treat others equally, regardless of their status or position in life.

The article talks about the importance of humility in leadership, and how it has been demonstrated by influential figures like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Mahatma Gandhi and Pramukhswami Maharaj. Servant leaders are highlighted as those who put their employees or people first, and empower and uplift them. Such leaders possess a serve-first mindset, are focused on enhancing the development of their staff members, and unlock potential, creativity, and a sense of purpose. Humility has traditionally held a significant position in the American cultural psyche, and contemporary commentators and experts are increasingly pointing to that same cultural trait of humility as an essential quality for effective management and leadership in today's competitive global economy. Through humility, managers create a collaborative environment that celebrates successes and facilitates learning. Such leaders can constructively introspect on their shortcomings and reshape them into strengths.