Being useful is the most important thing a manager can be. Managers should be a resource for their people; make sure they have the resources they need to do their jobs.
Being a leader isn't about power, although often times it seems like it's all about power. But, true power comes from the people.
So, if leaders are authentic, vulnerable, can accept, be present, and be useful, they become servant leaders. Servant leaders don't control people, it's not about being boss or being territorial. It's about creating a place that people can do good and meaningful work. Servant leaders pay attention.
Servant leaders love. There we go again. It's all about love.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
Servant Leadership - Be Present
It's all about being available for others and yourself, not just being there. You need to be able to respond to issues and challenges. If your team sees you respond well in the middle of a crisis, you'll gain confidence and assure your team that you are in control of all your management responsibilities, not just planning for the future.
My exercise for this lesson is to think of something that makes me smile, then do it a couple times a day. This small investment is being present. It's guaranteed. Hmmm. Well, it certainly is easy enough to do. Think of something that makes you smile: a loved one, a great vacation, a cocker spaniel puppy. Visualize it and smile. I can do that.
P.S. The puppy's name is going to be Lester
Monday, November 7, 2011
What's Love Got To Do With It?
Love challenges us, it scares us and it embraces us. It's easy to love our family and friends (sort of), but how do we love our enemies? Turns out, love can change us so we become people who can love one another.
But, we risk rejection when we love. Rejection can wound deeper and last longer than other injuries. There is a huge symptom of rejection called vacancy and it tempts up to invite things into our lives we might never have welcomed otherwise. It causes us to act in ways we never dreamed of. Then to make matters worse, we try to fix our hurt and try to recover what rejected us. We want back what we really didn't even want in the first place. We want revenge. We want the last word. I have made so many stupid decisions in reaction to rejection!
It brings tears to my eyes tonight as I think about the rejection from my daughter, who I love deeply and who has left a big empty hole in my heart. It's a long, long story, but I learned tonight that rejected love is not lost. God receives it and He will deal with it. In the meantime, I will continue to pray to have her back in my life, while I love others.
It's all about love. We are commanded to love. It's the greatest!
But, we risk rejection when we love. Rejection can wound deeper and last longer than other injuries. There is a huge symptom of rejection called vacancy and it tempts up to invite things into our lives we might never have welcomed otherwise. It causes us to act in ways we never dreamed of. Then to make matters worse, we try to fix our hurt and try to recover what rejected us. We want back what we really didn't even want in the first place. We want revenge. We want the last word. I have made so many stupid decisions in reaction to rejection!
It brings tears to my eyes tonight as I think about the rejection from my daughter, who I love deeply and who has left a big empty hole in my heart. It's a long, long story, but I learned tonight that rejected love is not lost. God receives it and He will deal with it. In the meantime, I will continue to pray to have her back in my life, while I love others.
It's all about love. We are commanded to love. It's the greatest!
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Servant Leadership - Be Accepting
Acceptance is more important than approval! I think that's probably true. Most conflicts are not about the process, product or service; they are more about personality. I remember many years ago hearing Oprah say "it's not about taking out the garbage, what are you really fighting about?" when talking with a couple on the verge of divorce. It's so true. I know I don't argue about much anymore. What's the point? Who really cares who is (more) right? There are no winners and no losers. All can win.
Acceptance is a good characteristic to have. Authentic people accept others without judgement. I think we should save judgement for someone qualified to judge (and that ain't me).
Acceptance is a good characteristic to have. Authentic people accept others without judgement. I think we should save judgement for someone qualified to judge (and that ain't me).
Friday, November 4, 2011
Servant Leadership - Be Vulnerable
This one really hit home.
Being vulnerable is about being honest with feelings, open with our doubts and fears, open with concerns about an idea, an employee's performance or our own, and being able to admit mistakes. It's about saying "I was wrong," and really meaning it.
Being vulnerable means we have to forget about control. We really don't have any control anyway, but we can have power if we just realize that we have no control and must depend on others. We don't, after all, succeed at anything alone.
