The Future of Contact Center Leadership – What Needs To Be Changed
A true leader keeps changing and improving as and when the situation demands.
Leadership
Why is integrity the foundation of effective leadership?
Here is how integrity leads to effective leadership.
Building Your Leadership Bench in Today’s Work Culture. How Etech is Setting the Pace?
Building a leadership bench that stays true to today’s work culture is a priority of every organization. Leading companies are investing in activities that can help curate an effective leadership bench.
Servant Leadership: A Tool of Vital Importance for a Growing Organization
Servant leadership is based on the idea that great leaders possess a serve-first mindset that focuses on knowing what their team members need to actualize the organization’s vision.
Servant Leadership in Modern Workplace: It’s About Others Before You
Over the years, the concept of leadership has morphed into many forms. It is no longer presumed for just the top executive members.
The Heart of Leadership: Exemplifying Servant Leadership
Many leaders and aspiring leaders want to impact and leave behind a legacy for making a difference in their organization.
How servant leadership stands out from traditional leadership?
As challenges in the workplace continue to evolve alongside the needs of team members, forward-thinking leaders are always looking for new solutions.
How to Keep Your People Motivated Using Servant Leadership?
Servant leadership methods are intrinsically motivating and can boost productivity, profitability, morale, and team member retention rates.
Accountability – A Critical Character Commitment For Achieving Winning Results
Have you ever heard the saying hindsight is 20/20? For most of us, when we look back on our lives we will often reflect on times where we wished we would have handled things differently or taken heed to advice from those around us. Living close to Houston, I am a bandwagon Houston Rockets fan. There is something special about going to a live game that taps into all your senses. Vibrant colors, thundering music, the smell of popcorn, and of course the comradery of countless cheering fans rallying their team to victory.
How do you Create a People-Centric Culture at the Organizational Level?
Through the high-tech revolution and capital shifts, you might think that machines are doing almost everything and human input is becoming less important to the organization. Simply put, in these times human connection is even more critical. With the growth of AI as a tool, the most complex work is now handled by your team. With shifting responsibilities, empowering your leadership, and appreciating individual team members at all levels of your organization’s workforce is fundamental. Human resources are vital to your company’s success and treating your people accordingly will boost their morale and inspire them to be more committed to achieving the company’s goals. This will not only set the workplace apart from competitors, but it will also generate success and maximum growth for your company. The best companies have realized this and are continually committed to developing a people-centric culture at the organizational level to make positive impacts and progress.
How do You Build Long-Lasting Successful Teams?
Great leadership is a crucial building block to develop great teams. Leaders, with a sensible approach toward leadership, have the ability to establish an exceptional standard of team spirit among their people. Team building is all about a keen understanding of your people. For example, what are their strengths , and how can they be motivated to work with one another. You can overcome your biggest obstacles if you have a team that shares a common goal and works together to achieve it. When a team works together, they perform and excel. A team, that acknowledges clear, shared goals, knows what they need to do to move forward and can accomplish those goals, together.
Leadership Courage in this Moment: Be Encouraged
When crisis hits, it is critical to have alignment around key priorities that can be used to guide decision making, and to communicate these priorities clearly, widely and often. Once that is done, the real work begins. How to meet priorities can often become a point of friction under the best of circumstances. Throw in a time of crisis and it can truly feel overwhelming. Take heart and be certain…there will always be times of uncertainty. Whether dealing with changes to technology, process, economic pressures, resource gaps, political discord, catastrophic weather events, global pandemics, or any combination of unsavory hardships be encouraged. While this may sound strange to you, there is a method to the madness. Here is what you need to know. YOU are and can be the right leader for this moment. Anything worthwhile is uphill…meaning it comes through challenge, friction, resistance and quite frankly a lot of hard work. Do not be detoured by this; let it fuel you. YOU are uniquely qualified for this moment…that is why you are here. This is an uphill battle, but you are not alone on this journey. Success will not come overnight. If it did the endeavor was not that worthwhile to begin with. No, true success will only come with the unrelenting pursuit of forward progress. One step at a time, one day at a time break through moments are right ahead. Commit to do the work and carry the load. It won’t be easy but you do hard things and you find ways to do them better than anyone else continually. Make this your super-power! Where to start? It begins with you. In this moment focus on three things to position yourself and those you lead for success. 