There are many models or styles of leadership, including servant leadership. Servant leadership is meant to replace command and control models of leadership and to be more focused on the needs of others. Servant leaders work behind the scenes providing support and stability, knocking down any barriers prohibiting success of their team.

A servant leader understands that leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.

Here are seven qualities of a servant leader:

1. Influences Instead of Dictates

a. Is all about persuading, not dictating.
b. Does not bully, use fear tactics, or position to get things done.
c. Communicates with candor and transparency.
d. Values everyone’s contribution and seeks out opinions.

2. Acts with Humility (doesn’t have an ego)

a. Doesn’t wear a title as a way to show who’s in charge, doesn’t think he/she’s better than everyone else, and acts in a way to care for others.
b. Sets an example of service, understands that it is not about the leader, but about others.
c. Surrounds themselves with people that are better than they are, works to make them successful, and gives them all the credit for success.
d. Accepts the blame when something goes wrong.
e. Is not emotional; does not react on emotion.

3. Visionary

a. Thinks about the next generation, the next leader, the next opportunity.

4. Empathetic

a. Personable.
b. Tries to understand what it’s like to walk a mile in other’s shoes.

5. Committed to People

a. Views people as either “green and growing” or “ripe and dying”.
b. Understands that developing leaders takes commitment and investment.
c. Acts as a mentor to develop other leaders.
d. Provides resources and tools that enable success.

6. Encourager

a. Says “let’s go do this” vs “you get it done”.

7. Helps Others with Life Issues

a. Cares about their team members and invests in their lives.

Servant leaders lead by example, cultivating trust within an organization. They establish a culture of thinking, acting like owners, thereby driving results. People will run through walls for a true servant leader.

I am proud to work for an organization that embraces and exemplifies servant leadership. With that said, you can be a servant leader in any organization. It starts with you! Commit to this model of leadership and your organization and team will be positively impacted.

Jason Nichol
*Vice President, Walmart Consumer Brands – Tyson Foods

*Title and company of the author reflect their position at the time article was written.

The opinions expressed here by guest bloggers are their own, not necessarily those of Stout Executive Search.

People are our most valuable asset and competitive advantage. That’s the adage expressed by CEO’s and Leaders across every industry, both private and public. But how are we actually expressing that value to “Our People”? For many, it is as simple as Money – may it be salary, bonus, 401k, stock option, vacation, etc.

The cornerstone of financial theory is incentive drives motivation. While that may be true, it doesn’t drive long-term satisfaction. The majority of studies indicate that job satisfaction isn’t directly correlated to financial metrics; rather it’s just one portion of the equation. What the findings do show, is that attaining and retaining talent is more closely aligned with how people feel, how they are treated, and their ability to make an impact.

Let’s not kid ourselves, compensation is important. But the truth is that no compensation package is complete unless you add in a true investment in your people. So what are some ways you can add that ‘true investment’ in your people beyond the package? Here are some tangible ways to compensate your team that are free, but are worth much more:

Private Thank You

Saying “thank you” is the easiest way to show your employees you are aware of and appreciate their hard work and dedication. It doesn’t always have to be post a great victory but is sometimes best after a difficult defeat. Appreciation is a force multiplier.

Public Gratitude

Anytime is a great time to say “great job”. To show that gratitude in front of others is special. Be it a team meeting or a conference, there is a special moment when you point out your gratitude to others. It’s great for self-esteem and could be an opening for future promotions as your employee’s work ethic, output or quality of character is on showcase to others.

Communication to Senior Leadership

A ten second email from Senior Leadership is immeasurable. Most email communication is fire drills, calls to action or just another CC. However, opening an email that reminds or alerts you to a great employee is a nice respite from the mundane. It’s also an easy way to let your employees know that you are paying attention to their career and taking notice of their successes.

Assign Special Projects

The day to day grind can often go without notice. A special project is a way to show that you acknowledge and have pride in your employee’s ability to do great work. It can be more work, but it can be a great way to show appreciation, gain more exposure and potentially do something amazing. Being challenged to be great is worth a great deal to many people.

Acknowledgment is empowering. Praise should be showered, not horded. Valuing your people shouldn’t be a throw away sentence on a Vision Slide. If we don’t show that our people are the key, then we will lose them to other companies that will.

So, to my team, “Thank you”!

Paul Sproles
*Team Leader Category Management, Walmart & Sam’s Club – RB (Reckitt Benckiser)

*Title and company of the author reflect their position at the time article was written.

The opinions expressed here by guest bloggers are their own, not necessarily those of Stout Executive Search.

In many other industries or practices, mentorship is the norm. You have someone to ask those ‘dumb’ questions, someone to teach and guide, someone to help you succeed, and someone who takes personal investment in YOU.

Why should you seek a mentor?

