Servant
Leadership
Here is an absolute fact: Leadership is difficult! The challenges are immense. Each day brings a new, complex issue. Whether it is a personnel matter, an unexpected emergency, or a variety of other challenges, leaders must be nimble and have a strong leadership team assisting them.
I assist many leaders who are articulate, smart, energetic and have an incredible bandwidth to handle a myriad of issues. No one, however, can handle every issue by themselves.
When a disaster or crisis hits, many leaders realize their teams are unprepared for the challenges because they lack the necessary skills to navigate these issues. It is during these times that quality leaders falter because they have failed to take the time to invest in their teams before an incident.
There are many ways leaders can invest in their teams. Training is usually the most commonly mentioned, but taking time to assign special projects, grow talent, and mentoring of team members will prepare them and the organization for the challenges ahead.
I recently spoke to a leader who is focused on his legacy. I advised him that legacies are only established through exceptional service, which comes from great teams, and that the most important part of a legacy is to ensure the next generation is ready to lead and take the organization to an elevated level!
This can only be accomplished by leaders who persistently and continually invest in their team members.
Comments