Service!
Almost fifteen years ago, my manager called me a “servant leader” and explained to me what it was and why he thought I was one. All I was doing was helping those around me. The term stuck with me because it applies to many of the best leaders I had the privilege to work with and learn from.
Servant Leadership was first coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in his essay “The Servant as a leader”. While we can analyze it, break it down into complicated frameworks and principles, the underlying philosophy is really simple. What matters is positively making a difference in others’ lives, and they achieve this by putting the needs of others before their own. Leaders who truly “serve” their teams are servant leaders. That’s it! Great leaders rank service as their first priority. Leaders who operate with a principle of “I’m here to serve,” build better teams that are missionary.
Service or to serve is relevant for all of us as individuals, members of a family, friends, community members, on teams or as leaders. Individuals who approach life with an intent to serve thrive naturally as servant leaders.
Servant leaders are
humble yet confident in their capabilities. They can be quiet introverts but that introversion doesn’t mean they’re weak or shy. Do not mistake their working in the background as lack of expertise. Their need to shine the light on others is more important for them.
have grit, are resilient, and are powered by a sense of purpose. By not feeling like they have to prove themselves, servant leaders set aside temporary dissatisfaction, ultimately leading to more success.
display both the strength and confidence to know when to be a strong voice. Not every situation demands assertion but they will stand strong when it comes to others.
In Good to Great, Jim Collins shares about how “Level 5 Leaders” are instrumental in transforming a good company into a great one. He shares that only those leaders who work towards building something larger than themselves are or can become Level 5 leaders. In other words, those who are here to serve others before themselves can be Level 5 leaders. Those who work towards their own success, fame, fortune, etc., can't be. "Level 5 leaders display a powerful mixture of personal humility and indomitable will. They're incredibly ambitious, but their ambition is first and foremost for the cause, for the organization and its purpose, not themselves." -jimcollins.com
Adam Grant’s book Give and Take shares that “givers” are generally compelled to give their time, energy, skills, and knowledge to others. While this instinct might seem detrimental to their growth in the short term, they continue to do so because this helps their need to serve. Adam Grant shows how this actually helps them in the long run. Servant leaders can experience a mixed perception in the workplace but more and more organizations are beginning to appreciate such leaders.
Servant leadership is one of the most critical skill for a product leader. A PM or a product leader is there to serve - the needs of our customers, our teams, our business and the world. PMs who embrace this attitude will thrive. Deborah Liu talks about this for PMs really well at
In a world where empathy, kindness, authenticity, impact, and vulnerability are being expected of leaders, those who are able to “serve” are also seeing more success in the long run. It is becoming structurally important for companies to cultivate servant leadership, highlighting the humble, effective leaders even more than the loud, flashy ones. This is because, Servant leaders lead with purpose, inspire their teams more than others ultimately leading to more profound impact in the world.
This is the “Why” behind the name of this newsletter. I hope all of you can take this journey with me to serve those others, to be a helping hand.