1.) Reachhigh – Don’t put limits on yourself or your team. Instead, be encouraged to transform. Like The Little Engine That Could chants over and over, “I think I can, I think I can”, listen to that inner voice and know you can. The vision you have for ultimate achievement for yourself and your team…the one you are afraid to even dare dream? Yes, that’s the one now is the moment to reach for it! Opportunity is born in times of adversity for those with the courage to stretch, grow and reach beyond current circumstances. Make the decision, now is your time to reach high. 2). Reach long– Simon Sinek talks about an Infinite Mindset. This isn’t striving for peaks only to be followed by valleys, rinse and repeat. In fact, it’s not a single destination at all which will define success. Instead it is knowing you and your team are meant for far greater things perpetually and to have this perpetual mindset. In this moment, focus less on numbers and more on the behaviors that drive these numbers and do this with consistency. What am I saying? Great empathy statements drive CSAT, asking for the sale drives conversion, reading disclosures ensures compliance and reduces cancels, role playing these behaviors with your team correctly builds confidence and competence. The list goes on and on. Focus on building skills that link to what you need to accomplish. There is no limit to what you can achieve, the secret is in the effort and the journey…keep going, keep building and keep reaching long. 3). Reach back– One of the most important things we are called to do is to care for those we have the privilege and responsibility to lead. Be the one to lift others up. Every person has an important story. Every person goes through things in their lives that will shape who they are, how they see things, and how they respond to different events. Know your team and be intentional about building your connection in a meaningful way to meet them where they are. This heart/mind leadership is one of the most important life skills you must develop as a leader. Nobody cares how much you know…until they know how much you care. As servant leaders we can serve without leading, but we cannot lead well without serving. To do this we must extend a hand to support, to equip, to guide, to teach, to prepare, to correct, to inspire, and to lift. Whether it is in person or virtually is not what is important in this moment. The significance is in the action. You can be creative and mix up the tools you use. Virtual meetings like those on TEAMS are great ways to meet individuals as well as groups around the globe and build connection personally and professionally. We live in a virtual world and building community by leveraging technology is easier now than ever before. There are many platforms to choose from. Phone, video chat, email and text can also be a part of your connection strategy. Be clear, be transparent, and most importantly be there to care for your team…reach back. There is a greater purpose to why you are here, and who you are called to be. This moment is not easy; it will not be easy. You do hard things. This is why you are the right leader for this moment, and your best days are right ahead. Reach high, reach long, reach back to lift others and be encouraged!
Why is Leadership Training Important at the Organizational Level?
What makes a great leader? Although there is no one single answer to this question, there are some crucial qualities that ideal leaders should have in common. Great leaders should be secure in their role and in their ability to inspire others and do their jobs. They must be able to play the roles of not only advocates but also mentors and coaches. How can leaders get to this point? Leadership Training is the answer! Leadership training not only benefits team members, but it is also essential to the organization. When you decide to promote someone to a leadership role, you’re probably already well aware of their abilities, work ethic, and their drive for success, but how much do you know about their leadership skills and preparedness to lead a team? It’s really difficult to tell if they haven’t been in a leadership position ever before. Your team members that excel in their current roles may fail when it comes to leadership. Even the team members that have the best intentions and all the potential to succeed as a leader are going to struggle in their transition and question themselves of whether they have what it takes to be a good leader. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t promote new leaders, but that you need to ensure you do everything you can to prepare them for their leadership roles and give them guidance through the transition. This is where leadership training at the organizational level is crucial. You must equip your new leaders with the knowledge and experience to start them off on the right foot, and this can be achieved with training. Leadership training will help them understand the role of a leader, let them become accustomed to the responsibilities and duties of being a leader, and identify what truly makes a great leader. Even more great reasons why leadership training is vital in today’s organizations: To Increase Productivity If you train your leaders in practical leadership skills, it will enhance the productivity of your workforce. Transitioning to a leadership role can come with a steep learning curve, but leadership training can significantly diminish this curve. A leader that comes into their role with knowledge and confidence will have a positive influence on the efficiency and effectiveness of their team. Empowered leaders can provide direction to team members and ensure they are performing at or above expectations. Leadership training also sharpens problem-solving skills which means your trained leaders will be able to better handle assessing the problems that arise, managing conflicts, and providing practical solutions. To Nurture Future Leaders Leadership training is crucial at the organizational level to develop future leaders. . Ideal leaders are meant to be the powerhouse to which team members and associates turn for advice and direction. The abilities of leaders to communicate well and inspire and encourage team members increase their productivity while providing people with a more enjoyable environment to work in. So, it’s important to train and nurture future leaders with progressive leadership training. You want to provide adequate training to your people so that they develop the skills they need to fit the leadership roles that become available and take on those positions effectively. To Improve Risk Management Organizations worldwide know that an element of risk is always present in every business. So, it’s