Encouragement

Who doesn’t need encouragement, especially when you’ve made a mistake or what I like to say, “learned from a life lesson”?! A good mentor will give you the courage to continue on. They will help motivate you. Sometimes with a simple phone call, you’ll know you’re on the right track.

Reduce Mistakes, A.K.A, Life Lessons

Experience speaks volumes and a mentor often has more than you. Listen, learn, and let them guide you. There are two ways to learn from mistakes; making them yourself or learning from someone who has already made them. The important life lesson: We all know business is fast and furious. You don’t have time to make all the mistakes you need to be successful.

Accentuate your Strengths

Your mentor will help you learn how to be the best version of you. They will see qualities in you that you may not yet see in yourself, plus, that person will hone in on those qualities and bring them to the forefront. All of this will help you become more successful.

Honesty

Sometimes it’s hard to hear the truth, right? However, the truth is what your mentor should provide. Their goal is for you to succeed. You become better when they are honest with you. We all need to know the side of ourselves we don’t see; that’s what a good mentor will do for you. Once you’re able to look at yourself through their view, you’ll know you’re on the right track to becoming a better you.

How Do You Find a Mentor? (It’s actually not that hard!)

Write down what you want.

Clarify your objectives and goals. Clearly write out your expectations. What do you want from the mentor? How can they help you achieve your goals?

Think outside the box, or cubicle or office.

Find someone who you deem successful. Understand that they don’t have to be in your industry or circle to mentor you.

Set up a meeting.

Ask them to be your mentor. You will be surprised that many people will be honored you’re thinking of them in such a way.

Be clear with your mentor.

Once someone agrees to be your mentor, outline your expectations, goals and objectives. Review everything with them, seeking their input on what they can or possibly cannot provide. Establish a regular routine of meetings, determine a schedule, and then hold yourself accountable.

Having a mentor should help you succeed in your career. Many people are willing and wanting to help. You just have to ask!

Christine Phillips-Bradford
*Director of Sales, Walmart & Sam’s Club –  NBTY – US Nutrition

*Title and company of the author reflect their position at the time article was written.

The opinions expressed here by guest bloggers are their own, not necessarily those of Stout Executive Search.

The elusive and coveted high performance team (HPT) is the obsession of leaders and human resource managers in a variety of disciplines. For this discussion, we’ll focus specifically on the development and maintenance of securing competitive advantages via dedicated sales teams with singular customer account focus.

HPT characteristics are diverse and extensive; for that reason alone, let’s try to narrow it down to a few simple and actionable areas of focus I refer to as the 5 C’s of HPT’s.

Center:
At the center of every HPT, are the people. People are often classified in a plethora of categories, so again let’s narrow down to A players and B players. There are C and D players and a place for all, except on high performance teams. A and B players are aggressive about learning, sharing, and winning collectively. Hiring the right talent becomes the most important function of HPT.

Cultivate:
Now that you have hired your A & B players, cultivate the B players into A players through inclusion, attention, and setting high expectations.   A & B players should already possess strong emotional awareness of working cross functionally, being challenged and delivering collective contribution across generational, experiential, and diverse backgrounds, utilizing the advantages that each offer to add total team value.

Clarity:
This is more difficult than it sounds. As teams consist of sales, supply chain, category, finance, shopper, and operations, each will have separate objectives – but aligned to a universal team vision. High performance teams not only see the vision but also buy into the collective value that many precise (sometimes scientific) contributions are needed.

Culture:
Culture serves as the guardian of the leadership aspect. The level of trust among HPT’s should allow if not encourage the members to hold each other accountable, but also to equally hold the leadership accountable for team deliverables and senior level support needed to advance team initiatives. Agreed, this requires a certain type of leadership maturity in the role of team leader, but it also requires the right people (A & B) to maintain the culture even as members come into and exit the organization. To hold each other accountable but also depend on each other to succeed.

Competition:
Winners have one thing in common, they like to win. Today, use of virtual teams is more prevalent and requires very specific incentives across the team deliverables to ensure alignment. Developing trust, awareness of the culture, and cultivating leaders all contribute to creating a highly competitive team of individual contributions from diverse areas of knowledge.

“We (the dedicated sales team) are riding a bicycle between two galloping elephants, [the large customer] on one side and [our company] on the other. If one stumbles or swerves unexpectedly; the dedicated sales team is the first to know.”

In conclusion, high performance teams are a must to compete and contribute growth to the retail space for both manufacturer and retailer collectively. As people are at the center of HPT’s, acquiring the right talent becomes the most important function.

Jeff Hendrix
*Senior Director of Sales, Walmart Team Lead, New World Pasta/Ebro Foods S.A

*Title and company of the author reflect their position at the time article was written.

The opinions expressed here by guest bloggers are their own, not necessarily those of Stout Executive Search.