The 21 Laws of Leadership: How to Develop the Qualities of a Leader

Chapter 21 Servant spirit: If you want to stand in front of others, you must first stay behind
Servant Hood
True leaders are often servants who are good at serving others.Even if they are sometimes unpopular, they will insist on serving the interests of others.Because true leaders are driven by passion rather than personal honor, they are willing to pay the price to serve and make others better.

—Eugene Harbeck, author

You must love your subordinates more than your status.

—John C. Maxwell

Fearless leader

Some time ago, the American people began to pay attention to General H. Norman Schwarzkopf (General H. Norman Schwarzkopf).His successful command of United Nations forces in the Gulf War demonstrated extraordinary leadership, a quality he developed at West Point.

In my book, 21 Laws of Leadership, I wrote about how he turned a dispirited battalion into an army of wolves during the Vietnam War.The 30st Battalion of the [-]th Infantry Regiment was recognized as the "worst battalion of the [-]th Regiment" at the time, but because of Schwarzkopf's efforts, it turned the laughing stock in people's mouths into a force with extremely strong combat effectiveness.They were sent by their superiors to complete an extremely difficult task in the Bataan Peninsula, which Schwarzkopf called "the land of terror and evil".This place has been in constant war for [-] years, and mine traps are everywhere.Many people die every week.

Schwarzkopf decided to turn the tide of battle.His effective procedures quickly reduced casualties, and whenever a soldier stepped on a landmine and was injured, he would immediately fly to rescue the wounded, rescue the wounded by helicopter, and talk to the wounded to boost morale.

On May 1970, 5, a soldier was injured by stepping on a mine, and Schwarzkopf flew to the scene immediately.When the helicopter was about to rescue the wounded, another soldier stepped on a mine and was seriously injured in his leg.The soldier rolled on the ground in pain, screaming and wailing.That's when people realized that the first mine wasn't a single trap, they were standing in a minefield.

Schwarzkopf thought the second wounded soldier could survive, even keep the leg, but only if he stopped rolling.At this time, Schwarzkopf had only one way, and that was to subdue the man himself.Schwarzkopf wrote in his memoirs:

I started to walk into the minefield, walking slowly step by step, keeping my eyes on the ground to see if there were sharp corners or bumps on the ground.My knees kept shaking, and every time I took a step, I had to use my hands to stabilize my thighs... It felt like I had walked 1000 years to get to that child.

Schwarzkopf, a 240-pound burly man who was a wrestler at West Point, quickly hugged the soldier to calm him down.In this way, the soldier was rescued, and with the help of the engineering team, Schwarzkopf rescued everyone from the minefield.

The quality that Schwarzkopf displayed that day could be described as heroic, courageous, even reckless.But I think the word "servant spirit" is the most appropriate.On that day in May, the only way for him to be an effective leader was to save soldiers from hell.

what is servant spirit

When you see the word "servant", do you think of those people with mediocre skills and at the bottom of society?If you think so, then you are thinking wrong.The so-called servant spirit is not a status or skill, it is about attitude.You will definitely encounter service personnel with bad attitudes in your life: for example, civil servants in government agencies with bad attitudes, waiters who ignore you in restaurants, and clerks in stores who call on the phone and don’t care about greeting customers.

Just as you can tell that a clerk doesn't want to help customers, you can easily tell if a leader has servant spirit.In fact, the best leaders want to serve others, not themselves.

How to make the servant spirit concrete?A leader with a true servant spirit should possess the following qualities.

1. Prioritize others
The first hallmark of servanthood is the ability to "put others above oneself and one's own desires."It's not just about being willing to put personal matters aside, it means being intentional about understanding your subordinates' needs, being ready to help them, and taking their needs seriously.

2. Confidence in serving others

At the heart of servanthood is a sense of security.If someone thinks he is a big shot and cannot serve others, then he can be said to be insecure.How we treat others actually reflects how we think about ourselves.The philosopher and poet Eric Hoffer expressed this idea:
It is amazing how we love our neighbors as we love ourselves; we treat others as ourselves; we hate others when we hate ourselves; we forgive others when we can forgive ourselves; we forgive our own Sometimes, you can forgive others.The chaos in the world, in the final analysis, is not because people love themselves, but because people hate themselves.

The "Law of Empowerment" says: Only secure leaders empower others.Likewise, only secure leaders exhibit servant spirit.

3. Actively serve others
Almost all of us serve others when we are compelled to do so.Some people serve others in times of crisis.But a good heart is only seen in those who actively serve others.Great leaders see a need, see the moment, and serve others without expecting anything in return.

4. Don't care about status

Servant leaders are not concerned with the status of those being helped.When General Schwarzkopf stepped into that minefield, rank didn't matter to him.He is a person who takes the initiative to help others, and his status as a leader brings him a stronger sense of responsibility, allowing him to serve others.

5. Reach out to others with love

Servantism doesn't come from a desire to control or braggadocio.It comes from love.In the end, you'll find that your impact depends on how genuinely you care about other people.This is why it is so important for leaders to be willing to serve others.

Self-Reflection: Can You Be of Service to Others?
What do you think about serving others?Do you aspire to be a leader because of generous treatment and benefits, or because of the idea of ​​serving others?
If you really want to be the kind of leader that others want to follow, then you need to address the issue of servanthood.If you want to be served instead of serving others, then you are in trouble.If you have problems with servant spirit, then you can listen to the following suggestions:
Stop calling people around and start listening to them.

Stop trying to get promoted and start taking risks for the benefit of others.

Stop looking for your own path of ascension and start serving others.

In fact, whoever wants to do great things must become the humblest of men, the servant of all.

A "Prescription" for Yourself to Have a Servant Spirit

To improve your servant spirit, you must do the following.

1. Start small

When was the last time you did something trivial to help someone?You can start with the people closest to you, such as your lover, children, and parents.Find some small things to do today to show that you start caring about others.

2. Learn to slow down
One of the most important leadership lessons I learned when I was young came from my father.I call it "slowly walking through the crowd".The next time you're meeting with a client, colleague, or employee, set a goal: Weave through the crowd, talk to them, and try to make as many contacts as possible.Pay attention to everyone you talk to.If you don't know the person's name, you need to write it down.Make a plan to understand each person's needs and desires.When you get home, jot down specific things you can do for them, at least a half dozen or more.

3. Get started

If you don't have a little servant spirit in your life, the best way to change that is to start acts of service.It is possible to act from the outside, and then you will mentally want to serve others.You can apply to participate in service activities organized by your church, community agency, or volunteer service organization for more than six months.If your mindset isn't good enough at the end of the event, do it again until your mindset really changes.

Helping others is the foundation of happiness

Albert Schweitzer once said wisely: "I don't know what your fate will be, but I do know one thing: Some of you will be very happy to find a way to serve others." If you want to reach the highest state of serving others, then put down your arrogance and serve others.

(End of this chapter)