a smart idea to train future and current leaders in risk management so that they are able to tackle the demanding situations that come unexpectedly. . Critical situations require quick action and strategic thinking. A leader that has training and preparation on how to handle these circumstances will know how to approach the issue and take it step by step, resulting in a much better outcome than a leader with no or very little training in risk management. To Develop Better Emotional Intelligence Emotional intelligence is one of the crucial personality traits that make a truly great leader. . The right understanding of how emotions affect others ensures people lead in an efficient and considerate way. So, it is recommended to put a strong emphasis on the element of emotional intelligence while conducting leadership training programs because it directly influences the performance of team members and leaders. To Foster Project Leadership The sufficient level of project leadership skills is crucial because without that, leaders will likely struggle to handle the different aspects of a project and its overall success of implementation. It’s easy for a project to get off course, over budget and miss deadline after deadline without the proper training or experience in project management. This could result in a substantial loss to the business. And it will also affect the morale of team members because of misguidance and magnified stress. Don’t underestimate the importance of empowering your leaders with the development of project leadership skills. ; It will help them better manage their teams and close projects efficiently on time. On the organizational level, the increased efficiency will lead to an enhancement of the company’s overall productivity, resulting in higher profits. To Improve Team Members’ Retention Today’s organizations can improve the retention rate of their people by providing leadership training that focuses on developing great leaders. And great leaders are those who team members want to follow. If your people don’t feel connected, recognized, or appreciated at their workplace, they will eventually move on. These negative perceptions are directly related to the leadership around your people. According to Forbes, a Harvard Business Review survey reveals 58 percent of people say they trust strangers more than their own boss. Moreover, Global studies revealed that 79 percent of people who quit their jobs cite ‘lack of appreciation’ as their reason for leaving. In addition, Forbes has further put forward that according to The Conference Board, 53 percent of Americans are currently unhappy at work.” These alarming statistics clearly reveal where organizations are failing when it comes to retaining their people. So, it is the responsibility of employers to develop leaders who know how to communicate with and
I Have Got Problems
It is an undesired still an undeniable fact that there many problems that we all continuously face within our work and life. Sometimes, it seems we never have enough time to solve each one without dealing with some adversity along the way. The problems in our lives keep mounting so fast that we often look for shortcuts to alleviate the tension points temporarily – so we can move onto the next challenge. But, this process doesn’t help us solve the core of each problem that we are dealing with; thus, we continuously get into a never-ending cycle that doesn’t lead us to any real resolutions. Sound familiar? However, speaking about the leaders like us, problem-solving is considered as the critical essence of what we exist to do. As leaders, one of our primary goals is to effectively work through the problem and learn along the way. I believe a solution-oriented method provides us with enough courage to tackle them head-on before circumstances force our hand. We must remain resilient in our quest to create and sustain momentum for the organization and the people we serve. But the reality of today’s workplaces is that we must often deal with people that complicate matters with their corporate politicking, self-promotion, power-plays and ploys, and envy. Still, to become a great leader, we must overcome these obstacles and rise as an efficient problem solver. Great leaders are patient enough in work and life to step back and see the problem at-hand through broadened observation; a 360-degree vision. They see around, beneath, and beyond the problem itself. They see well-beyond the obvious. In today’s world, most effective leaders approach problems through a lens of opportunity to create a significant impact on their teams and families both. As a leader, we should never view a problem as a distraction, but rather as a strategic enabler for continuous improvement and opportunities previously unseen. However, there is a common misconception that leaders merely manage creative efforts; rather than become active participants in the process. But the reality is that leaders, it seems, play a crucial role in the creative problem-solving process. The critical leadership skills that they possess can significantly affect the quality of the innovative outcome. Consequently, as organizations increasingly depend on new products and processes to fuel their future, creative problem-solving stands as a critical leadership skill. It helps leaders have a clear idea about the problem to be solved, which makes it easier for team members to produce potential solutions, and a leader can effectively evaluate the quality of those solutions. To evaluate proposed solutions usually ignites leaders’ creative thinking, and they begin to generate additional ideas, discover alternative perspectives, and redefine the original problem. When they share their alternatives, insights, and additions, it stimulates team members to continue with solution generation and development. In this blog, I would like to discuss an interesting problem-solving method that has proven to be immensely helpful in my leadership journey. It’s called I BEET! I like to think of it as I BEET you can solve this problem. I BEET we can figure this out together. I BEET we will have victory over the issue at hand. I – Identify the Problem What are things like