If this sounds familiar, you’re experiencing what thousands of engineers face as they progress in their careers: the realization that technical competence alone isn’t enough to reach the next level of professional success.

The harsh reality is that in today’s engineering landscape, your technical skills get you in the door, but they won’t necessarily get you to the corner office… or even to the level of influence and impact you want to have.

The Changing Engineering Landscape

The engineering profession has evolved dramatically. Cross-functional teams, intercompany partnerships, and matrix organizational structures have blurred traditional lines of authority. In this environment, the ability to influence across relationships (not just down a hierarchy) has become essential for career advancement.

Consider your current role. How much of your success depends on:

• Collaborating with team members who don’t report to you or even to your manager?
• Communicating complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders?
• Managing client relationships and expectations?
• Influencing decisions where you have responsibility but no formal authority?

If you’re like most engineers, the answer is “most of it.” Yet engineering education and early career development focus almost exclusively on technical proficiency, leaving a critical gap in the skills that actually drive career progression.

The Influence Gap

The myth that technical expertise automatically translates to leadership influence is particularly damaging in engineering. Many technically brilliant engineers find themselves passed over for promotions, excluded from strategic decisions, or struggling to get their ideas implemented — not because their technical skills are lacking, but because they haven’t developed the interpersonal competencies that modern engineering careers require.

This creates what we call the “influence gap”: the space between what you know technically and what you can accomplish professionally through influencing others.

Beyond Technical: The Essential Skills

Based on our work with engineering firms across Texas and beyond, there are several key competencies that separate high-performing engineers from those who remain technically competent but professionally limited:

Strategic Thinking & Big Picture Perspective

Technical skills focus on solving immediate problems, but career advancement requires the ability to see how individual projects fit into larger organizational strategies. This means understanding client needs beyond the immediate scope, anticipating future challenges, and thinking about the long-term implications of today’s decisions.

Engineers who develop strategic thinking skills can elevate conversations from “how do we solve this technical problem?” to “how does solving this problem advance our client’s business objectives and our firm’s competitive position?”

Communication & Relationship Building

Your ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences — clients, colleagues, and stakeholders with varying levels of technical knowledge — directly impacts your professional influence. But communication goes beyond just explaining technical details clearly.

Relationship building requires understanding what motivates others, finding common ground, and creating environments where collaborative problem-solving can occur. This includes the ability to give and receive feedback effectively, navigate difficult conversations, and build trust across professional relationships.

Influence Without Authority

Most engineering work today happens in environments where you need cooperation from people who don’t report to you. Success requires mastering what researchers call the principles of persuasion: reciprocity, social proof, consistency, liking, authority, and scarcity.

For engineers, this might mean:

• Building relationships with peers before you need their support
• Using data and precedent to make compelling cases for your ideas
• Understanding others’ priorities and framing your proposals in terms of mutual benefit
• Establishing credibility through demonstrated expertise and reliable follow-through

Ownership & Personal Leadership

Technical skills can make you a valuable individual contributor, but leadership skills make you someone others want to follow. This starts with personal ownership: taking responsibility for outcomes, not just tasks.

Personal leadership means asking “What can I do to improve this situation?” rather than waiting for someone else to take action. It means being proactive about your professional development, taking initiative on projects, and modeling the behavior you want to see from others.

The Integration Challenge

The goal isn’t to abandon your technical expertise; that foundation remains essential. Instead, the challenge is integrating technical competence with interpersonal effectiveness. The most successful engineers we work with have learned to leverage their analytical thinking and problem-solving skills in service of relationship building and organizational influence.

For example, the same systematic approach you use for technical analysis can be applied to understanding stakeholder needs, building project buy-in, or developing implementation strategies for organizational change. Your engineering training in precision and evidence-based decision-making becomes a significant advantage when applied to interpersonal challenges.

Practical Steps for Development

1. Start with Self-Assessment

Honestly evaluate where you stand on non-technical competencies. Are you comfortable presenting to diverse audiences? Can you influence decisions where you lack formal authority? Do colleagues seek your input on strategic questions, or only technical ones?

2. Seek Expansion Opportunities

Look for chances to practice these skills within your current role. Volunteer to lead cross-functional project teams, participate in client presentations, or take on mentoring responsibilities. Each of these provides low-risk opportunities to develop interpersonal competencies.

3. Invest in Strategic Relationships

Map your professional network both inside and outside your organization. Where are the gaps? Who are the key influencers whose support could advance your projects and career? Invest time in building genuine relationships with these individuals before you need their help.

