This is a guest post by Vishal Agarwal, author of Give to Get: A Senior Leader’s Guide to Navigating Corporate Life.
Much of the news over the past few years has focused on things leaders didn’t do as opposed to what they’ve done. From Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to the President, leaders have been called out for not acting and allowing crises to worsen. Rather than look back at those events and those leaders, let’s look at what these events can teach us about ourselves.
Anyone could talk a big game, but true leaders follow through on their promises and commitments with their actions. Words aside, are leaders acting sufficiently and reasonably to prevent crises from occurring? Are they doing everything they can to live up to the promises they make? Do their actions match their words?
If You Say It, Mean It
Too many senior executives say things they don’t really mean. What they often don’t realize is that their subordinates and colleagues notice. As a result, they lose credibility. The last thing an executive wants to lose is credibility and the trust of the team. Both Zuckerberg and the President share being the subject of outcries of former employees (senior and junior) against them. Even discounting the political aspects of such outcries, that would seem to suggest a credibility issue with teams and former colleagues.
Many leaders say, “I take full responsibility,” “the buck stops with me” or “we will sort this one out.” The reality is that measured actions, delayed actions, reluctant or indecisive actions do not build trust when the house is on fire. Remember: Actions speak louder than words.
A Contemporary Leader Serves
The best way to get your team to have your back is to win their hearts and minds. A good leader takes action—consistent action. The notion of servant leadership is grossly underrated and plain ignored by many. It means the leader exists to serve those under him. In contrast, traditional leadership is a top-down pyramid where the leader sits at the top, and subordinates do as the leader commands. Servant leaders turn that pyramid upside down by sharing power with their teams, placing the needs of their team before their own, and helping subordinates develop and grow so they can perform at the highest level possible.
Here are 6 things that servant leaders do:
- Commit genuine acts of empathy and self-sacrifice.
- Take bullets for the team so they don’t have to.
- Stand up and stand tall for the team with stakeholders.
- Prioritize team learning and development and find opportunities to accelerate self-development.
- Create an empowering atmosphere and encourage the team to take risks by letting them know they’ll have the team’s back if they fail.
- Above all, walk the talk; servant leaders make sure their own actions are consistent with what they expect from the team.
- The path to fulfillment as a corporate leader doesn’t run through the boardroom; it runs through others.
Vishal Agarwal is the bestselling author of Give to Get. As a Senior Leader, he has navigated corporate life for the past 24 years. He has served as a Top Global Executive for General Electric and as a senior partner at Pricewaterhouse Cooper (PwC). Agarwal has navigated all facets of corporate life—from building teams and delivering value to translating multinational visions into local wins.
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