I think the most important part of being a servant leader is being open to feedback. Servant leaders don’t just say they have an open door policy – they go out of their way to show their employees that they truly want them to use that open door.
Let’s talk about iPhones. Some people want the newest iPhone, and wait for their contract with their current phone to end. “I’ll get it as soon as it’s convenient for me, I can wait a few months but it’s going to be worth it. I’m so excited!”
Then, there are the people who arrive at the Apple store, pitch a tent, and start the waiting line 3 days before launch date. They invest their PTO, live in a tent pitched on concrete, endure the elements – all so they can be the first person in the city to get one.
Both people want it, nobody doubts their sincerity or their excitement; but one of them means it on a whole different level.
Imagine if your employees felt like their feedback were that valuable to you.
Every director and manager I’ve spoken to has a similar conundrum: “I have this wonderful open door policy, we believe in our values here, we tell our people their feedback is important, yet nobody comes to share their feedback! I don’t know what to do!”
Just saying you an open door policy isn’t enough. Merely having one doesn’t cut it.
Actions speak louder than words. If you want it, go chase it down!
Try this:
Actively solicit feedback from your employees across all levels – go out of your way to get it, invest time and resources in the efforts. Go to them, don’t wait for them to come to you. Create ongoing feedback loops to measure the pulse of your slice of the organization.
When an employee indicates an issue which is affecting other members or stakeholders, follow up with them. Take action on feedback which has been provided. Create a plan ahead of time on how to identify and prioritize it. (Speaking of which, do you have a hierarchy of importance?)
Treat your employees like experts in their fields. Treat your employees like stakeholders. This is unheard of, but doing so will dramatically shift the way you treat your employees. The best way is to just start.
Assume responsibility by asking uncomfortable questions:
- What am I missing here?
- What have I missed?
- Based on your experience, what are our blind spots?
- What would you say the problem is?
You’ll be surprised how much insight you gain from your people. The potential untapped power and knowledge is astounding.