Servant Leadership: Why & How You Should Incorporate It

Everyone defines leadership differently, but there are a few things that remain constant. Here at Project Millennium, we categorize a leader as someone who acts with intent; intention with their words, intention with their actions, and intention with their thoughts. What remains constant when defining good leadership is discipline and structure, along with drive. No matter what characteristics you equate to leadership, having a strong leadership style can help you be successful long-term. Here at Project Millennium, we believe in order to perform at your best, your leadership style needs to be on point!

Traditional leadership styles are not your only option. You can create a unique style to fit what works best for your own personality, skills, and work environment. Today we are going to dive into the idea of servant leadership and share a few ideas you can incorporate into your leadership style!

LISTENING: Become the best listener you can be.

We live in a world where communication is everything! No matter what role you are in, communication is going to make up the majority of it. We all know how to talk, but listening is the real key in communication. The first principle of servant leadership is listening, and we can see why. When you truly listen, you can give clear direction and understand the needs of those under your supervision better. When you know what others need, it allows you to communicate effectively, becoming more productive. Listening with intent and focus allows you to do all of this!

AWARENESS: Having awareness of yourself and others.

Having self-awareness, as well as awareness of the people around you, is a key factor in servant leadership. When you are aware of your surroundings, you are able to see things some might miss. You can understand strengths, weakness, and areas that need development. By identifying these key items, you can use them to your advantage. This will help you find success by allowing you to operate at maximum performance!

PERSUASION: Using persuasion as a tool in compliance.

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Servant leaders use persuasion, along with corporation, to get others to comply. Other traditional leadership styles use delegation, authority, or even coercion to get others to follow their lead. This take can sometimes be viewed as aggressive, and does not tend to motivate others. When you center your style on a team-like atmosphere, you find others are more willing to give it their all. By utilizing persuasion, you can get others to work together for the common good!

FORESIGHT: Being able to see the big picture.

Foresight is the ability to predict what will happen or what will be needed in the future. This is an ideal skill to possess as a leader! We must take the lessons from the past and learn from them, while still keeping our eye on the future, while realizing we are in the present. When you learn how to use foresight to your advantage, you can create a vision for yourself and your team and lead them towards it. Keep your eye on the prize and believe in the process. As a leader, having a vision is key. By utilizing foresight into your leadership style, you will be one step closer to turning that vision into a reality.

Whether you’re a newer leader or a seasoned veteran, there is always room for improvement when it comes to leadership. Our core focus here at Project Millennium is developing better leaders through structured, situational training, and of course, by example. How do you develop better business leaders around you? Share in the comments below!