Why Servant Leadership Is More Important Than Ever Before

Employees don't leave jobs, they leave bad leaders.

Money is no longer the prime motivator for most employees.

It's apt to state that our work life has drastically changed ever since the pandemic hit us. Not only the method and delivery of work has changed but our perception of success, work-life, and career as a whole is now, very different from ever before. 

Isn't it? 

Initially, we use to move jobs for better pay checks, designations, or to be a part of large corporations. Most of us were living in complete unawareness of a few ‘hygiene factors’ like personal wellbeing, work-life balance or employee welfare. 

Thanks to the pandemic though, we've all had the time to reflect, introspect and realise that the primary reason we strive for our careers is so we can live a truly "Fulfilled Life".

And the impact of this much needed wake-up call was so huge that the after effects of it are being seen in the form of a great reset.

We are reeling through this era of "The Great Resignation". 

This is a wake up call for each and every leader to evaluate their organisational culture.

The pandemic has opened our eyes. 

There were layoffs everywhere, yet we survived.

The pandemic taught us to live with uncertainty yet find moments of happiness, bliss... 

And most importantly resilience and self-belief.

Employees no longer care to compromise, they have taken stock of their work-life and are looking for workplaces where they can thrive and not just survive.

Every great leader in history has recognised that leadership is an opportunity to serve and to contribute. They found their purpose and fulfilment in serving the greater good for humanity at large and not just themselves.

The truth is that humans are built to serve. Some people are built to serve the world while other's want to serve the 20 people closest to them, but in either case, humans are built to serve. We all have a need to go beyond ourselves, that's just the way life works. Everything must serve a higher purpose. Everything must ultimately serve the greater good and not just itself. 

This is true for plants, for animals and true for you and I.

All of the greatest leaders that mankind has ever seen understood that they were given the opportunity to serve mankind for the greater good. Martin Luther King, Jr. did not always want to be the leader of the civil rights movement in the US, but he just knew that there was a need for equality and that he would have to sacrifice himself for the needs of the people at large. Nelson Mandela, standing before his people, said that he was a humble servant with a passion for people. Mahatma Gandhi sacrificed his life in the fight for freedom of the people of his nation.

“The servant-leader is servant first, it begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first.” Robert Greenleaf

Academic research and thousands of years of human history reaffirm that in life, fulfilment and happiness come from making others happy, not from being self-centred and only striving for oneself. 

It's good to be blessed, but it’s better to be a blessing

We all have heard since time immemorial that true happiness lies in helping others. When you help others who are less fortunate than you, don’t you get a feeling that you're doing something right? 

Isn't it the best feeling in the world? Often stronger than any kind of achievement or acquisition of material wealth? 

The truth is, that there exists no greater feeling or sense of accomplishment that you may experience in a lifetime, than being the light for someone else. Humans have the greatest gift to find immediate fulfilment by being of service to others. And as a leader, this is your greatest opportunity and privilege. 

Once you are a leader, your responsibility is no more towards doing the job but you are now responsible for the PEOPLE who are doing the job. 

The real job of a leader is not to be in-charge but to take care of those team members who are in his charge. 

And many leaders do not understand this...

Giving respect to others is a basic foundation for establishing positive relationships. When you listen to your team, really take the time to listen with an open mind; it shows you value your people, which is the ultimate form of respect. Remember, as a leader, you have to set the example because you set the tone for everyone to follow. When you hold yourself to a high standard, your team will look to gain your approval by doing the same. They will rise to your expectations of excellence, integrity, and respect when you give them the same. 

Employees don't leave jobs, they leave bad leaders.

Money is often not the prime motivator for most employees. Most employees stick around and give their best to a family-like spirit in their organisation, they stick around when they can share a purpose and vision that keeps them motivated and inspired to perform at their best. 

As a leader the power lies within you as to which direction you want to take. You could abuse it and lose your most valuable talent or harness your abilities to develop the best leadership style. 

Great profits are a byproduct of great organisational culture and the general well being of an organisation often depends on a few extraordinary leaders and their nurturing leadership styles.

If you want to be a great leader, be ready to serve.

As we progress in our lives we have a choice to become someone attractive not just by their looks but by their acts of kindness, love, respect, honesty and loyalty they show. To become a great leader, you must first become a good human being. Being part of an organisation is like living with people of different strengths/weaknesses and viewpoints which requires patience and tolerance.

The only way to grow and succeed as a leader is to sacrifice and to serve.

Most leaders have never been trained on how to be leaders and the most crucial skill they lack is Empathy. As a leader, you must know how to show empathy by being concerned about the individual on your team and not just their performance or output. 

Great leaders know that the soul of their business is in their team; they know how to develop, maintain, and retain their unique leadership style over the daily struggles and challenges in the life of the company. They are genuinely interested in the lives of their teams outside the cubicle. 

Understand that if you want to sustain a great company it's imperative to have a leadership team all on the same page by bringing a people-first approach. 

Question?

Does your organisation have a high employee turnover? If Yes...

Do not dismiss this by saying ‘those people couldn’t handle our high performing culture.’

Invest in training your leadership team and build a quality organisational culture.