To be authentic, we have to reveal our true selves; our emotions about our work, the work place and each other. We have to be vulnerable.
Recently, we had a record month. Broke all kinds of records, both good and bad. I had to admit a terrible screw up and took full responsibility for the mess. I honestly felt that I should have known about the bad stuff. I truly was afraid of losing my job! I absolutely was vulnerable.
When the mistakes were fixed and procedures in place to prevent them from reoccurring, and I wasn't fired, I actually felt like I gained respect for doing the right thing and genuinely feeling bad about the mess.
Honestly is ALWAYS the best policy. Sometimes being honest puts you in a vulnerable position. This particular time it absolutely was the right thing to do. And, it was a good thing for the people I work with to see how I handled the situation.
Being vulnerable is about being honest with feelings, open with our doubts and fears, open with concerns about an idea, an employee's performance or our own, and being able to admit mistakes. It's about saying "I was wrong," and really meaning it.
Being vulnerable means we have to forget about control. We really don't have any control anyway, but we can have power if we just realize that we have no control and must depend on others. We don't, after all, succeed at anything alone.
To be authentic, we have to reveal our true selves; our emotions about our work, the work place and each other. We have to be vulnerable.
Recently, we had a record month. Broke all kinds of records, both good and bad. I had to admit a terrible screw up and took full responsibility for the mess. I honestly felt that I should have known about the bad stuff. I truly was afraid of losing my job! I absolutely was vulnerable.
When the mistakes were fixed and procedures in place to prevent them from reoccurring, and I wasn't fired, I actually felt like I gained respect for doing the right thing and genuinely feeling bad about the mess.
Honestly is ALWAYS the best policy. Sometimes being honest puts you in a vulnerable position. This particular time it absolutely was the right thing to do. And, it was a good thing for the people I work with to see how I handled the situation.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Servant Leadership - Be Authentic
As a manager, the well-being of my people is dependent on me and how well I create the circumstances and environment in which they can do their jobs. Servant leadership is not about being nice. It's about creating an effective and productive workplace and an opportunity for personal and spiritual growth for everyone. Yes, it allows me to grow as I help others grow!
My behavior is how those around me determine who I am. To become a leader who serves, I have to put the spirit of work to work. The spirit of work is a decision to live my life at home and at work the same; what I do at work is, after all, a reflection of who I am.
Being vs. doing. There are five ways of being that move you toward serving. The first is "be authentic".
Be who you are. Be real. Know yourself; be yourself. Admit mistakes; apologize. Respectfully say what you think or feel. Mentor people; help them learn. I love this. I have been known to say, "everywhere I go, there I am" or "be where you're at when you're there". Being authentic brings new meaning to a couple of my favorite quotes. Being me, the real me, is so much different than the behaviors and actions people see. They can't see what I think or how I feel, so it's up to me to be who I am - everywhere I go and in everything I do.
The spirituality I bring to work should be the same spirituality that comes from my relationship with God. Through prayer I can get to know myself and become truly authentic.
My behavior is how those around me determine who I am. To become a leader who serves, I have to put the spirit of work to work. The spirit of work is a decision to live my life at home and at work the same; what I do at work is, after all, a reflection of who I am.
Being vs. doing. There are five ways of being that move you toward serving. The first is "be authentic".
Be who you are. Be real. Know yourself; be yourself. Admit mistakes; apologize. Respectfully say what you think or feel. Mentor people; help them learn. I love this. I have been known to say, "everywhere I go, there I am" or "be where you're at when you're there". Being authentic brings new meaning to a couple of my favorite quotes. Being me, the real me, is so much different than the behaviors and actions people see. They can't see what I think or how I feel, so it's up to me to be who I am - everywhere I go and in everything I do.
The spirituality I bring to work should be the same spirituality that comes from my relationship with God. Through prayer I can get to know myself and become truly authentic.
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