Last week I introduced the concept Selfless Leadership ©. It’s not fully original with me, as a Google search will reveal others using the phrase as a way to describe individuals such as Ghandi and others, but I am using it not only as a description, but also a classification of a specific type of leader which I will be encouraging leaders to emulate. My definition of a selfless leader is “a leader who makes personal and professional sacrifices for the good of their mission, their organization, their team, and the people they serve.” Or simply, “Selfless leaders put others first.”
Last week we discovered that one of the keys to selfless leadership is sacrifice, and that this kind of leader regularly sacrifices their own interests for the good of those they lead. The second key is:
“Although a selfless leader may be highly gifted and attract attention, they don’t overtly seek the spotlight and are always on the lookout for opportunities to elevate others.”
This key attribute is a bit of a paradox, for leadership often requires someone to be up front, make the big speech, develop the strategic plan, and so on. Although I am an advocate of leading while working side-by-side with team members, I believe it is virtually impossible to lead invisibly. Leadership demands someone to step forward, and when a strong leader does so, they will attract attention. However, the point here is that the attention gained is not sought, it is earned. It is a natural result of a strong leader doing their job very well and people responding to it. I’ve long said that “people want to be a part of a winning team.” They gravitate to excellence, and, like bugs to a light bulb on a summer night, they can’t help but draw near to the bright light of leadership! (Except in this case, they don’t burn up when they come close!) Likewise, a strong leader can’t help but attract attention, even when they are humble and selfless in the process. The spotlight will shine on them simply because they are doing their job, and the better they do it, the brighter the spotlight will become.
I have a friend who has achieved a high level of attention because he is a great leader and has built an incredible organization, yet he is one of the most humble and selfless leaders I’ve ever known. He began with the intention to make a difference in the community, he worked hard, made good decisions, and recruited other solid leaders to work with him. The organization exploded. Today, other organizations all over the world look to them for leadership and try to emulate their methods. It is quite the success story. However, what impresses me most are the attitude and actions of my friend who leads this. He is a gifted communicator, yet he shares the stage with a team of gifted communicators. He regularly brings in other leaders to speak to his people and he has assembled a team of highly talented individuals with whom he also willingly and enthusiastically shares the spotlight. I can’t remember the last time my friend has not included other members of his team or guest leader-speakers on advertisements and high-volume public announcements for events and activities. My friend never takes top billing and he’s typically the last one listed, even though he’s the one who built it all (although he would say it was a team effort).
Selfless leaders look for ways to elevate their team and help others succeed, knowing that when their team succeeds, so do they. Selfless leaders refuse to be insecure when those around them do well and they are confident within their own skin, even when surrounded by highly gifted people. Although they don’t seek it, selfless leaders will definitely attract attention as they carry out their mission and put the good of others first.
Lead well.
Selfless Leadership © 2014. John Plastow. All rights reserved.