Effective Leaders Serve With Stability
When a crisis occurs, people follow leaders who possess the value of stability.
Stability means firm and steadfast; constancy.
Stable leaders provide a sense of assurance, direction, and even hope. They create a sense of calm that allows for rational thought and decision-making. They help others move forward.
But you don’t need a crisis to appreciate a leader with stability. Such leaders are appreciated anytime.
In fact, the time for a leader to practice this value is before a crisis occurs.
Leadership Questions
If you want to lead with stability, the following are a few questions to ponder.
- Who is relying on your ability to remain steadfast?
- Are you more ‘firm’ in your thinking or your convictions?
- Are you viewed as a traffic pylon or a trustworthy pillar?
- Is your natural bent to be perfect or persistent?
- What eats away at your stability, and how are you guarding against this?
Serving with Stability
I have found the most effective and appreciated leaders are servant leaders. In the book Lead Like Jesus, the authors ask the question: Are you a servant leader or a self-serving leader?
Servant leaders know it’s not about them. It’s always about other people.
Now, some have the erroneous view that servant leaders are weak and can be easily pushed around. Nothing could be further from the truth. Others trust and rely on servant leaders because they possess the value of stability.
No one expects a leader to be perfect. Just stable.
Servant leaders demonstrate their stability by:
- Communicating a vision with such clarity others can see it and believe in it.
- Developing others and ensuring each one is leveraging their strengths.
- Adapting to change without destroying the integrity of the team.
- Consistently living the stated values, both common and differentiating.
- Generating results while enhancing relationships.
Regardless if you see yourself as a servant leader, others appreciate and will follow a leader with stability – in times of calm or a crisis.
