12 Truths About Being An Effective Servant Leader

Alan Stein Jr. in his incredible new book Raise Your Game: High-Performance Secrets From The Best Of The Rest, says, “True leaders serve their people, not the other way around.  Leaders make themselves available and accessible to those they lead.  Being a servant leader is about understanding your people’s desires and responding to their needs.  It is an antidote to the brute force management style that is outdated and ineffective.  A servant leader emphatically listens, remains open and adaptable, and is willing to get his hands dirty in the service of the vision and the culture.”

There is no sustainable leadership model other than servant leadership.  Alan’s thoughts shed some light in this area and teach us the following 12 Truths About Being An Effective Servant Leader:

1. The Primary Focus Of Servant Leaders Is Others – Alan wrote, “True leaders serve their people, not the other way around.”
2. Servant Leaders Are Available – A leader’s greatest ability is often their availability.  They have an open-door policy.  Alan pointed out, “Leaders make themselves available.”
3. Servant Leaders Are Accessible – Being available to your teams is not enough.  You must also be actively engaged.  Alan added, “Leaders make themselves accessible.”
4. Servant Leaders Understand The Desires Of The People – To effectively lead anyone, you must first know what they laugh about, cry about, and dream about.  He said, “Being a servant leader is about understanding your people’s desires.”
5. Servant Leaders Provide Solutions To The Issues People Face – Servant leaders solve problems.  Alan pointed out, “Being a servant leader is about responding your people’s needs.”
6. Servant Leaders Are Relevant – Let’s face it, some leadership styles are no longer productive.  Alan notes, “It is an antidote to the brute force management style that is outdated and ineffective.”
7. Servant Leaders Are Great Listeners – The most underrated skill of great leaders is listening skills.  Alan said, “A servant leader emphatically listens.”
8. Servant Leaders Are Humble – They don’t think they know it all.  Servant leaders are curious and continual learners.  As Alan observed, “A servant leader remains open.”
9. Servant Leaders Adapt – People’s needs continually change.  Therefore, servant leaders must be adaptable to meet those changing needs.  Alan is so right when saying, “A servant leader is adaptable.”
10. Servant Leaders Lead By Example – One of the costs of leadership is the leader must always go first.  Alan noted, servant leaders must be “willing to get his hands dirty.”
11. Servant Leaders Have A Great Vision – and this vision is to make life better for others.  Alan said one of the places leaders must get their hands dirty “in the service of the vision.”
12. Servant Leaders Establish Culture… And It Is A Culture Of Service – “and the culture.”

What is one thing you learned about servant leadership from Alan’s comments above?

Also, I highly recommend you get a copy of Alan’s excellent performance and leadership book by clicking HERE or the image above.

My book Timeless: 10 Enduring Practices Of Apex Leaders is available for purchase.  If you have ever wanted to become the leader God created you to be, this book is for you!  By combining leadership lessons from biblical heroes like Jesus, Daniel and Joseph, along with modern day leaders like Bill Gates, Nick Saban, Kobe Bryant and multiple pastors, Timeless will equip and inspire you.  This book is not to be read alone.  Discussion questions are included in each chapter allowing you to develop those in your circle of influence.  Click HERE or on the image provided and order your copies TODAY.