when they are the way we want them to be? If scenarios would have turned out the way we want them to happen, how will that look like? If someone was doing what we want him or her to do, what would he/she be doing? We need to ask ourselves these questions to find the standard against which we’re going to measure the problematic situation we are in. The next important question that needs to be in your mind is how much variation from the norm is tolerable? There lies the problem! You might have very little tolerance from the practical perspective, but there can be more tolerance if you think from a behavioral perspective. You might conclude that it’s fine with me when this person doesn’t do it exactly as I say because I’m okay with him/her taking some liberty with this. However, in case of some other issue, you may need 100% compliance. So, it depends on the problem that you are facing at the moment. It’s also important to ask a lot of other important questions like what caused this problem? Who is responsible for this problem? When did this problem first emerge? Why did this happen? Where does it hurt us the most? How do we go about resolving this problem? And can we solve this problem for good so it will never occur again? Having the answers to these questions is very important so that we can ensure we know the root cause of a specific problem. It will help us come up with practical solutions that people can use for a long-term benefit, rather than dealing with the same issues again and again. B – Brainstorm Problem Solving Ideas Undoubtedly, there are always more solutions to any problem than the one that you might have thought first while planning to deal with it. So, it’s best to take your time and think of different alternate ideas of solving a problem and develop a list of them instead of just jumping into a conclusion instantly. If it’s a problem for your entire team, all of you need to sit together and brainstorm different ideas to solve that, and it will help ensure that you and your team can assess and decide which one will be the best for solving that specific problem. E – Evaluate the Ideas After you are aware of some compelling ideas for solving a specific problem that your team or the organization is facing, the next step is to evaluate those alternatives relative to a target standard. You need to remain unbiased while evaluating the options and make sure you and your team are analyzing both proven and possible outcomes of that. It’s important to state the selected alternative problem-solving ideas explicitly and consider different
Servant Leadership: A Revolutionizing Concept to Redefine the Corporate Future
If the corporate world has learned anything over the last decade, it is that authoritarian and fear-based leadership platforms are outdated. Not only do they not work, but they have crippled many foundations from the inside out. Not only are employees unable to function in domination based corporate hierarchies, but overall productivity is negatively influenced. The result is unsustainable business practices that lead to decreased profits, shaky undefined leadership roles, high employee turnover, and, eventually, downward trends. It should come as little surprise that savvy corporations are turning their eyes towards servant leadership models. A servant leader is focused on their employees and considers how they can best serve them. Instead of information trickling down the corporate ladder, it trickles up. While this may seem counterproductive, servant leadership has proven to be one of the most effective forms of leadership in modern times. Servant leadership impacts employees by increasing satisfaction and, in turn, productivity and profitability. What is Servant Leadership? Many people are unfamiliar with the term servant leadership, but it is a leadership style that deserves a more in-depth look. Servant leaders turn the power hierarchy within a company upside down. The employees are placed at the top, and the leader becomes responsible for leading the company by serving their employees. Servant leadership is built on the principle that if you empower and uplift employees, they will respond with renewed creativity, potential, and purpose. Replacing authority with humility helps to create high employee performance and create higher profits for the company. Even more critical, servant leadership helps create a corporate structure with meaning, and that sense of belonging and meaning makes it much less likely to crumble. In a world where it only takes one or two employees to shake the foundation of an entire company, unity and serving leaders are an oasis. Why Servant Leadership is the Future If the above is not enough to emphasize the importance and application of servant leadership, these specific reasons may help highlight why servant leadership is the future. Today’s generation of leaders and employees is more knowledgeable and self-aware than ever before, and a servant leader can capitalize on this to create strong foundations for their corporation. Generation X is the Next Line of Servant Leaders To start, generation X is now growing into management and leadership roles within companies. This generation grew up during the ‘80s and ‘90s and saw firsthand how destructive toxic leadership within corporations could be. They are the generation who developed a true disdain for office jobs and watched layoffs happen in spades. These future servant leaders don’t trust corporations and demand better service for them, which in turn, ultimately impacts their leadership style towards their team members. Generation X is very receptive to the idea of servant leadership and keen to the mental and emotional health of their employees in addition to their actual abilities. Sustainability is in High Demand Not only is the new generation of servant leaders more aware of the need for environmental sustainability, but they also recognize that corporations need to focus on sustainable business practices within. Instead of carelessly ignoring illegal or unethical business practices until they get caught, servant leadership focuses on stopping this behavior before it even has the opportunity to start. They recognize the need