SERVANT LEADERSHIP & BUILDING TRUST
Servant Leadership is the difference between good and great, in the military or any organization.
Leading by example (Action, not words) has always been the most important trait of a leader, but you must believe and live it. It can't be an act. The first person you must lead is yourself. Humble wins. Leading by example is sort of easy, but being sincere and truly humble is hard. Humble does not mean thinking less of yourself; it means thinking of yourself less, and that’s hard. Humble does not mean agreeing with people. It means being a good listener, having forums, and putting yourself in situations where people feel comfortable talking and discussing things with you.
Being humble takes preparation. Knowing a person’s first or nickname, name of their spouse, kids, something they are involved in, something about the work they are involved with builds trust and respect. Leaders need to demonstrate they care about people enough to invest some time in really knowing them and can appreciate what they do. It can’t be an act, a “technique,” you have to care. Think back when you were younger and you realized, "somebody important" knew your name and recognized you and the work you were doing. Remember the effect that had on you.
Be vigilant on how others perceive you. How you are perceived is who you are, not how you perceive yourself. You must be yourself, but you must have the situational awareness of the touchpoints and the quality of the touchpoints you have with people. Most encounters are snapshots and most people’s opinions of you are based on indirect observations, snapshots and observations by others and their interpretation of you. Thus, communication must be consistent no matter who you are talking to.
Building trust is based on a culture of transparency, moral courage, and most importantly, humility. It's the courage to make tough calls when they need to be made. People respect that, after you have earned their respect. People appreciate candor and honest feedback. If someone asks a question, you must provide an answer, and you must be honest. The answer must be actionable, in some way. Don't give answers you think folks want to hear. They will figure out pretty quickly if you are saying something and do not intend to follow through. When you do that, it destroys their faith/trust in you and the system. Give folks the answer they need, the reality. Too many leaders, all too often, nod their heads when talking to people. Pretty soon, they stop talking to you- bad for any organization. Listen, discuss, but be truthful and don't leave things unsaid. Convince folks by your actions that you are not interested in being right, but that you are only interested in getting it right. Truly treat people with respect, not lip service. Always act like who you are, not what your position is. Make decisions based on the best answer, not on who the audience is.
RLTW!
mike