I love the concept of a
“Beyond You” leader and this was a conference theme of a great speaker event
called Leadercast. One of the regular speakers is Andy Stanley who shared “If
your leadership is NOT ABOUT YOU, its reach and impact will live far beyond
you. If your leadership is ALL ABOUT YOU, it will last only long enough to be
someone’s bad example.” This got me thinking out loud about what are the
qualities of a BEYOND YOU or Servant Leader.
Last week I had the privilege
of coordinating the attendance of over 200 collegiate attendees from 5 different
colleges and universities to attend the World Leaders Conference in West Palm
Beach Florida. It was an amazing two days of some of the most dynamic,
nationally known speakers and authors with SERVANT LEADERSHIP as its primary
theme. While waiting for the students to arrive for one of their lunch
sessions, I started to think about what typifies a “Beyond You” or Servant
Leader. Here is where I landed.
End of the Table:
“Me First” leaders love
being at the front of the table, either as the seat of authority or as close to
it as possible. They want to be close to the “cool kid(s)” so that others will
think they are one, too!
“Beyond You” or servant
leaders let others have that opportunity. They are secure and confident enough
in themselves that they neither need nor desire such recognition. They know
their work will always speak for itself. Now don’t get me wrong, you still get
to eat! This isn’t “be a martyr” leadership for goodness sake!
Back of the Room:
Many in the leadership
development world believe that it is all about being in the front of the room
and have others dig on you for an hour and a half! Taking credit and accolades
all at the same time.
Now whereas there is a time
and place for being in front of others, it should not be our consuming passion.
When I advised student groups and they put on programs and events, I loved
seeing them on stage in front of everyone. My role was to be there for support,
not the main attraction! Perhaps the best example of this was during the 1980
Winter Olympics when the underdog USA hockey team beat the powerhouse Soviets.
After the inspiring victory, US Coach Herb Brooks retreated to a hallway in the
arena while his players and the crowd celebrated their victory. He know it was
time for the players to shine, not him. He clearly was a “Beyond You” leader. This
is important to understand. The BEST leaders
work for success of others, not their own!
Last in Line:
“All About Me” types insist
on being first in line. They will shove, elbow, body check, etc. their way to
the front both literally and figuratively. They are the ultra-competitive types.
They somehow feel entitled to it due some perceived special role or status.
Servant Leaders on the other
hand have enough emotional maturity to know how little such things matter.
Often they are too busy creating their own lines for higher purposes! Author
and YouTube sensation, Simon Sinek, shared at the Leadercast event that the
culture of the US Marine Corps is just this way. It has been a long standing
tradition that still happens to this day that at meal time, the most junior
enlisted ranks eat first and the most senior general officers eat last. This is
the epitome of servant leadership when the most experienced and decorated officers
still look out for the needs of their people before theirs!
So here’s a quick test to
tell whether or not you are a servant leader. Just notice where you find
yourself at any given time – at the table, in the room, or waiting in line!
For more information about
the conferences I mentioned, go to:
As
always if I can help you and
the people you associate with Get Better, Be Ready and LEAD OUT LOUD, I would
invite you to email me or to visit my website below and see if any of the
training or coaching experiences I offer can provide an impact! Also, as a
bonus, if you go to my Out Loud Strategies website (www.outloudinc.com) and enter your
contact information, I will send you a FREE guide to establishing a mentoring
initiative program in your organization! Such an initiative would be critical
in order to add value to your organization!
Yours in Leadership,
Bill Faulkner
Principal Consultant –
Out Loud Strategies
Independent Coach,
Speaker, and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team TM
Email = bill@outloudinc.com
No comments:
Post a Comment