The Chosen Path

Following the principles of servant leadership will help you build a better business.

By Miles Hall

When walking into any business establishment, no matter what its purpose is, you can sense almost instantly whether they care for the folks coming to visit. Just look around. Is the store well organized and brightly lit? Are you greeted promptly and with a smile that says, “welcome?” Is the staff keen to help you have an enjoyable experience?

The reality of our chosen path is that we are in the business not to sell as much as we are to serve. The goal is to serve the needs, wants, and expectations of the guests, team members, and the community in which we live. This is rightly known as servant leadership. Servant leadership is not just a philosophy; it’s a spirit, along with a set of practices, which enriches the lives of individuals, builds better organizations, and ultimately creates a more just and caring community. If done right, it will strengthen your team at work, both in productivity and fellowship. 

To be clear, things like the Saturday morning doughnut run, bringing in pizza for lunch, and even team member offsite gatherings are good for morale, but in themselves they can’t create the unique bond among your team members that distinguishes first-class operations. That’s because pizza days can’t empower your team. It tales something more.

The best investment you can ever make is to build an attitude of servant leadership in which your business and team members join together to not only provide hands-on service to create a better store experience, but to also extend that spirit into the community, state, and nation. When these factors become a normal part of the business, allowing that spirit of servant leadership to grow, you will be amazed at the results. I am here to tell you it carries straight to the bottom line.  

Here are three ways you can start on the path of servant leadership.

1)You need to be an example of what a “servant leader” should be.

Before you can expect your team members to fully embrace servant leadership, you must demonstrate the concept within your own day-to-day management. The key to motivating team members is the focus a servant leader places on the welfare and growth of everyone in the organization. The motivating factor is that the servant leader pursues every opportunity to positively impact the behaviors of team members by making a difference in their lives. This is a natural calling of servant leadership, which is never for personal gain, but a sacrifice for the sake of others and their personal and professional growth.

Some ways to set the example of a servant leader include inviting differing opinions, establishing a culture of trust, developing other leaders, helping team members with life issues, building confidence through encouragement, thinking first about the team, and acting with humility.

2) Build a team of servant leaders.

By creating a culture of service, you will begin building a strong team of servant leaders. Nothing screams camaraderie like uniting a diverse group of people to work toward a common goal.  Encourage each team member to embrace a culture of service throughout their workday.

Servant leaders know that by helping the people who work for (and with) them, they will help their team members learn vital skills that will both improve their performance and improve them as people. 

3) Seek opportunities to serve.

Once you have established yourself as a servant leader and have encouraged your team to adopt the philosophy of the movement, it’s time to get out of the store and serve your community.  With so many opportunities to serve in every community, establishing an annual day of service can easily become a fun company-bonding tradition. The opportunities are endless and the needs are great. Another benefit of a day of service is that the community gets to see another, and very positive, aspect of the shooting sports.

Servant leadership is not without its costs. Most projects will have some associated expenses, such as having the team members out of the store, and you also have to factor in the cost (in time and effort) of the planning and preparation that must occur beforehand. But the passion this creates and the bond it instills in a company makes it one of the best returns on your investment decisions you could possibly make. Make this your first and highest strategic endeavor, even though the company small but growing. Do these projects without an expectation of monetary return; however, the benefits you will receive are deep and long-lasting. The Simple Truth is that a culture of servant leadership lasts forever. It bonds participants, builds character, and instills a sense of courage and responsibility in the spirit of the store.