Becoming a great leader requires two essential components: the right mindset and an effective skill set.

The first step is to answer a fundamental question about your purpose as a leader:

“Are you here to serve, or to be served?”

This defines your mindset. Once you commit to serving, the next question becomes:

“What’s the best way to serve?”

This defines your skill set. Let’s explore both.

In our Servant Leadership Essentials™ program, we emphasize three pillars of mindset:

1. Think of Others First
   Great leadership isn’t about you—it’s about your people. The most effective leaders prioritize the needs of their team, focusing on we rather than me. You’re there to serve, not to be served.
   
   

2. Build Community
   A servant leader fosters a sense of community by sharing leadership. This means inviting team members to contribute ideas and solutions. When you say, “I don’t have all the answers. What do you think?” you empower others to lead alongside you. This creates an environment where vulnerability, collaboration, and creativity thrive.
   
   

3. Turn the Pyramid Upside Down
   Traditional leadership hierarchies put the leader at the top. Servant leadership flips the pyramid: you set clear goals and direction, but then you focus on supporting your team. By helping your people succeed, you bring out their best and enable them to achieve more.

The Leadership Skill Set

A servant leadership mindset must be paired with actionable behaviors. Good intentions are not enough—leaders need a robust skill set to put their vision into practice.

Our SLII® framework provides a proven approach to performance management through three essential leadership skills:

1. Set Clear Goals

Effective performance starts with clear goals. Team members need to know:

• What are we trying to achieve?

• What does success look like?

• How will progress be measured?

Unfortunately, many leaders skip this step. They either assume goals are understood or fail to articulate them. Others-focused leaders ensure goals are explicitly defined and documented, creating a solid foundation for growth and accountability.

2. Diagnose Development Level

Once goals are clear, the next step is to assess where each team member stands on their journey toward achieving them.

The SLII® model uses two components to determine a person’s development level on a specific task:

• Competence: Their skills and experience.

• Commitment: Their confidence and motivation.

Based on these factors, team members can be classified into one of four stages:

• Enthusiastic Beginner: Excited but lacking experience.

• Disillusioned Learner: Overwhelmed after initial enthusiasm fades.

• Capable, but Cautious, Contributor: Skilled but still seeking guidance.

• Self-Reliant Achiever: Confident, capable, and independent.

Diagnosing development level ensures leaders understand what their team members need at any given time.

3. Provide a Matching Leadership Style

Leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all. The best leaders adapt their style to meet the needs of their team members.

• For an Enthusiastic Beginner, provide direction to build skills and understanding.

• For a Disillusioned Learner, offer a combination of direction and support to reignite motivation.

• For a Capable, but Cautious, Contributor, focus on support, giving them room to grow while remaining available as a resource.

• For a Self-Reliant Achiever, step back and provide delegation, empowering them to work independently.

By aligning your leadership style with the development level of each team member, you create an environment where everyone can thrive.

Leadership as a Partnership

At its heart, leadership is a partnership. The SLII® framework emphasizes building trust, improving listening skills, and fostering open feedback.

Leaders who prioritize collaboration over control shift their role from being the sole problem solver to being a facilitator of growth and success. This creates a culture where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute.

Taking this partnership approach requires time and effort, but the results are worth it. You’ll find that leading as part of a team is far more effective—and fulfilling—than leading alone.

Great leadership is a balance of mindset and skill set:

• Mindset is about embracing a we, not me philosophy.

• Skill set is about implementing clear goals, diagnosing development levels, and providing the right leadership style.

When leaders focus on serving their people, they build trust, foster growth, and achieve remarkable results. It’s not about being the smartest person in the room—it’s about helping others succeed.

Start today by reflecting on your mindset and honing your skill set. Leadership isn’t just a job; it’s a journey—and the more you invest in your people, the more rewarding that journey will be.

Adapted from Blanchard writings.