dispatches from the new world of work

More on Servant Leadership

[Note: This was in the comments as a reply to Tom's blog entry of 11 January, and Tom asked Chris to make it into a front page post.—CM]

Continuing with the military/civilian leadership as service thought ...

"Serve to Lead" is the first lecture at Sandhurst [Royal Military Academy]. It comes as something of a shock to most officer cadets who are expecting to be put into a position of authority. They will be, but it's not quite the deal most expect. The right to lead in a military or civilian environment has to be earned. Officers and Business leaders have the same role. To ensure each member of the value creating community are the best they can be. That's a service.

Soldiers make a covenant with the country they serve. In exchange for their preparedness to sacrifice their lives to safeguard the nation's best interests, soldiers (and their families) are honoured and cared for. Primarily by their Officers and secondly by the nation in providing materially for them.

Two thoughts:
1. I believe that whilst the sacrifice employees make is not potentially as high as that of soldiers, they are giving a huge chunk of their lives to a business and giving up many other avenues of opportunity. Therefore they deserve no less leadership than our Military Officers provide for our soldiers.

More at http://www.army.mod.uk/

2. There is a huge amount of disquiet in the UK amongst soldiers and their families about standards of service accommodation at the moment. Service accommodation has always been at best "average." The reason it's an issue now is that our soldiers are being regularly killed and the duty of care feels like it is being neglected. Result—anger.

Only egotists see leadership as a hierarchical/command thing and they neglect their duty of care at their (organisation's) peril. ("Fragging" of civilian business managers is thankfully rare.)

Providing hope, direction, resources, training, a role model, and encouragement is, I believe, what all leadership, military and civilian, is about.

Chris Nel posted this on 01/12/07.

Comments

'Providing hope, direction, resources, training, a role model, and encouragement is, I believe, what all leadership, military and civilian, is about.'

I agree with your words entirely Chris and I would add humility and ethical behaviour. If we believe this to be true and if it is to be taken seriously is there a Business School curriculum anywhere in the world that contains any of these words as core components of the MBA or equivalent â€“ HOPE, ROLE-MODEL AND ENCOURAGEMENT? If not maybe that gives us a clue why many of the best leaders drop out of formal education or never had any. I commend Sir Richard Branson, Dame Anita Roddick and Sir Alex Ferguson off the top of my head as three immediate iconic leaders from my side of the pond who either dropped out or never had formal management training â€“ the list of others readers will be very long methinks

I humbly suggest there just might be a message here for business schools.

Yours cynically on a damp but mild Friday night in England â€¦.

Posted by Trevor Gay at January 12, 2007 6:01 PM

Greetings from Boston Chris. One of my clients has started an extensive project code named at this point "the employee experience". This company has long been known for its strong values base and the community it has built. This new project recognizes the need to continue this values directed approach not only because it is the right thing to do, but with the war for talent heating up, it makes great business sense. They have a long history of successful implementation of the Scanlon plan and share wealth very equitably. They are in the business of "creating great places to work" through their wonderful office furnishings, and recognize that if you don't work in a great place, it is hard to give the customer the same experience. Hope to see you soon Chris...mtn

Posted by mike neiss at January 13, 2007 10:33 AM

Mike
That's sounds like a great place for us to be working too. Good luck with the project. I'd be interested to hear how you get on. TWM!
CN

Posted by Chris Nel at January 13, 2007 12:52 PM

Successful leaders are a lot like successful parents...they care for their team like children. Here's a brief list of what resonates for parents...and, as it turns-out, leaders:

* encourage (try new things and to make mistakes)
* teach (right and wrong)
* discipline
* learn (from them)
* support (during good and bad)
* have fun
* color outside the lines
* give (no return expected)
* invest (time, money, emotion and energy)
* play
* patience
* search (for the good)
* understand
* pray
* love

...and, take the time to watch them dance.

Posted by Michael Chaffin at January 14, 2007 12:18 PM

1. Totally agree with the idea and drift of elite royal leadership with plenty of servants at beck and call

2. Especially appreciate servant status of lapdogs Mr. Trevor & Mr. Richard - typical of their USA client state status in England and Australia

3. I provide the praise and monied leadership - they provide the appropriate humble servitude - if they come up with a creative idea - it is stolen and they are given a watery gruel treat

Posted by sean_leadership_passion at January 14, 2007 4:27 PM

While "Fragging" may be uncommon in civilian business, the virtual fragging of a managers career is not.

I am currently watching the early steps of removing a sub-standard, egotistical, authoritative manager. The results should be interesting to report.

Just goes to show, that if you mistreat your employees, they may come back to bite you.

Figuratively, of course!

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