The quality of answers
we get in life depends on the quality
of questions we ask! If you
have been following my blogs these last few weeks (http://outloudinc.blogspot.com/), you know I have been proposing that the only way we are going to turn around
toxic and unsafe workplaces, hospitals, schools, non-profits, etc. is if we ALL
adopt a Servant Leadership lifestyle.
When we do so, we will drastically reduce the negatives such as bullying,
harassment, and discrimination and increase the positives such as motivation,
quality, and innovation.
So how do you know if you are
really a powerful Servant Leader? That got me thinking out loud that I should
provide some key questions that we (and especially me!) should continually ask
ourselves and others about our leadership. We probably do not want to do this
because we may not like the answers we receive but for the benefit of others
and our own improvement, we probably should anyway!
Adopted from John Maxwell’s
newly released book, Developing the
Leader Within 2.0, which I will highlight further, he proposes 8 powerful questions
in the chapter The Heart of Leadership: Serving People. For the purpose
of this blog I have amended somewhat and divided them into two categories: 1. Questions
we should ask ourselves and 2. questions we should ask others.
4
Questions to ask YOURSELF
RESULTS
= What can I do to ADD VALUE to Others that will help us obtain the RESULTS desired?
(As I have
written about previously, Servant Leadership is focused on results but ones
that are mutually agreed upon and stated clearly and continuously. Leaders that
add value to others do with great intention. When is the last time you sat down
and thought about what opportunity, gesture, praise, etc. you could provide to
a member of your team or a co-worker?)
STRENGTHS
= What do I do BEST that Allows me to SERVE Best?
(Trust
me, I know you do a lot of things well
but what are your strengths that really makes an impact in the life of others? Think
about what you do best that gives you outstanding results in terms of leading and
serving others. Everyone one of us has gifts and talents but they are of no use
until they are given away.)
EXAMPLE
= Does my Service to Others INSPIRE them to Serve Others?
(One
of the best ways to know if you are effectively modeling Servant Leadership is
to look around and see if others are copying your example. Look around this
week, what do you see? The greatest gift you can give someone is living example
of what it means to be of value to someone.)
EVALUATION
= How do I KNOW I am Serving Others EFFECTIVELY?
(As
Robert Greenleaf would often share, one of the best metrics to determine if you
are serving others effectively is to determine if their lives are better, more
fulfilled, more successful, etc. as a direct result of their interactions
with you! Again, take a look around. Are the people around better, wiser, or
happier with you in their life?)
4
Questions to ask OTHERS
ADDING
VALUE = What can I do to help you SUCCEED?
(You
may have some very good ideas about this, but people define success differently
which is why you should be asking this and all these questions to not just
those that work for you but to colleagues, supervisors, and other stakeholders.
What do they need from you that will make their lives better, easier, or less stressful?)
EVERYDAY
= What do You Need from me DAILY?
(As
much as anything, leaders need to be consistent in their habits, attitudes, values,
and expectations. There is nothing worse than having the type supervisor where
you never know who you are going to get that day! I am sure my own team members
would wonder if they are getting Crazy Bill or Even Crazier Bill each day!
Seriously, Servant Leadership is not a “one-off”. Everyday, we need to affirm to
others that our desire as leaders is to help them succeed.)
IMPROVEMENT
= What can I WORK ON that will Help Me Serve You Better?
(Even
the best Servant Leaders can improve. In that the hallmark of effective Servant
Leaders is that they work to expand their capacities so that they can lead,
work, and serve to their highest potential! Leadership is not a one-size fits
all proposition. The people you work for, with, or work for you deserve your
best so work to be your best!)
BLIND
SPOTS = What is it LIKE to Work with Me?
(Wow, what
a great question John Maxwell proposes. I “double dog” dare you to ask the 3600
circle of influence around you this question. In fact, I would love it if you
would email me the date, context, and reactions your get when you ask folks
around you this question. This will take a lot of moral courage but the results
you obtain will be worth it. In fact, I will bet that even asking others
this question will propel your leadership to a whole new level in their eyes!)
Without a doubt, these are
some tough questions. But in the asking and listening to the answers, you can
change the trajectory of your life and leadership. Ann McGee Cooper and Duane
Tramwell in their article, From Hero as Leader to Servant as Leader, share
that the heroes of the new millennia will be servant leaders, quietly working
out of the spotlight to transform the world. The world is desperate for heroes
and role models. I encourage you to ask these tough but revealing questions and
use the answers to be the leader we all wish we had!
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 an independent
coach, speaker, and trainer for the John Maxwell Team, I am authorized to provide
training and/or a 6-week virtual mastermind study of Developing the Leader Within You 2.0.
This new work from John is a significantly updated version of the first title and one that I assert is probably the best general purpose Leadership Handbook currently
available. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of service to you!
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
For more information on the
John Maxwell Team, please visit
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