Why Leadership without Service Isn’t Leadership at All

In my previous role, the drawer to a filing cabinet in my office wouldn’t close properly, and it was driving me nuts. I tried to fix it, but I just couldn’t get those pesky edges to align. As I struggled, one of my coworkers at Neighborly—the late Mike Bidwell, who was then the CEO—came into the room to talk about the business. I admit I complained about how annoyed I was with my squeaky, misaligned drawer, but shrugged it off since we both had to get back to work. There was a mountain of tasks piling up on my desk.

The next morning, I flipped on my office light, and the drawer was miraculously fixed.

Mike had worked his magic that evening after everyone went home.

Some people may think leadership is the act of organizing people and processes for positive results. I think of leadership as the art of inspiring and influencing others to be their best version.  Mike took the time to fix my drawer because he knew it would improve my working environment, which would help me better serve the team. By putting people at the center of all they do, servant leaders make a significant difference.

If there was ever a gold star example of servant leadership, it was Mike.

Create a Culture of Humility—Not Fear

At some point in your career, you’ve likely encountered a boss or manager who leads by fear, drumming up negative scenarios to keep the teams “inspired” to work hard.  While that mindset might make teams spring into action to avoid negative consequences, those tactics don’t empower positivity, loyalty, or job satisfaction. When the leader leaves the environment, the work usually declines. No one is inspired. No one cares. And no one is motivated to bring their best to work.

I’ve seen some traditionally minded leaders who think they need to be stern, stoic, or tucked away alone in the corner office to earn respect. The opposite is true. A servant leader shows employees they care by interacting and listening. A servant leader believes that all voices are welcome. Everyone matters. And when you treat employees like the wonderful people they are, it makes them proud to be a part of the organization.

Focus on Giving, Not Getting

Even if your business is in a competitive or high-pressure industry, you can cultivate a service-minded leadership style. At BNI^Ⓡ one of the Core Values we follow is Givers Gain^Ⓡ, which reminds us that a leader must be willing to give first, before expecting to gain. Simply focus on what you can give to others rather than what you can get from them.

Servant leaders have an attitude of humility and honesty. When those qualities become a part of the organizational culture, employees feel respected, and they return the sentiment. Strong teams will follow those leaders they want to learn from and who they aspire to become.

What Servant-Leadership Looks Like

Servant leaders tend to have several qualities that help define their management style. They’re thoughtful listeners. They show how they care without just talking about it. They don’t shy away from tough conversations because they know addressing issues that lead to improvement and growth will be beneficial in the long term. They interact with their teams in the office and even after hours. And most importantly, servant leaders know that the shadow they cast sets the example for others to follow.

I’ve never understood why some leaders resist the servant mindset. I suppose it’s because they’re taking a short-sighted view of their immediate career rather than a long-term view of making a difference. But here’s what I know to be true: An organization built on serving one another, serving the customer, and serving the community will grow and stay around for the long run. And that opens the drawer to greater opportunities.

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Mary Kennedy Thompson, CEO of BNI® (Business Network International)—the world’s largest and most successful business referral network.