Purpose-Driven Leadership

I have been meeting with a friend over the last several weeks to discuss leadership. What started as an opportunity to catch up has evolved to a deep dive into leadership. We have been exploring the role of servant leadership in a corporate environment and this has me thinking about purpose… why do we do what we do?

Leadership is influence. As leaders, if we are not willing to assume an influential role, then we have no business being in the leadership position to begin with. Influence simply suggests that we have some effect on others. This change can either be positive or not; it can be accomplished intentionally or by chance. If our leadership is going to have a bearing on those around us, don’t we have the responsibility to ensure that the affect we create is constructive?

This is the heart of servant leadership. Too often we think of this as always stepping up and doing… but it’s more about being than doing. It starts first with knowing ourselves and evolves to a point where our purpose, the reason we do what we do, is always for the betterment of those around us. Let’s explore this in my three principles of servant leadership.

Understanding Others

Before we can begin to understand others, we first must slow down and listen. Listen to what others are saying, listen to what other are asking, and most importantly, listen to the needs of those we serve. Effective leadership is developing a keen sense of awareness of the needs of others and then acting on those needs to advance both the individual and the organization. In deference to Albert Einstein, “Any fool can know others; the point is to understand others.” With this understanding evolves a level of empathy that allows leaders to share in the experiences and emotions of others.

Nurturing Others

Once understanding begins to take shape and our conceptualization of others becomes more defined, our role as leaders shifts to one of encouragement and support. Tom Peters said it best, “Management is about arranging and telling. Leadership is about nurturing and enhancing.” It is not enough simply to tell others they are valued and doing a good job, leaders must demonstrate this through engagement. Our presence indicates commitment and value, both of the task at hand and of the individual performing the task. Our involvement cultivates a deeper relationship that provides a foundation for leadership development... both in others as well as in us.

Growing Others

As a leader, I have always found it satisfying when someone I have mentored or supported receives an opportunity to advance in their career. The leadership role is one of stewardship – the careful responsibility of resources - whereby the greatest resource is that of the human kind. Like the parable of the talents in the New Testament, we are to grow the talents of those entrusted to our leadership. Warren Bennis states it this way, “Growing other leaders from the ranks isn’t just the duty of the leader, it’s an obligation.” Our obligation to others is to give them our best and to, in turn, expect the best from them. We do this not by burying the talents we collectively have, but by intentionally developing these talents together in a partnership of possibility and potential.

While some may argue that servant leadership can be considered a redundant term, the label serves as a reminder to us of the importance of these concepts in the leadership relationships we enjoy. These principles are progressive and build on one another as we evolve our servant leadership roles. It is the ultimate purpose of leadership to serve others. But, Friedrich Nietzsche warns, “To forget one’s purpose is the commonest form of stupidity.” What is your purpose? Why do you do what you do?

Tapping the Motivation Reserve

What do you think about when you hear the word “motivation?”

It often brings to mind coaches and athletes, parents and children, maybe even teachers and students. But in all of these scenarios, we assume motivation is something that is coached, shared, or taught. However, in the realm of leadership, motivation is better understood as an internal force that prompts us into action. I call this our motivation reserve.

Think about what prompts you to get up every day and go to work. It could be the money… or maybe the responsibility… something motivates you to get up. I think this same thing can be harnessed within our organizations as a means of getting others to be more active and take more pride in what they do. Our motivation is something that can be tapped and when brought out to its fullest potential, something that will keep individuals or groups active, creative, and having more fun. This is the motivation reserve and we all have it.

An ongoing problem facing leaders is that some people perform better than others. They work harder and are more successful in their roles within the organization. Sometimes we attribute this to their level of motivation. While this may be true to some degree, I believe the problem is deeper and lies in ones level of participation and engagement within the organization. Let’s explore this in terms of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. As we advance to our higher-order need of self-actualization, we must first satisfy our lower-order needs such as self-esteem, belongingness, security, and the basic need for survival. This is true in life as well as in organizations. Before our teams can evolve to a point of creativity and problem-solving, they must first be respected, be accepted, and be secure in the organizational environment. Too often we seek to jump straight to problem solving before we spend time developing the team.

When the lower-order needs are ignored in our organizations, motivation can become a problem. As leaders, we must recognize that everyone is motivated differently and that we need to adapt to their needs. We can accomplish this by following some simple techniques that will be useful as we tap into the motivation reserve of those around us.

1.           Study people around you and determine what makes them tick

2.           Be a good listener

3.           Criticize or reprimand constructively and in private

4.           Praise in public

5.           Be considerate

6.           Empower others with responsibility and let them lead

7.           Give credit where credit is due

8.           Avoid domination or forcefulness

9.           Show interest in and appreciation of others

10.        Play up the positive

11.        Be consistent

12.        Do not be afraid to ask for help

13.        Always be open to new ideas

14.        Be careful in what you say and how you say it

15.        Never forget leaders influence the culture of the organization

These simple suggestions are not new and certainly are not all-encompassing. However, they are consistent with Maslow’s Hierarchy as each one is complementary to one of the five needs. Getting others to do what needs to be done to accomplish organizational goals is what leadership is all about. Doing so in a manner that is inclusive and conscientious is critical. As leaders, if we commit ourselves to following these guidelines, we will be able to consistently tap into the motivation reserve others.