Gray Matter Musings

Most of you have heard the term “Servant Leadership” and its regularly touted as a preferred method of modern organizational leadership. However, in my own experience it is rarely implemented and even scarcer, practiced. That’s because servant leadership means “giving up control” and that is a difficult concept for many leaders to grapple with. Servant leadership entails empowering your people with the tools, skills, and knowledge necessary to make their own decisions (and perhaps mistakes), rather than being micro managed. It is only through this preparation and freedom that employees can find their voice, footing, and grow the necessary experience that allows them to flourish.

That’s not to say that servant leadership equates to a pep talk, pat on the back, and sending your people out on the field to fend for themselves. To serve your people, you must be engaged, as you are the coach in the dugout, ready and willing with a signal, timeout, or strategic play call that could empower your team toward success. However, at the end of the day, they are the players on the field and they must learn how to make plays. It is the inherent job of the servant leader (coach) to ensure those players are in the absolute best position to be successful and to be there, win or lose, with helpful feedback on how to improve for the next game!