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Four Steps to Greater Servant Leadership

Servant LeadershipImagine your team members happy, dedicated and passionate about their jobs. They can't wait to get to work in the morning and are always striving to do their best. It's the perfect scenario, but, unfortunately, only possible if you have a budget the size of Texas, right?

Actually, no! Being able to have a dream team working right alongside you is highly achievable, and it all begins with a simple concept that is thousands of years old. Servant leadership has been practiced in churches for many, many years. In fact, references to putting the needs of others before your own are mentioned throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.

It can work for your business, too, no matter your size. Dave and his leaders have been practicing it for years, and he credits it for much of the success of his business. To get you started on your own journey to servant leadership, we've listed a few of the principles that you can put in place today. Give them a try! They're not complicated, time-consuming or expensive.

1. Follow the Golden Rule
Servant leadership is as simple as following the golden rule: "Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:31). Handle all interactions with your team by putting yourself in their shoes, and then act the way you'd want to be treated. When you would expect to be praised, praise. When there's a problem you would expect help with, lend a hand.

2. Act With Grace
The best way to handle any negative situation is to act with grace. For example, if you have to reprimand a team member, never embarrass them. Talk to the person privately and promptly, and always remember how you would feel if you were being admonished.

3. Give Praise
For the majority of your team members, money isn't the chief motivator; they just want a sense of accomplishment for a job well done. People, no matter what age, yearn for approval, and the best way to make them feel appreciated is sincere praise. So make sure you are always on the lookout for people doing something right instead of focusing on mistakes or failure, and be sure to let the team member know they are doing a good job. Don't be stingy with your praise. The person who helps a fellow worker in time of need deserves as much gratitude as your superstar salesperson.

4. Treat Them With Dignity
People also have the need to be treated with dignity. At Dave's office, there are no time-clock-punchers. He believes there is no dignity in doing just enough work to collect a check. Make it clear that your team members' work is important to you and your company. It allows them to buy into your dream and work with passion.

By serving your team members with respect, dignity and a caring heart, success will naturally follow, and you'll become a true EntreLeader. It's the best way to grow your business. In fact, in the long run, it's the only way.