Book Review - By Thomas P. Crouser
The Servant: A Simple Story About the True Essence of Leadership
We need a lot more leadership in our businesses and a lot less management. Why? Those who try to set up a "system" devoid of a human leader fail. That's not to say systematic ways of doing things aren't important. They are. Fact is that they are very helpful. But they are helpful to a leader who steps up to the responsibilities of leading the business. The system, by itself, isn't a leader.
So, now that opens a can of worms. What's leadership? Is it something you are born with? Does it mean different things to different people? I've studied numerous books on leadership over the years. One of the better basic principle treatments is Stephen Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People." I have provided you with a review of that book previously (Crouser Report / November 1998 and the Crouser Online Report #217: November 29, 1998 available at www.crouser.com).
Well, now I was introduced to another book that I find is particularly helpful to us. It's "The Servant - a Simple Story about the True Essence of Leadership" by James C. Hunter (Prima Publishing, ISBN 0-7615-1369-8, 1998).
The book is a unique story about John and his life and an introspecting trip to an all-week leadership seminar that took place in a monastery. There he met Len Hoffman, a former go-getting-business-turnaround-artist now known as Brother Simeon. Needless to say, there were others in the retreat and we're introduced to each as well as their attitudes and idiosyncrasies. Through this device, Hunter weaves tales and illustrations of the essence of leadership. Let me touch on a few concepts to whet your appetite.
He makes the point that we chose to be leaders. No one requires us to lead. We have other things we can do. I make the point that if we're going to put our family's assets at risk by fooling around in one of the riskiest investments known to mankind - a small business - well, then we darn better step up to the responsibilities of leadership. And if we're not going to lead, then we had better sell it and get a real job. Otherwise, we will cause the family more grief and agony than it's ever worth. Many problems I see in businesses is caused by leaders who haven't accepted this responsibility.
Once the responsibility is accepted, Hunter says that to be a leader, we must communicate with people. That's because we don't lead anything but people. We manage our bank accounts, we manage our account receivables, we manage to get out of bed in the morning, but we lead people. And in order to communicate we must listen - most people don't do that. That's also can be one of the major hurdles.
Now, what is leadership? Hunter defines it as "the skill of influencing people to work enthusiastically toward goals identified as being for the common good." Not manipulation - which is getting people to do what you want regardless of the common good. It also isn't about using power to get things done. He cites the sociologist Max Weber's definition of power - the ability to force or coerce because of your position or might. He also notes his definition of authority - the skill of getting people to willingly do your will because of your personal influence. Authority is different from power. It's about getting people to willingly do your will because you ask them to do it. Power is ability. Authority is a skill.
Power can be assigned. You can put someone in charge and they can have the power to tell people what to do. But this is not true with authority. The person in charge - you - have to earn authority with the people you lead.
So, leadership is a skill. It is a behavior. It is something each of us can learn and it's not something that we must be born with. After all, the military trains leaders every day. Just think of where we would be if they couldn't.
A leader gets things done through other people. In doing this, there are two separate issues - the tasks and the relationship. Task oriented folks tend to feel workers are hired and paid and therefore should do what they are told. After all, if we don't accomplish the tasks, then where would we be with this touchy feely stuff? Relationship orientation teaches us that the relationship between the leader and the workers is important. So, what should you do? Combine the two. Develop a good relationship and keep it strong so people will do tasks willingly for you - not because you told them so, but because you ask them. Anyone can use power to accomplish tasks for the short-term. Long-term, workers (and teenagers) will rebel at a taskmaster. On the other hand, troops will gladly go into harm's way and accomplish tasks at the direction of a leader who has authority with them. (Printer I know talked to a worker who quit a $14 an hour job to take a $10 an hour job somewhere else. Asked why he would take $10 over $14 and he said the $14 just wasn't enough to put up with the boss.)
So the key for the leader is to accomplish tasks while building relationships.
And that means the people - the CEO's. Customers, Employees, Owners and Suppliers - we come into contact with everyday. If you're a leader who hates people, then close the business and get a job - because it is the job of leader to deal with people. (A business owner asked how he could go up to his cabin and fish and not have to deal with customers and employees - and still make his $300,000 a year. I didn't know, so I declined the assignment.) If everyone could or wanted to be a leader and deal with people, then our job wouldn't pay as well. Not everyone does, so that's why we get the big bucks.
So, we have to learn how to develop relationships with people. The key to relationships is trust. "How many good relationships do you have with people you don't trust?" Hunter asks. "Without basic levels of trust, marriages break up, families dissolve, organizations topple, countries collapse. And trust comes from being trustworthy."
Here's what workers want. Everyone wants their leader to be honest, trustworthy, a good role model, caring, committed, be a good listener, hold people accountable, treat people with respect, give people encouragement, have a positive and enthusiastic attitude, and to appreciate people.
