How To Be A Servant Leader On Software Projects

Do you want to help the other people that work with you so they are more fulfilled, and get an opportunity to inspire them?

Motivations To Consider

Let’s start with some of the motivations I think it’s important to consider if you want to go about servant leadership.

Improve Quality Of Delivery

Ultimately, however you serve people still needs to result in improving the quality of delivery. While we’ll focus on how to be a servant leader on software projects by serving the needs of others, this fact is important to still keep front and center.

Support Career Goals Of Colleagues

As you go about serving others, you might adopt a motivation to see others’ careers advance.

This doesn’t mean you stop caring about what happens to you, but that you share the burden for those around you being recognized.

You Don’t Need A “Leadership” Title

You don’t need an “official” leadership title to be a servant leader on software projects. You may be the boss of your colleagues already or not, either way, the goal is to inspire and help others – regardless of your job title.

Don’t Rely On Skills To Inspire

As you attempt to lead others by serving them, you may need to shift from relying on demonstrating how skilled you are as a primary motivator. Instead, utilize some of the other tips in this video to be a servant leader.

Avoid “Siding” With Individuals

Be wary of siding with individuals. Do whatever you can do to avoid being sucked into political games, or disputes between people on your team. This doesn’t mean to not have empathy – far from it, empathy is crucial. Rather, don’t be an ear to lend when someone wants to criticize someone else and join in on it with them.

Detach From Personal Advancement

You may find detaching from your personal advancement helpful if you want to be a servant leader on software projects. The moment you start considering whether your efforts are advancing your own career, conflict can arise that makes it harder to take altruistic actions.

Tips For Better Servant Leadership

So what are some of the things you could start doing immediately to demonstrate your desire to be a servant leader?

Show More Than You Tell

The first thing I’d recommend is to show more than tell. When you delegate work or information to others, taking the time to show them how its done will go further than just conveying the steps. You won’t always be able to do this, but err on the side of demonstration whenever possible.

Get To Know Colleagues Personally

Next I’d recommend you get to know your colleagues personally. More than just what technical or other work related skills they prefer, get to know what makes them tick personally. This will make it easier to support them and their needs and desires.

Organize Opportunities To Socialize

If you can organize opportunities to socialize with your immediate group, you will show your colleagues that you care about them as people and are willing to share of yourself outside of work. Don’t rely on company happy hours and events as the sole way for your immediate colleagues to get together.

Recognize Individual Contributions

It’s important to recognize individual contributions, and not attribute them always to the entire team. When providing status or communicating “wins” of the team, put a name to each gain and give props freely to those who did the work.

Advocate For Solutions To Colleagues’ Pain

Listen for pain and advocate for solutions. If you get to know your colleagues personally, they will share their struggles and whatever you can do to ease it or help shift the burden to someone else will help them be more fulfilled and effective.

Advocate For Growth Of Your Colleagues

As a servant leader, don’t rely on people with explicit management ti