Servant Leader - Meeting Needs

A servant leader demonstrates the value they place on people by the way they try to meet their needs. I can talk all day about how I value my employees and colleagues, but if I am not actively seeking ways to understand their needs and to meet those needs in order to help them be successful, then my words are pretty thin. Actions speak louder than words; and words plus actions result in effective leadership.

One key in meeting the needs of others is to understand what the needs are. The true needs of the organization are not necessarily the needs of the individual or visa versa. There is often a huge gap between what people want and what they truly need. Part of the dilemma of leadership is helping people see what they need when it is contrary to what they want. Defining and identifying critical needs is a large task that is vital to impactful leadership. The road of meeting needs is filled with rewards and rebukes, encouragements and exhortations.

Assuming that a leader has taken the time and energy necessary to discern the needs to be addressed, how does the leader begin to meet those needs? Let me suggest three key components involving the Mind, the Will, and Action as the leader begins to answer the question: What am I going to do?

The first phase of the answer involves the mind and emphasizes the WHAT in the question “WHAT am I going to do?” The effective leader takes the time to DEVELOP a plan for meeting the critical needs of the organization (individuals). The development and design of a plan will engage the creativity and imagination of the leader in order to address the needs of others. Research, feedback, dialog, and sensitivity must be combined in gathering the information necessary the build a plan that will address the concerns. This is not the business plan or the strategic plan for organizational progress; this is the plan for meeting the needs of the employees (students). This is not the lesson plan or the semester outline; this is the plan to meet the needs of the students (employees). Is part of my ministry plan, a plan to serve?

The second phase of the answer involves the will; it is the AM I of the question “What AM I going to do?” The first phase is to DEVELOP the plan; the second is to DEDICATE the plan. I find it so much easier to put a plan on paper than it is to carry out the plan. A major hurdle between paper and action is a commitment of my will. In order for the leader to dedicate the plan he/she must engage his/her courage to carry it through. A design without volitional determination is but drawing on parchment.

The third and final phase is action – DO the plan. It is the TO DO in the question “What am I going TO DO?” In order to execute the plan, a leader must engage his/her consistency. A plan worth my commitment is a plan worth working consistently. Meeting the needs of individuals on an occasional basis is counter productive because the students (employees) will fail to gain a sense of trust in your ability to serve them. Consistency takes time and diligence and perseverance. But such a focus communicates pages of “value” written on heart of the leader. Employees (students) will develop a loyalty to you because they feel the words of service in your actions.

The mind, the will, and action are all essentials in addressing the needs of others. A plan left in the mind without flowing into action is just an interesting reflection. A servant leader values people by meeting their needs.