If you don't want to be these things, then choose not to be a leader. If you choose to be a leader, then be these things. That is something we have to do. He quotes Ken Blanchard (author of the One Minute Manager) who states: Intentions - Actions = Squat
Go to a seminar. Learn something. Then don't do anything about it. Squat. Say you want to be a good role model, then don't. Squat. We have tasks we have to perform as leader. If we're not gonna, then choose to be something else.
A leader deals with the needs of their people. Hunter does not say the leader deals with the wants of their people. People who do what others want are slaves. People who do what others need, serve them.
A parent can not allow children to do what they want. They must see to it that they do what they need. Hunter says, "Children and adults need an environment with boundaries, a place where standards are set and people are held accountable. They may not want boundaries and accountability but they need boundaries and accountability. We don't do anybody any favors by running undisciplined (businesses). The leader should never settle for mediocrity or second best - people have a need to be pushed to be the best they can be. It may not be what they want, but the leader should always be more concerned with needs than with wants."
How do you figure out the needs of your people? A need is a legitimate physical or psychological requirement. If you get stuck, ask yourself, "What needs do I have?" A press operator needs a good-running machine, proper tools, training, materials, fair pay and a safe working environment for starters. If you don't meet those needs, you have dissatisfiers and your people will be unhappy. But, if they have all of this, it doesn't mean they will be happy. People also need to be part of a healthy group with accepting and healthy relationships - especially with the leader.
To accomplish the accepting and healthy relationship, the leader must start off by loving their people. Huh? Loving? No, not that kind of love. Agape love is very close to our concept of charity. Do unto others as they would do unto you. Treat people as they are important because they are important. That great, touchy-feely fellow Vince Lombardi said, "I don't necessarily have to like my players and associates, but as the leader I must love them. Love is loyalty, love is teamwork, and love respects the dignity of the individual. This is the strength of any organization."
As leader, we don't get to pick and choose who we "like" among our people. Many leaders do and that is a root cause of factionalism and disorganization. We must love (be charitable toward) our people and be concerned with all their needs, no select individuals.
What if there are some we don't like? Hunter says we can't control how we feel about other people, but we can control how we behave. The concept requires that we act charitably to all of our people. And I point out - who's the genius who hired all these people we don't like anyway? It is up to the leader to be charitable to all their people. If we can't - well, do something else because we are the ones who volunteered to be leader.
Okay, how do we become charitable? Here are a few bullet points for you.
Be patient - show self-control.
Be kind - give attention, appreciation and encouragement.
Be humble - be authentic and without pretense or arrogance.
Be respectful - treat others as important people because they are important.
Be selfless - meet the needs of your people.
Be forgiving - give up resentment when wronged.
Be honest - be free from deception.
Be committed - stick to your choices.
Again, love is not about how you feel toward others, but how you behave toward others. Extend yourself for others by identifying and meeting their legitimate needs.
Create a Healthy Environment
Does a gardener cause fruit to grow? Does a doctor mend a broken bone? No. Both create an environment where fruit can grow or where a broken bone can mend. Neither actually do it. Your job as leader is to create an environment where people can grow. And like the gardener, we know growth will occur although we can not predict precisely when it will occur. So, as leaders we need to be patient and create a healthy environment.
How do you do that? Legislate it. Hunter tells the story of a Ritz Carlton employee who told him the secret of how the company gets their workers to provide exceptional service to their guests. "We're ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen," the worker said. But that really satisfy him, so he pressed on. The worker responded that it was simple. If they weren't ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen, they didn't get to work there any more.
It's Not Natural and It's a Lot of Work
Some complain that the solutions offered are not natural for people. Hunter agrees but also points out that using the toilet, brushing our teeth, learning to read and write, or virtually any new skill we discipline ourselves to learn is not natural. In fact, he says discipline is teaching ourselves to do what is not natural.
And it's a lot of work. Hunter agrees and so do I. But he also notes we volunteered for the position of leader. I note that leaders of business get paid the big bucks to handle the job of leader - "influencing people to work enthusiastically toward goals identified as being for the common good."
James Hunter and his publisher, Prima Publishing, have a great book on their hands here. "The Servant - a Simple Story about the True Essence of Leadership" by James C. Hunter (Prima Publishing, ISBN 0-7615-1369-8, 1998, $20).
marlini & me,
this is ah tiong and his card. lol. the card nice right,. :P
nvr really had dr lo in photo, think she can be spotted quite easily la :P i like all these picts though a bit blur (dun blame the photographer, she tried her best :) ) still it seems like effects of editing which is nice. only one person looks scary , but real life she isn't lah :P
love it , it willl be perfect if everybody in the lab is here :) a true blue mol lab "quan jia fu" :P
look so sweet right. omg. if my hair less messy it will be better :P
all credits to this lady :P she looked shock. haha..
think iam jus noisy and disturbing la. but i think they quite like it, i enjoyed myself too.
the ones closer to my age were craazy.. omg.. i simply love them.
everything just pass so fast... its like coming to an end already.
i dun want things to jus end like tt.
