Just before the Last Supper was served, Jesus began to wash the feet of those assembled. Peter was upset by this and didn’t want to demean his leader by allowing Jesus to wash his feet. In response, he was told that He who was chiefest among others must serve them all. Ultimately, Peter must have caught the message as he begged that not only his feet, but his hands, and arms also should be washed.
Whatever your spiritual beliefs, this lesson still holds true, that truly great leaders have learned to serve the people they work with as well as those they count as clients or customers. Service in this regard is vital to keeping in touch with others.
Ways to Serve
Service can be given in grand ways or little insignificant moments. There doesn’t need to be a financial payment of any kind. As a leader, you can provide a safe environment for your people to not only do the work they do but to help others. Don’t ever be the boss that tells someone not to help another person. Acts of kindness and service don’t just help the person being served, they allow the person doing the work to feel good about some of the time during their day. The more people in your employ feel good about their time at work, the more productive they become and the happier too. Do be the leader who learns the names of his staff and takes time to chat for a moment or two with several of them daily.
Allow others to express their thoughts and opinions before you do so – if you do so at all. If you speak first, the discussion will center around what you have said. If others have the chance to tell their feelings first, it will generate productive thoughts and build camaraderie among the ranks.
Accept service when it is given to you, and do so graciously. Take the time to be grateful and mention what their actions did for you and how you were able to do more that day. Receiving service and showing gratitude is a quiet form of service that makes a huge difference in relationships. Ultimately the service you offer as a leader should give you many opportunities to build deeper relationships with the people connected to your business. That’s always a good thing for business.
It’s equally good in your personal life. Learn to serve for and with others, and you won’t have to worry about staying grounded and down-to-earth, it will be a natural by-product.