How we change what others think, feel, believe and do |
Why Servant Leadership Is Slightly Off, And What to Do Instead
Guest articles > Why Servant Leadership Is Slightly Off, And What to Do Instead
by: Lisa Earle McLeod
What constitutes a great leader? Is it charisma? Someone with a great vision who fearlessly leads the team up the hill? Or perhaps it’s servant leadership, a humble leader who patiently and selflessly puts him or herself into the service of others? Leadership is the most overanalyzed, thoroughly dissected, and utterly confusing topic in business. From trust falls to ropes courses people are always looking for activities and metaphors that symbolize great leadership. Servant leadership is the current trend, but personally, I don’t like the term, in fact, I loath it. While I’m in absolute agreement with the principles of servant leadership, whenever I hear the phrase “servant leader,” I envision a long-suffering manager wearily going about their job with no spark or power whatsoever. Charismatic leadership seems sexier, but it’s a breeding ground for narcissism. But after years of searching, I’ve finally found a leadership metaphor that fits: Leaders Open Doors. It comes courtesy of leadership expert Bill Treasurer. In his new book, Leaders Open Doors: A Radically Simple Leadership Approach to Lift People Profits, and Performance, Treasurer provides a model that is both humble and powerful. The concept for “Leaders Open Doors” came out of a short conversation with his son. Treasurer writes, “My five-year-old son, Ian, is a preschooler at the Asheville Montessori School in Asheville, North Carolina, where we live. Each Monday his teachers pick one person to be the “class leader” for the day. I only became aware of this because one sunny afternoon Ian came bounding up the stairs proclaiming, “Guess what, Daddy—I got to be the class leader today!” Being the class leader would be a big deal for any five-year-old kid. For
Ian, who is used to playing second fiddle to his more dominant firstborn twin
brother and sister, Alex and Bina, being selected as the first fiddle was even
more special. Ian’s exuberance caught my attention. The aim of the book is simple: “to help you open doors of opportunity for the people you lead.” But just because the idea is simple doesn’t mean it’s easy. Open door leadership takes work. It requires mastering the duality of power and service, being both confident and humble at the same time. It also means helping your people become more confident and pulling through opportunity rather than pushing through fear. Treasurer provides a powerful reframe of a quality that is still in short supply: leadership. Because at the end of the day, the world still need more great leaders. Lisa Earle McLeod is a sales leadership consultant. Companies like Apple, Kimberly-Clark and Pfizer hire her to help them create passionate, purpose-driven sales forces. She the author of several books including Selling with Noble Purpose: How to Drive Revenue and Do Work That Makes You Proud, a Wiley publication, released Nov. 15, 2012. She has appeared on The Today Show, and has been featured in Forbes, Fortune and The Wall Street Journal. She provides executive coaching sessions, strategy workshops, and keynote speeches. More info: www.LisaEarleMcLeod.com Lisa's Blog How Smart People Can Get Better At Everything Copyright 2013 Lisa Earle McLeod. All rights
reserved. Contributor: Lisa Earle McLeod Published here on: 02-Jun-13 Classification: Development, leadership Website: www.LisaEarleMcLeod.com |
Site Menu |
| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings | |
Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories | |
Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help | |
More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook | Feedback | Sitemap | Changes | |
Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate | |
| Home | Top | Menu | Quick Links | |
|