How can you balance serving and leading others while taking care of your well-being?

1 Know your purpose

One of the key characteristics of servant leadership is having a clear sense of purpose that guides your actions and decisions. Knowing your purpose can help you stay focused, motivated, and aligned with your values and vision. It can also help you prioritize your tasks and responsibilities, and avoid distractions and burnout. To know your purpose, you need to reflect on your passions, strengths, goals, and impact. You can also use tools such as a personal mission statement, a vision board, or a SWOT analysis to clarify your purpose.

2 Set healthy boundaries

Another important aspect of servant leadership is setting healthy boundaries that respect your time, energy, and resources. Setting healthy boundaries can help you avoid overcommitting, overworking, and overextending yourself. It can also help you communicate your expectations and limits to others, and prevent conflicts and resentment. To set healthy boundaries, you need to identify your needs, values, and priorities. You also need to learn to say no, delegate, and negotiate when necessary. You can also use tools such as a calendar, a to-do list, or a time tracker to manage your boundaries.

3 Practice self-care

A third essential element of servant leadership is practicing self-care that nourishes your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Practicing self-care can help you replenish your energy, resilience, and creativity. It can also help you cope with stress, challenges, and changes. To practice self-care, you need to recognize your signs of stress, fatigue, and imbalance. You also need to adopt healthy habits and routines that support your well-being, such as sleeping, eating, exercising, meditating, relaxing, and having fun. You can also use tools such as a wellness wheel, a gratitude journal, or a self-care plan to monitor your self-care.

4 Seek feedback

A fourth vital component of servant leadership is seeking feedback that helps you grow, learn, and improve. Seeking feedback can help you assess your performance, strengths, and areas of improvement. It can also help you identify your blind spots, biases, and assumptions. To seek feedback, you need to be open, humble, and curious. You also need to ask for constructive and specific feedback from various sources, such as your peers, mentors, coaches, customers, or stakeholders. You can also use tools such as a 360-degree feedback, a personal SWOT analysis, or a reflection journal to collect and analyze feedback.

5 Build relationships

A fifth crucial factor of servant leadership is building relationships that foster trust, collaboration, and community. Building relationships can help you connect, engage, and inspire others. It can also help you leverage the diversity, talents, and potential of others. To build relationships, you need to be empathetic, respectful, and appreciative. You also need to listen actively, communicate effectively, and acknowledge contributions. You can also use tools such as a stakeholder map, a team charter, or a recognition program to strengthen your relationships.

6 Review your progress

A sixth and final key feature of servant leadership is reviewing your progress that helps you measure your impact, achievements, and challenges. Reviewing your progress can help you celebrate your successes, learn from your failures, and adjust your actions and goals. It can also help you recognize your gaps, opportunities, and threats. To review your progress, you need to be honest, realistic, and flexible. You also need to track your metrics, outcomes, and feedback. You can also use tools such as a SMART goal, a dashboard, or a report to evaluate your progress.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?