Lessons in IT Transformation: Technology Expert to Business Leader

Leading by Serving

Too many people aspire to leadership positions because of the perceived perks of leadership. They see leadership as a privilege. They expect people to bow to them and treat them with kid gloves and sprinkle special treatment on them. Leadership is not a privilege. It is a responsibility. When you are leading people, you are responsible for their development, their professional growth, their success, and to a real degree, their employment. Your people will take their cues from you. You are responsible for setting an example for them. Ultimately, your job is to develop new leaders from among your people.

Servant Leadership

As a leader your role is to serve the team, not to be served by them. You should be asking your people questions like these:

• How can I help you?
• What obstacle can I help remove?
• What resources/tools do you need from me?
• What is holding you back?
• What relationships can I help broker on your behalf?

I have had the great fortune to work for some fine leaders as well as some terrible leaders. In both cases, I have learned from the experience. Servant leadership is the term used to describe an underlying philosophy of listening, empowering, and setting an example.

Never about You

Perhaps the greatest lesson I have learned was from my first manager out of college. He knew enough to never take himself too seriously as a leader. He shared a pearl of wisdom with me that has served me well for almost 30 years. I will pass it along to you. This gentleman ...