The Tribe Gathering- Sunday Mindset For The Week Ahead

“To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.” - Donald A. Adams

Last week, I presented you the desired brevity of servant leadership. I myself had some very difficult conversations to navigate this week and our dartboard tool was vital in preparing for each of them. Now, the really decisive work begins. This week I have to follow up with each person involved. I’ve got to be intentional in how I do that, as well. Back to the dartboard. I’ve got to ask really resonating questions and apply more empathy if applicable. This is following up. Based on how this week goes I am establishing the foundation for whether my relationship with all of the people involved is progressed or regressed. I’m affecting my ability to follow through. This is where I see other leadership or culture systems “miss the mark” of being impactful. Initiation of action without following through is like building a bridge between you and another person without finishing the bridge. It’s also helping the same person build a bridge to a mental/emotional connection to perseverance without ensuring the bridge is complete.

“A player needs a predetermined finish position to help control trajectory and distance.” - Rick Martino PGA Masters Pro

Perhaps you’re a coach & relate better to a sports metaphor? Though I’m not a golfer, by any means, I can appreciate the sports science and even more so, the life and leadership lesson offered here. Our actions and interactions as leaders must have both the intent and predetermined finish for those we are leading. Just like a golfer, we must face our target (determination), have vision for where the swing will take us (ambition), swing with desired intensity (passion), and follow through to determine trajectory (purpose). How we shape those that we lead in the various stages of leadership development is critical. Our follow through in each stage is both a means by which to assess their development so far, as well as a tool to decide what they need next. Our intent, other than to serve them lovingly as a servant leader, is to help them transcend their desire to serve self and to realize the need for and desire to serve others.

I’ve found this conversation guide to be so very useful in both scenarios in which I want to catch one of my players being great, and in instances in which they need some direction. The questions can be a guide to a 1:1, a journal activity for an individual, or a team activity to use in strengthening vulnerability and accountability.

The purpose of the conversation is to model servant leadership, bring them back to THE main thing, have them self assess and self adjust to realign, and then make them feel understood. Psychological safety is established and upheld throughout the questions. I’ve also used this as a team talk tool with collective share out in small groups first to build bravery and shared ownership. Then, ending as a team-wide share out. The result is that we can demonstrate to each person that they’re not alone. There will be teammates struggling with similar adversities, and they can share strategies. What also tends to happen, is that these questions lead to more subjective, person-focused, heart-felt sincerity, in our discussion. This is where the true impact happens, off script. Learn more about your people, act on their behalf in love (serve), implement strategies to support them now that you have a better trajectory, follow up on their development in order to ensure growth, and then follow through sincerely in order to maximize the impact of yours and their servant leadership (distance), so that they continue to lead as a servant even after they part from your team/organization.

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