The Serving Leadership Model
Experience the Transformation
The Five Actions of Serving LeadershipTM
Great leaders worldwide share a common trait: they inspire and align teams by practicing key disciplines. At World Serving Leaders, we call this The Five Actions of Serving Leadership™—clear, practical, and easy to apply. They answer the essential question: “What should I do next?”
The Five Actions of Serving Leadership™ is leadership in action. Simple, practical steps that empower you to lead with purpose and achieve extraordinary results, build stronger teams, and transform communities.
Identifying and defining values that describe how your team will operate, and learning how to align and hold your team accountable to them.
Clarifying what it is that you do that customers value the most, and then removing barriers so your team stays focused on its mission.
Building a high performing organization by matching each team member's capabilities and passion with where they can contribute most.
Serving and empowering others through effective delegation so you, your team, and your organization can reach full potential.
Run To Great Purpose
Raise The Bar
Blaze The Trail
Build On Strength
Upend The PyramidDefining a compelling vision that describes why your organization exists and inspires your team to bring their best to work every day.
Run to Great PurposeTM addresses the first priority of leadership: Vision. In this Action, leaders learn how to communicate a compelling vision that answers the “Why?” questions. Why does this organization exist? Why does this work matter? Why is every employee’s part in this work significant?
People must have an answer to the purpose question. Without a Great Purpose neither the organization nor its people will act with courage, passion, and drive.
There is no task, however noble, that cannot be rendered menial by stripping it of purpose. Conversely, there is no task, however ordinary, that cannot be rendered meaningful by showing why it is crucial for the accomplishment of a Great Purpose. In either case, leadership makes the difference.
Make certain that everyone knows the organization’s purpose and the significance of it.
Keep the organization from sliding into complacency by creating and sustaining urgency for the Great Purpose.
Help every person understand how their particular work is vital to the overall Great Purpose.
Identifying and defining values that describe how your team will operate, and learning how to align and hold your team accountable to them.
Raise the BarTM teaches leaders how to identify core values and build an organizational culture of high standards. The result? Employees take ownership of their jobs and feel confident as they make decisions, knowing their actions are aligned with the company’s values.
Every organization has values that are expressed in its culture. The question is, “Will the values be intentionally defined, embedded, and lived out with discipline?” Great companies intentionally align behaviors to values. They hire for values. They define what distinguishes their brand and reputation in the marketplace, and they exercise courage by putting their values into daily, operational discipline.
Define the distinctive values that constitute the organization’s brand, reputation, and culture.
Integrate the values seamlessly into daily operations, from hiring and training to recognition and compensation.
Model the core values consistently to reinforce accountability and strengthen organizational culture.
Clarifying what it is that you do that customers value the most, and then removing barriers so your team stays focused on its mission.
Blaze the TrailTM teaches leaders how to sharpen their focus, making sure that only those actions that produce value are required of their people. In this Action, leaders identify their company’s strategic value proposition, the disciplines required to deliver it, and the obstacles that get in the way.
Serving Leaders Blaze the TrailTM by providing the support and disciplined focus people need to be successful. These actions prepare the team to follow the trail that was originally blazed by the leaders, in pursuit of the results that matter most.
Clarify, communicate and coach success factors.
Identify obstacles and wasted effort, and remove them.
Building a high performing organization by matching each team member’s capabilities and passion with where they can contribute most.
Build on StrengthTM teaches leaders how to align teams around each person’s broadest shoulders so that workers bring what they’re best at in service to the team. Attention is paid to defining Strength as both “ability and passion.” Specific steps are taken to put teams together around complementary strengths. Motivation is gained when strengths are honored and when workers are given the chance to work in ways they love and are most productive.
Serving Leaders spend time getting to know the strengths of team members. They utilize data to match people with team responsibilities. In this way, Serving Leaders build high employee engagement.
Understand and identify personal strengths.
Create high performing teams by maximizing strengths of team members.
Provide opportunities for workers to develop new strengths over time.
Serving and empowering others through effective delegation so you, your team, and your organization can reach full potential.
Upend the PyramidTM teaches leaders how to flip the traditional management pyramid by serving their people’s growth, development, and achievement. In this Action, leaders learn practical tools to communicate the value they place in their people. Also, leaders learn how to delegate effectively so that their people master increasing responsibility, grow in excellence, and expand their scope of duties.
Human beings long to be valued, trusted, and challenged. When this happens, employees make great contributions beyond what the job description requires. Upend the PyramidTM teaches leaders how to catalyze and support a culture in which this is possible.
Genuinely demonstrate love and value to employees.
Delegate powerfully empowering workers to carry out new work with equal or greater excellence than the leader.
Create a culture that empowers employees to take on risks and turn mistakes into learning experiences.