The 6 responsibilities Of a Zingerman’s Servant leader February 10, 2016
Becoming a successful leader The key to becoming a successful leader is to develop a vision of what great leadership will look like for us. In other words, to answer the question:
What kind of leader do I want to be?
What we chose at Zingerman’s Servant Leadership We, as leaders, are here – first and foremost – to serve our organizations. “The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions…The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature.” - Robert Greenleaf
Servant Leadership To live Servant Leadership effectively, we start with the view that we are going to treat our staff as our “customers.” “A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong. While traditional leadership generally involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the “top of the pyramid,” servant leadership is different. The servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible.” - Robert Greenleaf
Why Servant Leadership? 1. It is aligned with our Mission and Guiding Principles. 2. It is effective and teachable. 3. It makes for better service to customers. 4. It helps our staff to grow and succeed. 5. It helps each of us grow as leaders. 6. It sets the right tone for everyone else. 7. It’s the right thing to do for the world.
What does it mean to you? • • • • • • •
You, as the leader, come last, not first. You get promoted in order to serve more, not to be served by others. You respond to staff complaints in the same spirit as you would a customer. In conflicts between what’s right for you, and what’s right for the organization, you do what’s right for the organization. You hire people in order to help them succeed. You lead the way in making an appreciative workplace. You, as the boss bring coffee to the new cashier than the other way around!
6 Responsibilities of an Effective Servant Leader #1 - Provide an inspiring and strategically sound vision #2 - Give great service to the staff #3 – Working in an ethical way #4 – Be an active Learner and Teacher #5 – Help staff succeed #6 – Say Thanks!
6 Responsibilities of an Effective Servant Leader #1 Provide an inspiring and strategically sound vision • •
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Tells staff where we’re headed; what tomorrow will look like. And not look like. The most motivating thing you can offer your staff. o Sends the message that we’re all going after something great together. o Staff understand how their futures will be better if the organization succeeds. The less top down and the more collaboratively written, the more powerful the vision will be. Provide vision for big and small projects.
Some Practical Measures we use at Zingerman’s #1 - Provide an inspiring and strategically sound vision •
A documented long term vision.
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Shorter term visions for departments, projects, even shifts! And organizational changes.
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Annual plan (to execute vision) documented and shared with staff.
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A personal vision for yourself, encourage your staff to write theirs.
6 Responsibilities of an Effective Servant Leader #2 Give Great Service to the Staff • • • • •
At the day-to-day level. Model the customer service standards in interactions with your staff - we have “recipes” for this. Being a good listener is critical. There is paradox involved in practicing customer service recipes in interactions with staff. It’s not easy! It’s not about giving staff what they want (even though it is sometimes with customers), it’s about how the staff member is left feeling.
Some Practical Measures we use at Zingerman’s #2 - Give great service to the staff •
Use the Zingerman’s 3 Steps to Giving Great Service and the 5 Steps to Effectively Handling a Customer Complaint.
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Focus on the things that are important to them – schedules, training, timely feedback, responsiveness, rewards, recognition.
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Help them build skills that will serve them in all areas of their lives.
6 Responsibilities of an Effective Servant Leader #3 Manage in an ethical manner Which serves the organization in 3 ways : 1. By effectively teaching ethical decision making to everyone. 2. By guarding against a narrow view from the top; gain wider perspective. 3. By backing up the belief that we are all responsible.
6 Responsibilities of an Effective Servant Leader #3 Manage in an ethical manner (continued) • • • • • •
Document your values and guiding principles Model them and keep them vibrant and alive in the day-to-day work. Most important to reinforce in the day-to-day work. Take time to constantly assess where you are doing well and where you can improve. Bring them into the day-to-day by teaching; storytelling is a great tool. Share the struggle so that you are beginning to teach everyone in the organization how to lead in an ethical manner.
Some Practical Measures we use at Zingerman’s #3 – Manage in an ethical manner •
Documented values, guiding principles or team norms.
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Then live them!
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Maintain a reputation for personal integrity – do what you say you are going to do, honor your commitments.
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Push decisions down to the “lowest” possible level in the organization.
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Be inclusive and share the struggle.
6 Responsibilities of an Effective Servant Leader #4 Be an Active Learner and Teacher “Perhaps, we should move towards a new institution that embraces both work and learning—learning in a deep and formal sense and all of the learning influence most people need. This requires a new type of leader, one who can conceptualize such an institution, generate enthusiasm so that many good, able people want to be a part of it, and provide the strong focus of purpose that builds dynamic strength in many. Great things happen when leaders create these conditions.” - Robert Greenleaf
6 Responsibilities of an Effective Servant Leader #4 Be an Active Learner and Teacher (continued) • • • • •
New ideas and information help an organization succeed. Gets everyone the information they need to operate effectively and make good decisions. Gets everyone in the learning zone. Teaching is the highest level of learning. Is a job expectation!
Some Practical Measures we use at Zingerman’s #4 – Be an active Learner and Teacher •
2 hours/week of formal learning.
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1 hour/month of formal teaching.
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Incorporate ways for people to share what they are learning – we are still figuring out sustainable ways to do this.
6 Responsibilities of an Effective Servant Leader #5 Help Staff Succeed •
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Turn the model on it’s head – success doesn’t mean that we hire people to help us succeed, we hire people to help them succeed. Helping staff succeed means giving them clear expectations, the resources and training they need to meet those expectations and recognizing and rewarding performance. In alignment with giving staff great service.
Some Practical Measures we use at Zingerman’s #5 – Help staff succeed •
Documented and clear performance expectations and training for each position, we call these training passports.
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Timely, documented and effective performance feedback.
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Support staff in achieving their personal visions.
6 Responsibilities of an Effective Servant Leader #6 Say Thanks! • Everyone works more effectively when their efforts are appreciated. • Saying thanks is one of the best ways to let people know that they made a difference. • It’s more effective and enjoyable to lead with appreciation than to lead with criticism. • Saying thanks creates an appreciative and positive organizational culture.
Some Practical Measures we use at Zingerman’s #6 – Say Thanks! •
At least one thank you note per week.
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Two specific verbal thanks per week to colleagues.
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Verbally thank everyone on every shift.
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Written appreciations in monthly staff newsletter.
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Round of appreciations at the end of every single meeting.
For more ZingTrain resources on Servant Leadership Come to our 2-day seminar : Leading With Zing! Read the book : Zingerman's Guide to Good Leading, Part 2: A Lapsed Anarchist's Approach to Being a Better Leader
www.zingtrain.com 734.930.1919
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