Are you a Servant Leader? That was the question on the registration form of a popular local networking group -- InHouston. I had to pause and ask myself, what is a "Servant Leader?" So with my curiosity peaked, there I was - about 5:00 in the morning - on Google, searching the phase Servant Leader. What I discovered was that servant-leadership is a concept I embraced a long time ago, and live by ... I've just never heard it referred to in those terms.
Robert K. Greenleaf coined the term servant-leadership in 1970, as he applied it to business and educational institutions in his seminal essay, "The Servant as Leader." In his essay, Greenleaf discusses the importance of leaders who adopt a service-oriented attitude in which they care for the needs of others before their own. Written in 1970 during the industrial revolution, some say that Greenleaf has become the Darwin of the twenty-first century.
In this new age of technology and social media, with businesses adapting their strategies to embrace customer engagement, the concept of servant-leadership may have become the new law of survival. I read a blog recently by Blake Sunshine entitled "The Importance of Serving Your Customers well." Blake recounts an article written about a friend of his father's, who drove 20 miles after work to his art supply warehouse to get a customer a $40 easel. "He no doubt lost money on the sale, but he gained a loyal customer," the article said. "No customer request was too unimportant for this man." Blake summarizes by saying "Serve your customers well and they will do the rest of the work for you."
So ... you may be asking, what does all this have to do with social networking? Servant-leadership is rooted in the idea that if you focus on adding value first (giving), the rewards (receiving) will come your way automatically. In other words ... instead of approaching every introduction you make with a business card in your hand and your elevator pitch, try taking an interest in the person you're meeting. Not just to find an angle that will benefit you, but to discover a like-minded person (hopefully) who may have more to offer than just the next sale.
In Houston, Eric Standlee started an entire social networking community based on the concept of giving first ... and it's flourishing. Standlee projects that membership will expand to 26,000 in the next 6 months and is looking to expand his In City network theme into 7 other cities such as Dallas, Austin, and Washington DC. "Of course we expect something in return", Standlee says, "but not from the person we are talking to. We are not expecting that person to buy from us, we are not expecting that person to immediately give us the "golden egg" right away. Instead we are giving into their lives, believing that we will eventually receive many more times than what we have given by being willing to give first."
When I became actively involved with social networking, I was fortunate to meet my "self proclaimed" mentor, Shelly Roth of Springboard Works. Shelley consistently emphasized her philosophy of "Give to Grow." She explained to me that the way to build a viable network was to find a way to give something of value. People do business with you, or refer people to you, because of who you are. That usually means they either like you or trust you. Real networking requires building a relationship ... more than a slick business card or 60 second elevator pitch. And, in my humble opinion, some relationships are more valuable than a sale.
So. Are you a Servant Leader? Do you give to receive? Social networking is about building relationships and sharing. Social networking is also about interaction and exchange. And depending on the quality of your input, or lack thereof, others will generally form their perception about you and your worthiness of their business ... or friendship. What does your social media footprint say about you? Please tell me what you think.