to treat all employees fairly to create a sustainable workforce that grows and contributes positively to reshaping the image of the corporate world. It’s Time to Rebuild with Servant Leadership To that end, the new generation of managers understands that it is time to rebuild organizations instead of tearing down the base, or the employee workforce. The global economy is still dealing with the effects of the last recession and, in many areas, is teetering on the edge of another business recession. In this environment, servant leaders must focus on engaging employees to retain their top talent. Modern employees know they have choices and are not afraid to leave one business for another with a more desirable work culture- like servant leadership. Servant leadership impacts employees personally and impacts employee retention. Etech Believes in Servant Leadership Etech embraced, developed and implemented a servant leadership foundation in 2009. It took years of intentional training and follow up, but eventually the foundation became the culture of our company. By honoring our people, our customers and our communities and choosing to lead by serving, Etech’s results and impact continue to improve and grow. Etech has a unique vision that leads the company to remain employee-centric. Etech strives to make a difference within the work culture by positively practicing servant leadership and empowering its employees to create a ripple of positivity that spreads into the local community as well. We believe in being accountable and focused on growth, and we bring these principles with us as we consult with other companies and manage our own. Come and join us to be a part of our remarkable team and be a true servant leader!
Committing to ‘Teachability’ Takes You One Step Closer to Becoming a Great Leader
There’s one characteristic that separates a successful leader from an unsuccessful one in every walk of life: teachability. A leader who is teachable continuously evolve by exploring ways to improve himself so that he can help educate others. At Etech, we have embraced “Teachability” as one of our character commitments. But what does it mean to commit to teachability? Below are some tips to help you on your journey! Know your subject It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts. Coach John Wooden of UCLA won 11 national championships in 12 years, yet he never stopped searching for ways to learn more, improve himself, and improve his teams. He leveraged the knowledge of basketball from his experience as a player and the wisdom of his coaches (Earl Warner, Glenn Curtiss, and Piggy Lambert). As a college player, he interviewed opposing coaches to gain insight into their strategies. As a high school coach, he attended Frank Leahy’s Notre Dame Football practices and learned time management. After every season, he sent out his research survey on a particular basketball topic to coaches who were outstanding in that field. Through the end of his career, he attended every coaching clinic he could, always with an open mind, wanting to learn more. Although many considered him a “subject matter expert,” he always sought more knowledge. Whether it is the BPO industry or hospitality, one should never stop reading, researching, attending seminars, expanding your subject expertise, or seeking advice from those around you. General knowledge Gandhi once said, “Learn as if you were going to live forever, live as if you were to die tomorrow.” Coach Wooden took this message to heart. He took several classes in psychology as he thought it would help him become a better teacher. He was an avid reader on a variety of subjects. The numerous books that he read about Mother Theresa and Abraham Lincoln helped him formulate his philosophy of life, which he shared with his students. He truly had intellectual balance. When people ask one of Etech’s leaders, Dilip Barot, what he does, his first response is always, “I am a student of life.” His life works back up that statement. Professional attitude Learn to disagree without being disagreeable. There will be conflict in any work environment. Working through these situations with an open mind, calmness, and reason is the mark of a true professional and enables unparalleled growth opportunities for you and those around you. Discipline You cannot antagonize and be a positive influence, and you will antagonize when you discipline through emotion. Discipline is required in any learning environment. It is helpful to remember that the purpose of discipline is to teach, not to punish. Organization There is no substitute for hard work and careful planning. At the core of Etech’s success are project plans. Everything we do starts with a detailed and documented plan to drive success. At times, it seems we spend as much time in planning as in execution, but it works! Community relations The happiest moments in life come from making someone else happy. At Etech, we have been blessed. It is our responsibility to help others, especially those less fortunate intentionally. When we do, not only we will find it rewarding, but we will learn some valuable lessons along the way. Teach by example and not always words Our youth need examples more than critics. When we set a great example, instruct with reason & not criticism, and listen — we’re likely to have a productive relationship – one that benefits both student and teacher. A genuine concern for others People truly do not care what you have to say as much as they want to know that you truly care about them. In my 35 years in business, my best leaders were more concerned with loving than been loved, giving than receiving, being a motivator rather than being motivated. You will discover that when you learn to put the needs of others at the forefront, the whole organization will benefit. A burning desire to Improve When success blinds you to your opportunities, you will face failure. The burning desire to improve, even when others view us as successful, is the trademark of a truly great teacher. Never lose that desire to improve! Be an ideal teacher, a great leader, and until next time, may you make a remarkable difference in the lives of the people you touch each day.
