I’ve always looked for simple truths that reflect practical ways people can make their work and home lives happier and more satisfying. My colleague, trust expert Randy Conley, has similar feelings about the importance of keeping things simple. We also agree that servant leadership and trust go hand in hand.
Trusted servant leaders put the needs of their followers before their own. When people know their leader has their best interests at heart and is there to help them achieve their goals, their trust in their leader builds on a daily basis.
Randy and I have often wondered why so many commonsense principles about servant leadership and trust are so seldom practiced. So, we decided to write a book about it. “Simple Truths of Service: 52 Ways to Be a Servant Leader and Build Trust” is a two-part compilation of our deeply held beliefs about servant leadership (my area of expertise) and building trust (Randy’s specialty). We want leaders everywhere to build trust through servant leadership and make common sense common practice. Here are a few examples of what I’m talking about.
Simple truth No. 11: Profit is the applause you get for creating a motivating environment for your people so they will take good care of your customers.
Some leaders think the only reason to be in business is to make money. They don’t understand that the best run and most profitable organizations know their number one customer is their people.
To make common sense a common practice in your organization, focus on your people. Let them know they are important and that you notice and appreciate their devotion to customers. Empower them to listen to customers, act on their needs, and exceed their expectations.
If you serve, empower and care about your people as your most important customer, they will go out of their way to serve and take care of your second most important customer — the folks who buy your products and services. These people will become raving fans and tell their friends about the service they received, which serves the bottom line and the needs of the owners or shareholders. What a winning environment!
Simple truth No. 25: “It’s not about you.” – Rick Warren
I’ve borrowed Rick Warren’s quote — the opening line of his mega-bestseller, “The Purpose Driven Life” — because to me, it’s one of the best ways to describe the philosophy of servant leadership. As a servant leader, your goal is to serve your people and make sure they know their contributions are valued. Leadership is not about you — it’s about the people you serve.
To make common a sense common practice, model behaviors that show people your goal is to serve, not to be served. When your team performs well and praise comes toward you, step back and let most of the credit flow to your people. People who are recognized for their efforts remain engaged and excited about their work. Ultimately, they won’t need much external recognition because they will catch themselves doing things right. The outcome of training people to be masters of their own fate is reflected in this quotation from ancient Chinese philosopher Lao-tzu: “When the best leader’s work is done, their people say, ‘We did it ourselves.’”
Simple truth No. 27: Leadership begins with trust.
Trust is the foundation of any successful, healthy relationship. When you have the trust of your team members, anything is possible. The best leaders understand their number one priority is to build trust with their team.
To make common sense a common practice, find out if your team perceives you as trustworthy. How? Ask them! Here are a few sample questions:
- Do you have confidence in my leadership abilities? If not, how can I improve?
- Do I walk my talk? How can I be more consistent in my behavior?
- How well do I listen to you? Do you feel heard, valued, and supported by me?
- Am I dependable? Do you trust that I’ll follow through on my commitments?
Have a discussion with your team about trust. It’s a powerful way to introduce servant leadership in your workplace.
Simple truth No. 30: Someone must make the first move to extend trust. Leaders go first.
Making the first move in extending trust is risky. But if there’s a chance you might get burned in love, money, or faith, trust is essential. One person has to make the decision to extend trust and hope it will be reciprocated. Ernest Hemingway summed it up well: “The way to make people trustworthy is to trust them.” As a leader in the workplace, it is your job to extend trust to your people first.
Make common sense common practice by thinking about what it would look like for you to extend trust to a person you feel hesitant about. You won’t know whether you can trust them until you make the first move. I’ll bet they will rise to the occasion.
Trusted servant leaders are the answer to today’s challenges. People are desperately looking for leaders they can believe in — leaders whose focus is on serving the greater good.
Servant leadership is not just another management technique. It is a way of life for those with servant hearts. In organizations run by trusted servant leaders, serving others becomes the norm. The byproducts are better leadership, better service, a higher performing organization, great relationships and great results.