4. Study the Business Context

Expand your understanding beyond technical requirements to business drivers. How do your projects impact client success? What are your organization’s strategic priorities? How do industry trends affect your firm’s competitive position? This broader perspective will inform better decisions and more compelling communication.

5. Practice Managing Up

Develop skills in influencing supervisors and senior colleagues. This means learning to frame requests in terms of organizational benefit, preparing thorough business cases for your recommendations, and understanding your supervisor’s priorities and constraints.

The ROI of Soft Skills

Some engineers resist developing these competencies, viewing them as “soft skills” that are less valuable than technical expertise. This perspective misses the significant return on investment that interpersonal effectiveness provides.

Engineers with strong influence skills get their technical recommendations implemented more often. They’re included in strategic discussions, trusted with high-visibility projects, and viewed as leadership candidates. They build professional networks that create opportunities and provide support throughout their careers.

Most importantly, they enjoy greater job satisfaction because they can see their expertise translated into real-world impact through effective collaboration and influence.

Your Development Path Forward

Technical skills will always be important in engineering; they’re your foundation and credibility base. But they’re no longer sufficient for the career progression and professional impact that most engineers want to achieve.

The engineering profession builds the infrastructure of our communities, and it needs leaders who can combine technical excellence with interpersonal effectiveness. Your technical expertise gives you the credibility to lead; developing influence skills gives you the capability to lead effectively.

The transition is about becoming a more complete professional who can leverage technical competence to create broader impact through relationships and influence.

Your technical skills got you where you are today. Your ability to work effectively with and through others will determine where you go tomorrow. The question isn’t whether to develop these competencies; it’s when to start and how quickly you can integrate them with your existing technical foundation.

The future of your engineering career depends not just on what you know, but on how effectively you can apply that knowledge through collaboration, communication, and influence. That development starts with recognizing that in today’s professional environment, technical skills alone aren’t enough and that’s actually an opportunity, not a limitation.

Interested in learning more about how to develop your career as a junior-level AEC professional? Follow us on LinkedIn to be notified about our next event! 

How do you make your case without seeming pushy or overstepping boundaries?

If this scenario sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many engineers who excel at technical problem solving struggle with the interpersonal dynamics of “managing up,” a term that refers to the art of influencing superiors to make decisions that benefit both the project and the organization.

At CrossGroup, we’ve worked with hundreds of engineers who’ve transformed their ability to influence upward in their organizations. The key lies in genuine yet strategic relationship-building based on mutual benefit and genuine business value.

The Strategic Approach to Managing Up

Managing up effectively requires shifting from a transactional mindset (“I need something”) to a strategic one (“How can I help my boss be successful while achieving my goals?”). This approach builds on several key principles that we teach in our leadership development programs.

Step 1:  Keep Your Intent in Mind

Before any important conversation with your supervisor, examine your true motivation. Yes, you have personal reasons for your request, so list those honestly. But then dig deeper: How will your suggestion benefit your team, your boss, and the organization?

For example, if you’re requesting new project management software, don’t just focus on how it will make your life easier. Research how it could improve client satisfaction, reduce project delays, or enhance the firm’s competitive position. Until you can make a compelling business argument, you’re not ready for a productive discussion.

Step 2: Do Your Homework

Gather objective data to support your position. If you’re asking for additional staffing, research industry benchmarks for similar projects. If you’re proposing process improvements, quantify the potential time savings and quality improvements.

Step 3: Think Big Picture

Your boss operates within constraints and pressures you may not fully understand. Take time to learn about their priorities, concerns, and the challenges they face in their role. What keeps them up at night? What metrics do they need to improve? How does your request fit into their larger objectives?

Listen actively during your interactions. Ask questions like: “What are your main concerns about this approach?” or “How do you see this fitting with our Q4 priorities?” This demonstrates that you’re thinking beyond your immediate needs.

Step 4: Create Win-Win Scenarios

The most successful managing up conversations result in outcomes that benefit everyone involved. Frame your requests in terms of mutual success rather than personal gain.

Instead of: “I need more feedback on my performance.”

Try: “I’d like to discuss how regular check-ins might help me contribute more effectively to the team’s goals and support your objectives for the department.”

Instead of: “Can I get approval for this training?”

Try: “I’ve identified a skill development opportunity that could help me take on more complex projects and reduce the time you spend reviewing my work.”