Developing the Ideal Leaders of Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond
During some quiet time this week, I was thinking about and praying for our Etech team members. My thoughts took me to the vision statements for our organization – to make a remarkable difference for each other, our customers, and within our communities. I then pondered how this vision could become a reality, and I thought about these words of wisdom from one of my favorite business writers, John Maxwell, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” I concluded with the following ….. My hope, determination, and prayer are that the world would overflow with great leaders! Leaders who …… Choose to come to work each day with a positive attitude. That even in the midst of trials & challenges, they would look to encourage each other, support each other and give authentically of themselves to each other. Value others by involving them, recognizing them, giving of themselves to them. That they would respect and encourage the person even while in the midst of holding them accountable. Lead with integrity. That they do what they say and say what we do … all the time. That they would be consistent in how they treated all team members. That they would realize that the ability to influence those around us starts with integrity. Show humility. That they would not gloat of personal accomplishments but that would recognize the accomplishments & contributions of those around. That they would not think less of themselves, but would think of others more often. Are courageous. That they would not retreat or give up in the middle of the battle but would look for ways to win and have the courage to take risks. That they would have the courage to challenge the status quo with customers and each other and were never satisfied with being average. Are great communicators. That customers and team members would know how important they are because these leaders communicate consistently, effectively, and authentically with them. That communication was over the top! Understand what it means to be a team player. That they would leave titles and egos at the door and embrace being part of a team. That they would not look to find weaknesses in each other but that they would recognize, leverage, and celebrate each other’s strengths. Hold them accountable first before earning the right to hold others accountable. Adapt well to change. That they be skilled at finding ways to win by changing the course of action and influencing those around them to embrace the change with them. Commit to a life of learning and investing in them, knowing that the more knowledgeable and skilled they became, the better WE become — leaders who look for opportunities to teach and be taught. Seek out creativity and innovation by enrolling those around them. Those who understand that the ideas of all of us together will always be more robust than the ideas one can generate on our own. Embrace the vision to make a remarkable difference. That they understand it, live it, and cast it to those they meet each day. We all should have this dream, and it is a great dream! And it is a dream that is becoming a reality! Until next time, won’t you join me in living this dream and continuing to strive to make a difference in the lives of the people you touch each day?
How Can a Servant Leader Use the Amplification Hypothesis?
True leadership skills are in short supply and in high demand in the modern-day workplace. In the past, team members often responded immediately to authority based on a person’s position. This is no longer the case. An empowered workforce brings many advantages to the table. Still, one aspect of that is resistance. Servant leadership provides managers with the tools to turn resistance into an opportunity for creative input, which spearheads positive change. One item in that leadership development toolbox is the amplification hypothesis. According to a study published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, researchers have been fascinated by the effects of the amplification hypothesis since the 1990s. This particular study in 2008, however, helped to bring the amplification hypothesis out of the social psychology vacuum and into the work environment. What Is the Amplification Hypothesis? Everyone believes in something or holds opinions. Some people have stronger convictions than others. Similarly, people feel more strongly about some of their beliefs than others. When someone has a strong sense of commitment to a particular belief, social scientists call this attitude certainty. When servant leaders disagree with team members, this certainty comes to life. The knee-jerk response in these scenarios is to fire back with facts and directly attempt to persuade a team member to your side. However, a strong leadership quality is an ability to find common ground. The amplification hypothesis, therefore, states that if your team members disagree with what you desire, find common ground and start your negotiation there. If you instead exhibit certainty about a particular opinion or belief, it may increase resistance. However, when servant leaders give some leeway and take a softer approach, it softens the resistance and may lead to a more positive outcome. How Servant Leaders Can Put This Into Action It sounds good on paper. However, managers may wonder how they can act smartly and use the amplification hypothesis as part of the servant leadership model? Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind. Practice Active Listening: Finding common ground with team members requires understanding what the pain points are. What people say may only indicate or suggest what they really mean, especially in a professional setting. Too often people spend the time they should be listening on formulating a response. Always listen for the true meaning behind the words. Engage With Questions: One way to amplify your active listening skills is to verify your understanding by asking questions. Showing a genuine interest in what team members have to say further offers validation, even when you disagree in the end. It also provides you with greater insight and may challenge any initial assumptions you had about their pain points. Respect Their Competence: Team members often believe managers do not respect their ability to do their work well. The less autonomy they have over their own work and the lower their job position, the more likely this may be. To make it