Last updated on Aug 9, 2024

Your team needs to enhance their skills. How can you guide them towards growth with Servant Leadership?

As a leader, one of your key responsibilities is to foster an environment where your team can continually improve and refine their skills. Servant Leadership, a philosophy where the main goal of the leader is to serve, is a compelling approach to guide your team towards growth. This method emphasizes the importance of empowering your team members, addressing their needs, and helping them develop both personally and professionally. By putting your team's interests first, you can create a supportive atmosphere that encourages learning and skill enhancement.

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1 Listen Actively

Active listening is the cornerstone of Servant Leadership. It involves paying full attention to your team members, understanding their perspectives, and acknowledging their ideas. By demonstrating that you value their input, you create a trusting relationship. This trust is essential when suggesting new areas for skill development, as your team will be more receptive to your guidance if they feel heard and respected. Remember, listening is not just about hearing words; it's about comprehending the message and the emotions behind it.

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Jane Sladdin

Head of Middle School, The Granville School
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Listening is an underrated and underused skill. So often, we want to talk to our team and tell them what we feel they need to hear. However, listening gives them the opportunity to share their concerns or thoughts, the chance to sound out new ideas and, above all, they come away feeling valued and that you really trust what they have to say. Listening is also important for other stakeholders such as children or parents in schools. By listening to them and acknowledging their feelings and worries, they feel supported and confident that you understand whatever issues they have brought to you and will help them resolve any anxieties or concerns.

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2 Provide Resources

Once you've identified areas for skill enhancement, it's crucial to provide the necessary resources. This could range from training programs and workshops to books and online courses. As a servant leader, you should facilitate these learning opportunities and make them easily accessible. Additionally, consider allocating time during work hours for skill development, demonstrating that you prioritize their growth. By investing in your team's learning, you're not only enhancing their skills but also showing that you're committed to their success.

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3 Encourage Autonomy

Encouraging autonomy is a key principle of Servant Leadership. Trust your team to take charge of their own learning and development. Offer guidance and support, but allow them the freedom to explore and apply new skills in a way that suits them best. This empowerment leads to increased job satisfaction and a sense of ownership over their professional growth. When team members feel in control of their learning journey, they are more likely to engage deeply and pursue continuous improvement.

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4 Set Goals Together

Goal setting is a collaborative process in Servant Leadership. Sit down with your team members and set clear, achievable goals for skill enhancement. These goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). By involving them in this process, you ensure that the goals align with their personal career aspirations as well as the team's objectives. This shared vision fosters a sense of purpose and direction in their skill development efforts.

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Arpan Roy

Leadership SME, Helping Emerging Leaders and Middle Managers Lead with Impact, Industry Mentor, International Speaker, Amazon best-selling author, Award winning Facilitator
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In terms of empowering people, the approach that I like to follow is to set meaningful goals that help them grow individually as well as contribute to the team. I then work with them to identify where they're at with their skills and capability currently. To get to those goals, what set of additional skills would they need? I would then help them come up with a plan to enhance their skillset and address those gaps. This approach helps them thrive as well as add value to their team at the same time.

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5 Offer Feedback

Constructive feedback is vital for growth. As a servant leader, provide regular, honest, and supportive feedback to your team members. Focus on their progress and areas for improvement in a manner that encourages rather than discourages them. Remember to celebrate their achievements, no matter how small, as this will motivate them to continue developing their skills. Feedback should be a two-way street, so also be open to receiving feedback on how you can better support their development.

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Jane Sladdin

Head of Middle School, The Granville School
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Feedback is crucial for all whether a team member or leader and being able to give and accept feedback, particularly feedback that might not be so welcome, is something we all need to learn to be comfortable with in giving and receiving. Through constructive feedback, we learn. Through celebrating successes and achievements small and large, everyone feels valued and motivated. I always try and give feedback in a kind and constructive manner and in return listen to feedback given to me with an open mind. If someone has taken the time to give feedback, it is right and valuable to listen to it and work out how it can help you change, improve or develop whatever area has been discussed.

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Priscila M. de Santana

Contas a Receber e apagar| Administração| Faturamento| Prestação de Contas| Finanças| Análise de índices e resolução de problemas|SAP|JD|Macros
(edited)
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Feedback deve ser essencial para o desenvolvimento profissional. Seja ele positivo ou negativo! Porém, nunca ofensivo! A forma como é dado o feedback irá contribuir para o desenvolvimento do profissional. Utilizando métodos de diálogo aberto, espontâneo a fim de que ambos possam estar confortáveis para desenvolver as análises e as premissas sejam verdadeiras e lógicas.

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6 Model Behavior

Lastly, embody the skills and behaviors you wish to see in your team. Servant Leadership is about leading by example. If you want your team to embrace continuous learning, show them that you are also committed to enhancing your skills. Share your learning experiences, the challenges you've faced, and how you've overcome them. This not only humanizes you as a leader but also inspires your team to embark on their own skill enhancement journeys with confidence.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Your team needs to enhance their skills. How can you guide them towards growth with Servant Leadership?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Listen Actively

2 Provide Resources

3 Encourage Autonomy

4 Set Goals Together

5 Offer Feedback

6 Model Behavior

7 Here’s what else to consider

Servant Leadership

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Your team needs to enhance their skills. How can you guide them towards growth with Servant Leadership?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Listen Actively

2 Provide Resources

3 Encourage Autonomy

4 Set Goals Together

5 Offer Feedback

6 Model Behavior

7 Here’s what else to consider

Servant Leadership

Rate this article

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