Step 5: Master the Art of Strategic Conversation

When you’re ready for the discussion, approach it as a collaborative problem-solving session rather than a one-sided pitch. Come prepared with:

• Clear business rationale for your request
• Specific implementation ideas that show you’ve thought through the details
• Acknowledgment of potential concerns and proposed solutions
• Openness to alternative approaches that achieve similar outcomes

Real-World Application: A Case Study

Consider this example: James is a transportation engineer who needed approval for additional project resources. His initial instinct was to focus on his overwhelming workload, but our coaching helped him reframe the conversation around business impact.

His preparation included:

• Data on project timelines showing how current resource constraints were affecting delivery schedules
• Client satisfaction scores indicating that rushed deliverables were impacting relationships
• Competitive analysis showing how peer firms were handling similar projects
• Proposed resource allocation with specific ROI projections

When James met with his supervisor, he positioned the conversation around the firm’s strategic goals: maintaining excellent client relationships and delivering projects on time and within budget. The additional resources were focused on the firm’s reputation and competitive position.

Not only did James get the resources he requested, but his boss began involving him in higher-level strategic discussions, recognizing his ability to think beyond individual projects.

Building Long-Term Influence & Patience to Match

Effective managing up requires building sustained influence over time, including:

• Consistent follow-through on commitments you make during these discussions. If you promise to provide additional data or take specific actions, deliver promptly and thoroughly.
• Regular relationship maintenance through informal check-ins and status updates. Don’t only approach your boss when you need something.
• Demonstrated value through excellent work and proactive problem-solving. The best foundation for influence is a track record of reliable performance and valuable contributions.

Remember that difficult conversations rarely resolve in a single discussion. Your boss may need time to gather information, consult with others, or consider budget implications. Respect this process while maintaining appropriate follow-up.

Schedule next steps during your initial conversation: “I understand you’ll need time to review this with the team. Would it be helpful if I scheduled a follow up in two weeks?” This shows professionalism and maintains momentum without being pushy.

Your Influence Advantage

As an engineer, you have natural advantages in managing up that many other professionals lack. You’re trained in systematic problem-solving, data analysis, and logical reasoning. You understand the importance of thorough preparation and evidence-based decision-making.

Apply these same skills to your professional relationships. Approach managing up with the same methodical care you’d bring to a complex design challenge or technical analysis.

The goal isn’t to manipulate or pressure your boss into compliance. It’s to create conversations where business value is clear, mutual benefit is obvious, and decisions can be made confidently. When you master this approach, you’ll find that managing up becomes less about being pushy and more about being genuinely helpful to everyone involved.

Your technical expertise got you where you are today. But your ability to influence upward will determine where you go tomorrow. Start practicing these strategies in your next important conversation, and discover how much more effective you can become when you combine engineering precision with interpersonal skill.

Join us for our upcoming webinar: Leading Without Authority: 5 Ways Engineers Can Increase Impact in 30 Days. We’re hosting a free webinar for junior-level professionals at AEC firms on October 28th at 12:00 PM CST. Register here to save your seat!

1. Reframe Conflict.

At its core, conflict arises from differences in perspectives, ideas, and approaches. These differences, when acknowledged and addressed, can lead to better decision-making and problem-solving. When team members engage in healthy debate, they bring their unique insights to the table, challenging assumptions and pushing each other to think differently. This diversity of thought is invaluable in today’s complex business environment, where agility, efficiency and creativity are key to staying competitive.

2. Make it safe.

Healthy conflict starts with fostering open communication and mutual respect. Team members should feel comfortable expressing their opinions without fear of judgment or reprisal. As a leader, it’s essential to set the tone by demonstrating active listening and a willingness to consider different viewpoints. It’s equally important to set an example by encouraging your team to challenge your ideas and give you honest feedback. This creates a safe space for productive dialogue to flourish.

3. Establish conflict norms.

Teams should establish norms for managing conflict before it arises. Do we have differing personal or cultural perspectives on conflict? Is it ok to raise our voices? Use strong language or sarcasm? We might agree to use facts to support our arguments, focus on one problem at a time, and strive for win-win solutions whenever possible. By providing structure around conflict, you empower team members to navigate disagreements and buy into team decisions without reservation.

4. Build a feedback culture.

Effective leaders create an environment where ideas are rigorously scrutinized while the individuals presenting them are respected. These leaders go first by putting their own ideas up for review, asking for candid comments, and acting on the feedback they receive. They may even mine for conflict by asking questions like, “What is one way you’d argue against this idea?” or “If you were the client, how would you poke holes in this proposal?” When we’re comfortable giving and receiving feedback, we welcome others’ ideas as tools to sharpen our own.

