It’s easy to forget this in leadership: people don’t want to be managed. They want to be seen.
Albert Einstein said,”Not everything that can be counted counts and not everything that counts can be counted.” The real work of leadership isn’t about the product, the quarterly report, or the title. It’s about people.
But when there’s stress and pressure to perform, how do you keep people at the center? How do you build cultures where humans thrive and they don’t just produce?
Three Takeaways on Servant Leadership
1. Lead With “Compassionate and Empathy”
Leaders don’t always need to fix things. Often, people don’t need answers… they need presence. Showing up with curiosity, listening deeply, identifying their emotions and connecting is priceless.
2. Write It Down or It Doesn’t Count
Values, goals, purpose… if they’re only in your head, they’re just wishes. People who write down their goals are 30% more likely to accomplish them. What’s yours?
3. Remember My Five Ps
My framework for leadership and overcoming adversity:
- Preparation: personally, professionally, financially, physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally.
- Positivity: developing an attitude of gratitude
- Perseverance: adopting a “This to shall pass” mentality.
- Pack: 3-4 people you can be vulnerable and transparent with.
- Progress: in spite of making mistakes having a rock solid identity in “who you are” and not allowing shame to dictate your direction.
If you practice these, you won’t just get results… you’ll build cultures that last.
