Discovering the innovative leadership potential in ourselves and others. If people are to become leaders, they must believe that they can be a positive force in the world. In today’s ever changing and often turbulent economic environment, you are facing challenges that your predecessors would not have been dreamt about. How do you ensure that you have the leadership tools and strategies on hand to ensure you come out on top?

Legitimate leadership, influence, is built upon serving, sacrificing, and seeking the greatest good of those being led. Influence does not come because of a title or an army. Influence must be earned. There are no shortcuts. Anytime we extend our-selves, sacrifice, and serve others, we build authority and thereby influence. If you get your people what they need, they will get you everything you need. Then leadership will be defined not by what we accomplish but by what we get accomplished through others. The servant-leader must constantly ask: How can I use myself to serve best? The goal is for the person to conclude “I just decided what I need to do.” At that point, because it is their idea, whey will be committed to take action on it. In asking, the focus should always be on finding a solution rather than identifying a problem. Once thinking patterns are established, they are difficult to break, so little can be changed by asking “Why isn't this working?” Suggests a question like: What do you need to do to make this work? Or, what do you want to do next? Because the brain is always making new connections, this will develop new habits and goals. Honour people by showing them that you are sincerely interested in them as people and not just in what they can do for you or your organization. Honour people by insisting upon excellence in all they do. Honour them by helping them build their character and being best they can be. Not everyone can generate sales like Wal-Mart or profits like Microsoft, but every person and every organization is capable of being the best they can be.

Leadership requires selflessness. The will to serve and sacrifice for others, the willingness to set aside our wants and needs in seeking the greatest good for others – this is what it means to be selfless. This is what it means to be a leader. The road to servant leadership lies not in trying to fix or change others but in working on changing and improving ourselves. ‘Everyone wants to change the world, but no one wants to change himself.’ Everyone can be great because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace.

Author : David Wee