In a previous article which was an introduction to servant leadership ( Servant leadership helps businesses ), I mentioned that some people, who do not understand the intentions behind this human approach to management, think that placing themselves at the service of their employees means that they are pampered and that the whole thing becomes a “Country Club”.
I would first like to express my gratitude to those who informed me of this incomprehension.
Why?
This helped me realize that to effectively promote caring leadership, it is essential to start by educating employees, managers and businesses about the benefits of servant leadership and the responsibilities of the manager and their employees (because the manager is not the only one to have to modify his approach in this type of management).
Country Club
Let’s first get the misconception of “Country Club” out of the way, as it is completely inaccurate. When the servant leader also occupies the role of team manager, this is caring management. The key term here is “management”, which means that the leader must supervise and direct his team. This includes, among others, the following aspects:
- To know the mandate(s) assigned to the team
- Assign tasks to different team members
- Setting expectations
- Ensure a safe work area for everyone
- Meet expectations on the quality of the service provided or the units produced
- Meet deadlines
- Instill respect as a primary value between team members and towards the manager
- Ensure punctuality and respect break times
- Educate on the importance of employee feedback and suggestions for continuous improvement
- Inform employees of the consequences if they fail to comply with the responsibilities and rules put in place
- To ensure the good conduct of the team and take steps if there is a deviation
Thus, the manager, by putting himself at the service of his team, must supervise the work under his responsibility in order to maintain his position and properly serve the interests of his company and its employees.
Servant leadership
Servant leadership is simply the means to accomplish this management. By positioning himself at the service of his employees, the servant manager ensures that his team has all the tools and knowledge necessary to carry out daily tasks.
He assesses the potential of team members to place people in the right chairs and to understand everyone’s ambitions and limitations.
He steps behind the scenes to let his employees shine. It places them in a zone of confidence where error is accepted and creativity promoted.
In short, he agrees to let go of the way things are done. He positions himself more as support who is always accountable for the final results, but who does not care about the path used by employees (if that path is safe of course).
Explaining to employees that you remain responsible for the end result will significantly alleviate their stress.
By making it clear to them that they can choose their own method to achieve their desired outcome, you give them the freedom to use their expertise and creativity to succeed.
However, it is essential to clearly explain to them that you will monitor their progress, both to support them and to ensure that set deadlines are met. Clear communication will help them understand that your goal is to ensure their success, not to micromanage them.
Finally, inform them that if there is an error in the execution, you will take responsibility as the manager. You will then talk with them to understand what happened and determine what steps can be taken to prevent it from happening again.
By protecting your employee, you give them the opportunity to make mistakes and learn.
By circling back with your employee to fully understand what happened and to implement corrective measures, you make them accountable. This empowerment is one of the keys that will allow your work team to grow.
This is an extremely powerful methodology!
Servant Leadership: A Personal Testimony
Let me conclude with an example from my experience as a production manager.
During one of my rounds on the floor, I noticed an employee with whom I had several discussions about respect and the proper way to communicate with colleagues, not respecting my behavioral expectations.
Being a human who was hoping to have a quiet night (I worked the night shift ☹), my first instinct was to try to avoid the situation and pretend I hadn’t seen it. Three steps later, I said to myself: it’s my job to talk to him and ensure respect on my team. Also, the employees, like children, are always checking where the line is. If I do not intervene having clearly seen his behavior, this means that I accept it.
Oh no!
So I go to see the employee and ask him to follow me away from the production line. Always important not to discuss these matters with employees in front of colleagues.
Side note: the last element is essential, but you can and must react immediately in front of the group if the employee is downright disrespectful to you. By remaining calm, you should respond firmly, but indicating that you will clarify everything later and of course do so. The message sent to the group is strong and you avoid getting into an argument with the employee who is unhelpful to the group.
Back to the employee, I asked why he behaved this way, to remember our previous meetings and my expectations of his behavior as well as ask what he can put in place to ensure compliance with the expectations. I ask what he needs to help him. I explain that I will document the event and expect the situation to improve.
As you can see, I maintained my position as manager and ensured that the employee understood the discrepancy and my expectations for his behavior. I did all this while respecting him, seeking to understand the cause of the gap, and above all, offering him my support.
This type of intervention allows employee accountability and ensures team cohesion, because, although the other employees did not hear the content of the intervention, they saw my proactivity and the change in behavior of the employee.
Therefore, one of the best ways to serve your team is to ensure that managerial expectations and expected behaviors are respected. This provides a clear framework for employees and allows the growth of the team.
What do you think ?
Does this approach correspond to your vision of management?
Need help with your management or becoming a servant leader?
If you have any questions about servant leadership or how to balance being tough and caring while serving others, please contact me.
Good reflection.
Carl-Michael Tessier
Coach in high-performance team development and tailor-made support
Leave a Reply