Living The Life Of A Leader
How To Deliver Excellent Service In A Mediocre World
When it comes to the concept of leading and living a life of a leader, not just in the workplace, or even at home, but creating your path in life, service is important, yet often underrated.
You see, to get the true enrichment we want, service is key. Your ability to serve in the marketplace will determine your revenue. We all understand that.
Furthermore, your ability to serve with your skills, gifts and talents will determine how far you go. Again, that sounds intuitive.
Your dedication to serving in all the relationships in your life will tell the quality, and possible quantity, of relationships you have, and how much you enjoy them.
Anybody that has ever done anything great did something that involved serving others.
Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. would have never been elevated to the positions of honour if they never had causes, dreams, visions and desires that were much greater than him.
One way to guarantee a life of excellence is by being an excellent servant. Yes, it is not about a focus on self-gain, but having an external outlook on life opens.
Service is about adding true value and benefits to the lives of others. The more excellent the service, the more greatly rewarded is the servant. It is easy to forget the simple motives and intentions and just look at the rewards and results.
A person that will serve for the sake of being passionate about a cause, rather than an end result, will always get back beyond anything they could ever imagine.
A great example is an excellent Multi-billion dollar companies like Zappos. The shoe company iswell known for its ‘wow culture’ and excellent customer service.
We must realize that they did not get where they are because they did anything magical, but because they focused on the little things.
The little things here and there add up to make a big difference, especially when everybody else has forgotten the simple principles like service, and serving for the sake of it.
The lesson in this is not about customer service, but that the difference between good and great is not that great. The person who goes the extra kilometer in service not even a mile will stand out in a context of mediocrity.
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is what are you doing for others?”
—Martin Luther King Jr
A well lived life is one of service to others.
In a background where everybody is the same, there are many ways to guarantee you give the best service in all you do in life:
1. Pick the activities, ventures, hobbies, market, relationships and causes you’re most passionate about. I mean, the people and purposes that make you feel pleased, and honoured to be with, or a part of.
2. Give with the mind-set of wanting to have the satisfaction, or feeling that comes with contributing to somebody’s life. Anticipate that feeling.
3. Represent that person, company, team, venture like it is yours, if it is not.
Treat it with as much care as you would your own.You cannot invest into somebody else’s vision until you make it your own. This thing has to be treated as if it is personal to you.
It has to be so personal that you will do anything to make sure you go beyond expectations and meet deadlines on time. You will find this to be the case with those that become stake holders in the companies they work in.
4. Never serve with the intention of being a ‘yes man’ or somebody that acts only to please others.
Think about the greater good, what is really best for everybody. Even if it means doing what is unfavourable in peoples eyes.
5. Lead by demonstration. Be an example to others.
No matter who you think you are, you have the potential to be a leader. Even when working for somebody you are still the leader of your life. The best way to lead is to serve.
In fact, one of the most powerful ways to influence others is by servant hood. You show integrity, faithfulness, commitment and so many other great qualities in servant hood.
Most importantly, all the qualities that derive from the mind-set of a servant, will help you to gain trust, and your perspective is valued by others.
Yes, trust is one the most important qualities associated with great leaders, who intend to serve with no limits or expectations.
You can always expect to enjoy life more fully, be enriched, trusted, rewarded, and fulfilled more, the greater your contribution is to the world.
6. Intend to increase your giving as you grow in all the areas of your life.
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