4. Strike a balance.

Some of us avoid conflict (flight) while others attack (fight). Both tendencies can harm relationships and kill good ideas. Avoiding conflict allows resentments to fester, while personal attacks put everyone on the defensive. The leader’s job is to carve a middle path: Ask those who always speak up first to hold back until others have spoken, or to elicit feedback from quieter colleagues. Encourage quiet team members to play devil’s advocate or make an agreement that everyone present in a meeting will share their honest opinion. When the extremes are kept in check, conflict stays constructive.

In conclusion, remember that while conflict in the workplace may initially seem disruptive or uncomfortable, it has the potential to drive performance and boost productivity. By fostering a culture of open communication and mutual respect, leaders can encourage healthy conflict within teams. Embracing diversity of thought and providing structured guidelines for conflict resolution are also key in creating an environment where productive conflict can thrive. Ultimately, by viewing conflict as an opportunity rather than a threat, organizations can harness its power to achieve greater collaboration, creativity and success.

Stereotypes of each generation are everywhere. Some are generous. Others are demeaning. All are overstated and inaccurate since we are, after all, people – unique and  varied beyond labels. At the same time, each generation has different experiences with work, family, and technology. Some of these differences fuel the stereotypes.

Too often, instead of trying to understand and value each other, we use over-simplified generalizations to make judgments, assign blame, and dismiss one another. This fosters mistrust which always erodes relationships and, ultimately, our performance.

The remedy: curiosity, a genuine desire to learn, and real effort to build relationships. We are much more alike than different. So how do we work together more effectively? Here are three places leaders can start:

1. Communicate openly: listen and ask questions.

Many of our team challenges come down to different communication styles and preferences. How do we conduct meetings, give and receive feedback, hold each other accountable, and resolve conflict? What are appropriate protocols for email, virtual meetings, phone calls and other ways we share information? As Megan Gerhardt, the author of Gentelligence, says “. . . we shouldn’t expect our reasons for approaching work in particular ways to be clear to people who have grown up and started their professional lives at different points in time.”[2]

Great managers invite team members to state their preferences and dialogue to reach agreement about how the team can communicate most effectively. There will likely be many different preferences, but there are no right or wrong communication styles. Everyone should have a voice, but should also be ready to stretch beyond their comfort zone. The leader’s job is to find the middle ground, clarify communication protocols for the team, and ensure each member’s buy-in to the team’s agreed-upon norms of  communication.

2. Explore common values and purpose.

One of the best ways to break down generational barriers is to find common values and interests and set goals that give the whole team a shared sense of purpose.

This effort might include a volunteer opportunity that everyone can support. Working together as volunteers will build trust and camaraderie, particularly if we make it fun.

When developing team goals, find ways for each colleague to express their opinion. Don’t just set the goal; articulate goals so the whole team is represented. Perhaps even assign specific tasks so everyone is included.

In team meetings, include icebreakers that allow team members to share what they are passionate about. Or, invite team members to share one thing for which they are grateful. This eventually might become an invitation to express appreciation to each colleague. Personal and positive conversations help teams break down perceived barriers and strengthen bonds.

3. Mentor across age groups.

Take advantage of the work experiences and abilities of people from different generations. Allow them to mentor each other. A younger employee can help an older colleague with new technology. Older team members can help younger ones understand the company culture, strategic initiatives, or client history.

As we continually focus on the strengths that various generations bring to work and our team, we are reminded that we are all working together. Together we are stronger and more effective as a team.

Lynne Lancaster offers a fitting conclusion: “Everybody wants to show up at work and do some meaningful work that they care about with co-workers who they like and trust and have their backs. By getting to know the generations, I hope we can achieve that, because we all bring this array of magic into the work we do.”[3]

[1] https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/01/17/where-millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/

[2] https://nihrecord.nih.gov/2022/06/10/expert-gets-us-talking-about-generations

[3] https://hbr.org/2021/08/how-to-manage-a-multi-generational-team

What are the benefits of a strong culture?

According to Terry Deal and Allan Kennedy, culture is “the way we do things around here.” Culture is comprised of an organization’s unique blend of values, beliefs, attitudes, routines, stories, systems, and (often unspoken) rules. A strong culture can be the glue that holds us together and the secret sauce that differentiates us in the marketplace.

