Love and Compassion for Successful Leaders Value #8: Being Unselfish
Greetings everyone and hope that you and your families are staying safe and healthy. In this time of unrest and anxiety caused by the pandemic as well as racial inequality and socIal justice, now more than ever it is an opportunity for leaders to model “servant leadership” as part of being a leader who leads with “love and compassion.”
Servant Leadership - what is it? It is a term that has been put out there as a leadership philosophy for a long time. Leaders like the concept, but I suspect that not as many practice it as we think. Why? Because it means being unselfish which for some leaders with larger than average ego’s, is a challenge. That said, being unselfish doesn’t mean thinking less of yourself - it means thinking of yourself less. Please remember, it is a choice to be unselfish.
Effective servant leadership requires leaders to do the following:
- Think of others first by providing them the resources for them to feel valued and successful.
- Remind yourself that any leadership position is a gift and a humbling privilege.
- Reject chasing material possessions, especially at the expense of others.
- Treat all those you lead consistently and fairly.
Most importantly, it is difficult to be a servant leader if we are first not unselfish in our personal lives. This begs the question - what are we doing as leaders to make the world a better place outside of our work environment? I am certain that many of you do so many terrific things for others in our world already. However, current happenings in our country indicate that maybe we should do even more.
My personal example is a fund that our family started when I left my position 7 years ago as the CEO of the hospital in West Plains Missouri. West Plains is a wonderful community but with a significant amount of poverty in the region. Our fund supports the needs of pediatric rehab patients for minor equipment as well as transportation/lodging costs for families who cannot afford this level of outpatient care. We are so proud of the care that the great rehab team at Ozarks Medical Center does with this money for our patients - it is truly making a difference in their lives. That said, there are so many more things one can do to be unselfish that does not cost money - all you have to do is pray and look!!!
My next post will include more discussion about unselfish, servant leadership in the workplace. Meanwhile, the interviews for my new book - “Love and Compassion for Successful Leadership - Why Not You?” are almost completed. I have learned so much about many amazing leadership styles from the great leaders I spoke with. The real work of writing begins soon!!
Please be a loving and compassionate leader, now more than ever.
Blessings,
David