Ten Tips for Great Results Through Serving
Self-serving feels safe, but it’s a lonely dead-end.
Have you ever heard anyone say, “My purpose in life is to serve myself?” Yet, we all know self-absorbed, self-serving leaders.
Successful leaders dare to serve. The more people you serve the more successful you are.
5 ways to dare to serve:
- Believe, with hard work, you bring value to others. Serving isn’t drifting.
- Give first. The difference between leaders and followers is who moves first.
- Give generously. An open hand is more powerful than a closed fist.
- Allow others to serve you. Receptivity is healthy. In healthy cultures, serving establishes enriching relationships where we serve each other. Leaders who won’t allow others to serve them propagate unbalanced organizational cultures.
- Out-serve others. Create a culture where people commit to give more than they receive – to out-serve. When someone serves you, ask, “How can I serve them?”
Leaders who dare to serve, give more value than they receive.
5 tips from the CEO of Popeye’s for leaders who Dare to Serve:
Cheryl Bachelder, CEO of Popey’s®, has written a fabulous book titled, “Dare to Serve: How to Drive Superior Results by Serving Others.”
- Commit to serve others well. Embrace the idea that leadership is service.
- Think positively about the people you lead.
- Make conscious decisions to lead differently than difficult leaders. Everyone has negative leader stories. What don’t you want to be like?
- Choose the most important people to serve. Is it owners, bosses, customers, or employees? You serve all, but who is most important?
- Love those you lead. Seek their highest good. List the specific qualities you love in the people you lead.
*Adapted from, “Dare to Serve.”
What’s important about serving, from your point of view?
What makes serving a challenge?
I think it’s the little habits that count, never disparage colleagues in public, acting with integrity when you could do otherwise. Those statements via action translate down the command chain.
To serve well, you have to care and caring takes courage. If you truly care you put the well being of others before yourself, as our military and public safety officers know all to well. To the leaders in government who are willing to speak the truth, even when it may cost them an election, to the government workers who donate their time when budgets can’t afford to pay them, to the people in business who serve their customers well, because they care more about their customers than increasing their profit margins – to all these and more, I have the greatest admiration. You are the most courageous people I have met in my life.
J…your comments characterize a perfect description of professionalism: When we do our work so well that the people we serve don’t know if it’s our job or…our nature.
Awesome post, i totally agree with your assessment!
>> What’s important about serving, from your point of view? <<
See serving as a privilege, not an obligation…