Lessons in Servant Leadership
In today’s business world, as leaders of large institutions search for solutions to the massive challenges we are facing, it’s important for them to remember- you are either a part of the solution or a part of the problem.
When I was a young boy, my dad constantly reminded me that you are either a part of the solution or a part of the problem. There was no grey, no in between, no room for compromise. As I grew older, this discussion evolved from homework and chores to community service. We are all in this together would be his guidance when I found myself choosing between basketball with friends or registering voters. It really wasn’t a choice. I came to understand that my father, an elected official for most of my life, was less politician, more servant leader.
Growing up, rare family time was regularly halted by the crisis of the day in the form of collect calls from upstate New York prisons to local domestic violence emergencies. I can’t think of an instance where we didn’t answer the phone, get up from a meal, or interrupt vacation to all pitch in. At a young age, all of my siblings became servant leaders, pencil and pad by the phone, taking detailed notes about whatever the issue was. By age ten, you knew to accept every collect call then quickly assess the situation. The operator’s collect preamble instantly meant the call was from an inmate and they didn’t have much time to talk. We needed the correct spelling of name, ID number, and brief description of the challenge. Get to the facts and repeat them back. Other calls were more difficult.
Early in my career, I remember really screwing up a tense negotiation and a senior manager was understandably angry. I immediately took responsibility. He quickly advised me that the key to your success in this company is to make my problems your problems, and never the other way around. This exchange happened in a flash, but it was an incredibly valuable experience. The message underscored the company ethos and his values at an intensively competitive time.
These teaching moments were all important tools for navigating life’s stressful situations. From my old boss, the lesson was to put his interests above all others. From my father, it was to place service above self. All of these lessons serve my children well today. They too, at a young age, became servant leaders.
In today’s business world, as leaders of large institutions search for solutions to the massive challenges we are facing, it’s important for them to keep my dad’s first lesson top of mind — you are either a part of the solution or a part of the problem.
Transformational leaders now appear to be divesting from generations of blaming the victim, as the data insists we can only succeed together. In the midst of the pressures of today, real transformational leaders are now thinking — the key to our success as a nation, is to make your problem my problem, and never the other way around. My father would say — that’s a start.