worse, poor leaders often find a weak point in an argument and use that as a foundation to push their own agenda. Servant leaders should place more emphasis on showing team members how much value they offer now as opposed to pinpointing flaws. Approach as an Equal: A study published by Springer Nature illustrated that humility was an important quality of good leaders. Humility in servant leadership helps managers to build trust and earn respect from their team members. This often facilitates more honest input so that managers may create changes that directly address real problems. Consider Personal Biases: Humility requires identifying and acknowledging your shortcomings too. Team members aren’t the only ones with strong convictions. Your own personal beliefs backed by your authority may hinder your active listening and bias you toward acting on your own opinions. Beware of this and find ways to ensure biases do not get in the way. Create a Positive Environment: A 2017 study on servant leadership found that it can help to create a positive work environment. Focus on developing characteristics, such as compassion, empathy, and philanthropy. The study found that these contribute to the emotional well-being of workers. This, in turn, increases teamwork, strengthens social relationships, and improves performance levels. At Etech we promote servant leadership as not just a managerial principle but a strong component of our customer relationships and our service model. From motivating our own team members to neutralizing tough situations with customers at our call centers, we put the amplification hypothesis to good use on a daily basis. Contact us today to learn how we use these principles to manage client relationships and interactions with your customers.
Servant Leadership Develops the Building Blocks for Successful Businesses
While leadership can take on many different meanings depending on who you ask, its definition is stated as the action of leading a group of people or an organization. While that definition may seem straightforward enough, it still leaves room for questions. How should you lead a team? Is there a right or a wrong way to lead? Is it good enough to simply lead, or do management’s choice of style and its effectiveness impact current and future business success? Most would agree that there are positive and negative forms of leadership, but does it have an impact on the business one way or the other if a company’s style of leading is found to be lacking? The simple answer is that it most certainly does. Whether high- and mid-level managers adhere to servant leadership styles or more autocratic, individualistic ones, their methods and principles seep throughout the company and impact the thoughts, ideas, and effectiveness of employees at all levels. It’s been acknowledged that businesses that focus on the importance of developing effective and ethical leadership often also enjoy increases in positive customer experiences. The Link Between Servant Leadership and Business Success Managers who practice servant-style leading are often thinking of others and coming up with ideas for how they can serve and help their teams and communities grow, rather than focusing on themselves and accumulating their power and wealth. While this is an age-old way of looking at leadership, the concrete ideas and foundations for servant leadership were created in 1970 by Robert K. Greenleaf. There are several traits often displayed by managers who utilize servant leadership for business success, such as: A heightened sense of awareness, including self-awareness Ability to show empathy Strong commitment towards professional and personal growth of employees Not acting as if tasks, positions or other associates are below, or less critical, than them When these and other traits are combined, they often add up to a happier, more engaged and highly-efficient workforce. The Idea in Practice Recent studies, such as this one conducted by The University of Illinois at Chicago Business School, show just what kind of impact managers who take a servant-style approach towards leadership have on their teams. This particular study focused on surveys completed by employees, managers and even customers at 71 restaurants within the national chain of Jason’s Deli. The results concluded that restaurants with managers practicing servant leadership benefited from: Improvement in job performance of 6% Customer service increases by 8% An astounding employee retention growth of 50% Lead Effectively to Reap the Benefits If you’ve bought into the importance of good, effective leaders, here are some suggestions for incorporating servant leadership into your day-to-day practices. Show That You Care The important thing here is making it clear that you care more about your employees than you do about the company’s bottom line. Get to know your associates and always be sure to reward and recognize a job well done. Don’t Be Afraid To Get Your Hands Dirty Don’t let your employees see you steer clear of what you may consider being “grunt work” that’s beneath you. Jump in and help when help is needed, no matter the task. Associates will most likely respect you more and see you as someone relatable, on their level and more trustworthy. It also shows that you understand and value the importance of all jobs and tasks within the company. Know the Value of Investing in Your Team Lift and encourage all of your employees. Help them grow their skills and don’t fear those who you believe could become a competition. A skilled and happy workforce is an effective and efficient one that is more likely to show loyalty to both their leadership and the company as a whole. With all the myriad ways that bad leadership can easily destroy a company over time, there’s a lot on the line, and it’s imperative for businesses to get this right. Managers that care, lift their employees, work alongside their teams and encourage the growth and development of everyone make the difference between companies that flourish and those that fizzle and burn out. When choosing a partner to assist in serving the needs of your company’s valued customers, look to a business ally with similar values and goals. Etech cultivates a culture of servant leadership that allows employees to grow and effectively do what they do best, which in turn leads to heightened customer satisfaction and improved customer experience. Contact Etech today to discover the solution that’s best suited to your business.
