How To Practice The Mindset Of The Servant

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We keep hearing about servant leadership but what is it and how do you practice it? In my previous book, The Future Leader, I spoke with 140 CEOs to get more clarity on this.

The concept of servant leadership was first coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in his 1970 essay, “The Servant as Leader.” Greenleaf was a former AT&T executive and he proposed a radical shift in leadership philosophy, suggesting that leaders should be servants first, putting the needs of their team and organization before their own.

A simple way to think of this is inverting the corporate pyramid. Instead of the team propping up and serving the leader, the leader is the one who is now propping up and serving the team.

What I learned is that servant leadership is only a part of the equation and really what these CEOs were talking about was having a servant mindset which means understanding that as a leader there are four groups you serve.

1. Your leaders if you have them
2. Your customers
3. Your team
4. Yourself

Let’s take a look at these in more depth and go over things you can do to serve each group.

Your Leaders

Serving your leaders, in the context of the servant mindset, means actively supporting and facilitating the work of those who are in positions of authority above you. We usually don’t hear or talk about this in the context of a servant mindset and it might seem counterintuitive but it’s not.

Serving your leaders means having a good relationships with them, looking out for them, understanding where they are coming from, and helping them be effective in their roles. The mindset of the servant flows both up and down.

When Satya Nadella took over as the CEO of Microsoft he worked very closely with Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, to understand his vision for the company and align their strategies. Nadella’s approach to leadership, which involves active listening and collaboration, is a great example of serving your leaders. He has successfully turned the company from being a know it all organization to a learn it all organization.

Three effective things you can do:

1. Understand Their Vision: Leaders carry the responsibility of steering the organization towards its goals. By understanding their vision, you can align your actions and decisions to support and contribute to these objectives. This not only helps the organization but also fosters a sense of unity and purpose within the team.
2. Provide Constructive Feedback: Leaders, like anyone else, can benefit from constructive feedback. By offering your insights and perspectives, you can help leaders make more informed decisions and improve their leadership style. This feedback should be delivered respectfully and constructively, with the aim of fostering growth and improvement. Most importantly, feedback should be actionable and come from a genuine interest in seeing your leader succeed and get better.
3. Take Initiative: Leaders value team members who are proactive and take ownership of their roles. By taking initiative, you can help alleviate the burden on your leaders, solve problems before they escalate, and contribute to the overall efficiency and productivity of the organization. This also demonstrates your commitment and can lead to increased trust and responsibility. A critical element of this is to the speak the language of the leader, meaning, understanding their challenges and how they are viewing the business and opportunities.

Your customers

In the realm of business, the adage “the customer is king” holds true, and adopting a servant mindset build on top of this. Serving your customers is not merely about transactions or sales; that’s table-stakes at this point. Instead, it’s about relationships, understanding their needs, and consistently delivering value that exceeds their expectations. It’s about transforming the customer journey into an exceptional experience that fosters loyalty and turns customers into advocates for your brand.

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has always prioritized customer service. He is known for his customer obsession, believing that if you focus on the customer, all else will follow. It’s no wonder my wife Blake Morgan features Jeff in almost all of her customer experience keynotes! Amazon’s commitment to customer service, from its easy return policy to its prompt customer support, is a testament to Bezos’s philosophy of serving customers.

Three effective things you can do:

1. Understand Their Needs: This is the cornerstone of serving your customers effectively. By actively listening to your customers and understanding their needs and pain points, you can tailor your products, services, and interactions to provide the best possible experience. Empathy plays a huge role here.
2. Deliver Exceptional Service: Providing excellent customer service is a key aspect of serving your customers. Whether you’re running a hotel, a cable company, or a restaurant, customers will care about and value different things. Restaurant patrons will want things like someone who checks in on them to ask how their food is doing, refill the water, provide a nice ambience, offer good quality food, and perhaps have the manager stop by to say hello. Leaders need to give their customer service team members the authority and to solve customer problems and to go above and beyond even if it falls outside of the typical “process.”
3. Exceed Expectations: Going above and beyond to exceed customer expectations can turn customers into advocates for your brand. This could involve surprising them with extra value, going the extra mile to solve their problems, or simply exceeding their expectations in terms of the quality of your products or services. This not only leads to customer satisfaction but also fosters loyalty and positive word-of-mouth.

Your Team

In the context of leadership, serving your team is a fundamental responsibility that goes beyond task delegation and performance management. It’s about fostering an environment that empowers team members, promotes their growth and development, and supports them in their roles. This is why I’m such a huge advocate of employee experience. This means putting the needs of your team at the forefront, creating a culture of trust and respect, and ultimately driving collective success.

Frank Blake the former CEO of The Home Depot gave up his Sunday’s to write and sign hundreds of hand written letters each week to recognize and acknowledge the hard work of his employees.

Three things you can do.

1. Empower Your Team: Empowerment involves giving your team the tools, resources, authority, opportunity, and motivation to take ownership of their work. It’s about trusting them to make decisions and supporting them in their roles. Shield your team members from failure and give them credit for success. This not only increases job satisfaction and productivity but also fosters a culture of accountability and innovation.
2. Promote Growth and Development: As a servant leader, you should be committed to the personal and professional growth of your team members. This could involve providing training and development opportunities, constructive feedback, and challenging assignments that stretch their capabilities.
3. Creating a Supportive Environment: A servant leader fosters a positive and inclusive team culture. This involves promoting open communication, encouraging collaboration, recognizing and appreciating efforts, and addressing any issues or conflicts in a timely and respectful manner. A supportive environment can enhance team morale, engagement, and productivity.

Yourself

While the concept of a servant mindset often emphasizes the importance of serving others, it’s equally crucial to remember to serve yourself. This isn’t about self-indulgence or neglecting your responsibilities towards others; rather, it’s about recognizing that to effectively lead and serve others, you must first take care of your own physical, emotional, and mental well-being. It’s about continuous learning and growth, and setting boundaries to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Arianna Huffington, co-founder of The Huffington Post, has been a vocal advocate for the importance of sleep and self-care in leadership after collapsing from exhaustion in 2007. Lots of CEO of I have worked with and interviewed focus on their well-being because they recognize they cannot show up to lead others if they don’t care of themselves.

1. Prioritizing Self-Care: This involves taking care of your physical, emotional, and mental health. It could mean ensuring you get enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, taking breaks when needed, and engaging in activities that you enjoy and that help you relax and recharge. Self-care is not the same thing as selfish-care!
2. Continuous Learning and Development: Serving yourself also means investing in your own growth and development. This could involve seeking out learning opportunities, staying updated with industry trends, developing new skills, or even pursuing personal interests that enrich your life and broaden your perspectives.
3. Setting Boundaries: It’s important to set boundaries to maintain a healthy work-life balance. This could involve saying no when necessary, delegating tasks, making time for family and personal interests, and ensuring you don’t overextend yourself. Setting boundaries helps prevent burnout and ensures you have the energy and focus to serve others effectively.

The servant mindset is a transformative approach to leadership that emphasizes the importance of serving four key groups: your leaders, your customers, your team, and yourself.

By understanding and prioritizing the needs of these four groups, leaders can foster stronger relationships, drive organizational success, and focus on their own well-being.

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