Selflessness As A Leadership Goal
SELFLESSNESS LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS:
Modeling selflessness builds trust and improves rapport
Stepping outside the sphere of “you” will help you understand others better
Allowing challenges to your perspective can help discover the best answer or solution
NO EGO ON-STAGE
Vincent Gardner and his band at one of our shows at Alvin & Friends in New Rochelle, Westchester.
When the members of a jazz band walk out on stage, their objective is to make the best music they can together. The mindset of a jazz band is to leave their egos off-stage and focus on what’s needed to deliver outstanding performance. Band members support and challenge each other to bring out their best. Yes, each member has a responsibility to fulfill their function on their instrument, but personal agendas are put aside. This is the collective understanding on the path to co-creation.
Such selflessness is fundamental to the high-performance of the band and embodied in the very essence of how they connect and flow together. Vulnerability in these moments is a strength that engenders trust and freedom, which allows them to express the richness of their artistry to the audience’s delight.
The success of the group ensures the success of the individual.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
–Mahatma Gandhi
THE SELFLESS LEADER
Why is selflessness a good quality for an effective leader? Selflessness, acting with less concern for yourself alone than for the success of the joint activity, is stepping away from the ego and giving focus to others around you. We can often get caught thinking about ourselves, constantly. To move into a selfless space, we need to be more concerned with the needs and wishes of others than with our own.
In national bestseller Stealing Fire, Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal that a benefit of selflessness is an ability to silence our inner critic. As such, we can step away from the repetitive stories of our identity and discover a better version of ourselves. It’s not just about the individual. It’s about the exceptional service, end-product, or experience that will be delivered to clients, customers or audience.
In “Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t,” Simon Sinek shares a long-standing practice of the U.S. Marines: when the unit has a meal together during field training, and in certain combat environments, the most senior leaders eat last. Leaders eating last is a physical expression of servant leadership. It is also common for Marine leaders to serve food to the entire unit.
“The true price of leadership is the willingness to place the needs of others above your own. Great leaders truly care about those they are privileged to lead and understand that the true cost of the leadership privilege comes at the expense of self-interest.”
– Simon Sinek
A leader practicing selflessness will:
Respect each individual’s skill
Unlock the full potential of people around them, creating opportunities for them to achieve their goals.
Be a giving person, without expecting anything in return.
A true leader recognizes the importance of people to their overall success. A leader who models selflessness inspires trust and confidence because people believe that they will be supported and protected. This level of care encourages people to emulate the same behavior, leading to a reciprocity of loyalty and gratitude.
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