8 Principles That Will Lead You to A Successful Servant Leadership
Servant leadership is or should be the bedrock of all organizations. It is based on the principle of growth through individual recognition and achievement. The idea is that through a particular set of practices leaders can pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of the organization and the workforce to better balance efficiency, culture and ultimately profitability and growth. While the philosophy of servant leadership has been around for centuries, it wasn’t until Robert K. Greenleaf put the principles into print in 1970 that the corporate world began to take notice. Before Greenleaf’s writing, the corporate world was organized into a top-down structure – the executives, managers, assistant managers, laborers. As the philosophy grew in popularity, more companies began incorporating a horizontal organizational structure based on collaboration and communication, broadening ideas and understanding while increasing the overall effectiveness of the workforce. Servant leadership is an integral part of modern organizations, and the transition to this type of leadership style rest in the understanding of eight essential principles. Communication When discussing leadership qualities, there is not one more important than communication. Open and honest dialogue ensures clarity and also helps to reduce tension and confusion. When leading through a servant mentality, there are three areas of communicating to focus on. Listening As a servant leader, you should demonstrate a deep commitment to listening. This doesn’t mean to stay silent or avoid conflict, but it does mean that you must fully comprehend and understand the opinions of others before dismissing or condemning their views and actions. The will of the group should always be identified before any organizational decisions. Empathy In the same spirit of listening, empathy is the ability to recognize and understand the reasoning behind someone’s actions. This recognition is not an approval of performance or behavior, only an acknowledgment of understanding. Healing Healing can also be described as conflict resolution. It is the ability of a leader to listen to both sides, understand the logic behind the decision-making and provide a compromise or resolution that suits the best interests of the employees and the organization. Persuasion In top-down organizations, leaders coerce compliance through disciplinary measures and demands. In servant leader structures persuasion is preferred to positional authority, meaning that communication is used as a means of uncovering appropriate actions and convincing the whole as to its rightness. A leader using the servant philosophy understands the importance of consensus in community development. Awareness Successful teachers of servant Leadership know how to pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of others and within themselves. This ability to be self-aware leads to balance in the team and the corporate culture. Awareness can be uncomfortable, admitting your need for assistance or lack of skill is not easy, but it is one of the best ways to foster a team mentality. Foresight Beyond communication and team building a leader must be able to drive an organization forward through growth and ingenuity, both of which present risks. Therefore, a leader must develop foresight – the ability to systematically examine and diagnose successes and failures to predict and avoid future mistakes. Conceptualization In the practice of servant leadership, conceptualization refers to the act of thinking or dreaming of further growth opportunities often through the scope of foresight, meaning planning without losing focus on the present or the past. Essentially, conceptualization is tied to innovation and is necessary for modern organizational success. Stewardship Stewardship refers to the responsibility an organization has to not only its contributing workforce but the world as a whole. Many companies are stewards for healthy environmental practices. However, stewardship can also be about fair labor practices, proper resource management or even fiduciary responsibility. Commitment to the Growth of People One of the fundamental principles of servant leadership is the commitment to the growth of people. While the goal of any business is organizational growth, servant leaders understand that profits and people are uniquely intertwined. Without a happy and developing workforce, a company will struggle to maintain and surpass expectations. Community Building Community building is established through a combination of the above principles and practices. However, showing that you are not above the community can enrich and inspire the growth of the overall culture more than any individual element. People are used to top-down structure, and despite the increase in servant led organizations, many still expect the do as I say not as I do mentality, meaning that leaders who practice what they preach can ignite the rapid development of a cultural and corporate change. Servant leadership is a necessity of modern organizations. The core principle of personal growth corresponding to corporate growth is something we sincerely believe here at Etech. We understand the benefits of community and communication. Contact us today. Let’s open a dialogue and see how we can benefit each other. This blog was published on LinkedIn.
