What Kind of a Leader Do You Need?

I found this image in one of my Facebook groups. Its name is Maslow Before Bloom, and it’s led by Bryan Pearlman. I saved it for almost a year, but after last week I knew its time had come.

Former President Trump was shot on Saturday, July 13, and we still don’t have answers from the Secret Service about what happened. Its leader refuses to answer questions. I hope she’ll change her mind.

The Republican Convention started on Monday, July 15, and the Democratic one is in August. In November we’ll be asked to pick leaders at the national, state, and local levels. It’s important to pick ones that are just right, and that’s why I’m doing this post.

​#1. Why do they serve?

A traditional leader sees leadership as a rank to obtain.
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A servant leader sees as an opportunity to serve others.
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When you’re voting, who would you choose? ​

Personally, I’d want someone who believes they’re serving their community at the local, state, or national level.

If that’s true, how do you know if a candidate’s there for the rank or to serve you? Talk is cheap. Actions are precious, and there you go! Look at what they’ve achieved in the jobs they’ve held. If you like/dislike their actions, then you know what to do with your vote.

Achievement isn’t a bad thing, especially if it’s tempered by service. Look at Olympic athletes and how they’re driven for gold. A fireman might strive for a promotion, but that doesn’t matter – as long as he does his job to the best of his ability.

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​ #2. How do they use power?
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A traditional leader uses power and control to drive performance.
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A servant leader shares power and control to drive engagement.
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When you’re voting, who would you choose?
Or, if you could pick a boss, who would you rather work for?
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When I vote for someone, I want them to keep their promises, but I don’t want performance at all cost. Mine or anyone else’s. Sometimes on the way to a goal, things change. Sometimes we discover there’s an unexpected outcome that’s better than anything we imagined. I want a leader who can also drive engagement, but I don’t want performance to get lost in that engagement. It’s a pity when leaders forget about the target.

If I could pick my own boss, I’d pick someone who could do both. When the principals had us teachers engaged, we performed at a higher level, and our kids did too.

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​#3. How do they measure success?

A traditional leader measures success through output.
VS
A servant leader measures success through growth and development.

When you’re voting, who would you choose?
Or, if you could pick a boss, who would you rather work for?

​Whether I’m voting or picking a boss, I want output, growth, and development. A good leader can encourage all three. And if they manage that, they ARE serving their community.

Now that I’m my own boss, sometimes I focus TOO much on output. Then it comes at a price, and I must remember to pace myself. I need to look at my own growth and development. I need to nurture and build my own skills. If I do those things, I’LL reach my target, and perhaps, it will come out in a totally unexpected, and even better way!

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​​#4. How do they communicate?

A traditional leader speaks.
VS
A servant leader listens.

When you vote, who gets it? If you’re picking the boss, who do you want to work for?
And if you are the boss, who do you want to be? 

​Frankly, I want a leader who can talk, and listen. It should be a conversation between people who can share ideas and find the best way to get things done. Communication is the key to success. When it breaks down, so does everything else.

It’s true in stories too. I listen to my characters. They tell me when I’m going wrong. How? I get stuck and can’t write the next line. I put myself in my character’s head. Then I think about how they’d answer or how they’d act, the story moves forward again. 

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#5. What do they believe?

A traditional leader believes it’s about them.
VS
A servant leader understands it’s not about them.

When you vote, who gets it? If you’re picking the boss, who do you want to work for?
And if you are the boss, who do you want to be? 
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​I think both kinds of leaders are missing something – US. Together, we’re a team, or we should be. The best leaders have a team around them. They listen to each other. They work toward a common goal, and they know two heads are better than one.

Back in the day I taught my second graders that our class was a team. When we worked together, good things happened for everyone. In my writing business, I have a team of people I work with, and I’m growing because of them.