Why the Best
Leaders are Servants, Not Kings
Leaders
must empower their people, not just command them.
If you
set out to climb Mt. Everest, one of the first things you do is hire a Sherpa.
Originally an ethnic group in Nepal, today a "Sherpa" is the common
term used for the leader of a mountain climbing expedition. In business terms,
you are hiring a CEO to help you get to the top.
Thinking
of yourself in the role of the Sherpa will help you become a stronger leader.
This is especially true today where leaders must empower their people, not just
command them. As I reflected on the treacherous and risky conditions endured by
climbers, it reminded me of our current business landscape and the need for
courageous and thoughtful leadership.
Here are
five powerful lessons borrowed from those tough-as-nails, yet compassionate,
expedition leaders:
1. Your real job
is to lead others to the top.
Sherpas
are successful by helping those around them reach their full potential. The
same is 100 percent true for you as a leader in your organization. Ironically,
the more you make it about others, the more individual success you'll enjoy.
2. Detailed planning saves lives.
If your
Sherpa just looked up the mountain and said: "Let's go," you'd sprint
in the opposite direction. Great leaders carefully plot out each step of their
attack to ensure a safe ride.
3. Expect and prepare for setbacks.
Sherpas
routinely deal with unexpected weather, animals, obscured paths, and many other
obstacles. Rather than becoming derailed, they build contingency plans and
adapt in real time. Do you?
4. Walk with your team.
The role
of a Sherpa isn't to lead from afar. Instead, these leaders climb the mountain
right alongside their teams. As a result, they build trust and achieve success.
You can't ask your team to jump through fire unless you're willing to do it
too.
5. Become a great listener.
To reach
the summit, Sherpas must carefully listen on many fronts. They need to truly
understand input from their team, the basecamp crew, and other hikers. They
also need to hear rapidly changing weather reports, advice from other Sherpas,
andthe latest advances in their field. Are you so busy talking that you fail to
listen to others? Great leaders listen intensely and speak thoughtfully. Quite
the opposite of the typical blowhard boss.
The
old-school ways of barking orders from afar, thinking you have every right
answer, shooting from the hip, refusing to adapt, and putting yourself first
have been rendered totally ineffective in today's fiercely competitive economy.
However, if you embrace the ways of the ancient Sherpa, you may just end up
reaching that rarefied air sought by many but enjoyed by few. It's time to
reach your own summit by shifting your approach. No ropes or helmet required.
http://www.inc.com/josh-linkner/why-the-best-leaders-are-servants-not-kings.html?cid=em01014week31e
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