Recent research makes a compelling case for building a strong organizational culture. First, companies with strong cultures are more profitable. A 2019 Return on Culture Report by Oxford Economics found that companies with strong cultures are 1.5x more likely to report average revenue growth over 15% for the past three years, and public companies with strong cultures are nearly 2.5x more likely to report significant stock price increases over the past year. And equally important: strong cultures are linked with better hiring, retention and engagement. A 2019 mission and culture survey by GlassDoor found that:

• 77% of workers consider a company’s culture before they apply
• Culture is one of the main reasons 65% of employees stay in their jobs
• Companies with a strong culture report up to 72% higher employee engagement

How can you make culture stronger?

These four steps are key:

1. Examine Your Values.

Some assume that culture will come naturally if we put up placards and talk about our values at the annual meeting, but that’s not enough. Go beyond abstract ideals to capture what your company values look like in action and how they tie into your strategic goals. Ask the following questions:

• What are our assumptions and beliefs about each value?
• How do our values support our purpose, mission and strategy?
• What behaviors and actions demonstrate our values? How will we encourage and reward these?
• What behaviors and actions do not align with our values (and therefore will not be tolerated)?

2. Achieve alignment.

Alignment is the magic bullet when it comes to culture. Leaders who straightforwardly align their values, behaviors, and strategy will create strong cultures.

To get to alignment, look within and be honest about who you are as an organization, where you are now, and where you want to go in the future. There’s no right or wrong answer. Don’t copy someone else. CrossGroup uses Kim Cameron and Robert Quinn’s Competing Values Framework to help leaders map their current and preferred future cultures. We create action steps to build a culture supported by specific behaviors, and in support of strategic goals.

3. Talk about your culture all the time.

Speak often about the desired culture and then go beyond words to prove that you mean it. You must literally live the culture and demonstrate it with all those you influence. Here are some ways to make culture come alive for your people: 

• Talk about successful projects using words that describe the values and culture in action.
• When coaching employees and in performance reviews, describe behaviors that align with the culture.
• In team meetings, highlight a value every week and explore how we are living them and where we need to grow.
• Tell legendary stories that illustrate your values and culture.

4. Welcome feedback.

Meaningful dialogue between leaders and their teams can help merge your company’s purpose with values. Welcoming feedback from your employees and customers allows you to observe inconsistencies and blind spots. Address these with transparency and take action.

There is no good or bad organizational culture, but there are strong and weak cultures. A strong culture is all about living it together and course-correcting when we get off track. Leaders invite dialogue instead of just making speeches, and they set an example of mutual accountability between all members of an organization. That builds trust, and trust strengthens culture.

In Conclusion…

In a strong culture, teams set strategies and achieve goals more efficiently, businesses become more defined in their respective industries, and in the face of a crisis, leaders can make decisions more effectively. Over time, the culture will solidify and become a force that defines your organization.

Maybe it’s a top-tier athletic coach, or someone who coached you as a youth. Maybe you’ve received skillful coaching from a work supervisor or mentor. Whatever the context, all great coaches invest time and energy in developing the skills and confidence of others. They excel at cultivating the potential of individuals and teams. The mission of a great coach is to help others succeed.

Watching a great coach in action is inspiring, but it’s not always easy to translate their techniques into actionable steps that help us lead better at work. We’re busy. Our teams are complex, and our goals aren’t as black-and-white as the numbers on a scoreboard. But I believe all great coaches have four skills in common, and any leader can level up their own coaching game by putting them into practice:

1. Start with your own mindset.

Employees naturally look to their manager to set the tone for the team. Do you blame and complain, or take ownership? Is it a crisis or an opportunity? When you make a mistake, do you cover it up or honestly put it out there as an example for the whole team to learn from? Your attitude about questions like these is contagious, which means your own mindset can be your greatest asset. Be honest with your self-assessment. By virtue of your position as a leader, your influence is magnified. If you project a negative, disengaged, or victimhood mindset, it will spread to those you lead. But if you are genuinely curious, growth-oriented, and solutions-driven, those qualities will become the team’s gold standard.

2. Ask more and better questions.

Think of the last time someone asked you a good question–one that made you stop and think. Questions do more than elicit information. They can build trust, spark creative ideas, mine for conflict, and prompt honest self-assessment and feedback. To ask more and better questions, first cultivate genuine curiosity and then plan your questions accordingly. If you think you already know the answer, ask yourself, Do I really? What could I be missing? Challenge yourself to convert yes/no questions into more thoughtful, open-ended questions. Pick an unexpected icebreaker to start your next meeting. Finally, put Michael Bungay Stanier’s seven key questions from The Coaching Habit into rotation when you dialogue with team members. They can be used to set up almost any coaching conversation for success.

3. Give frequent informal feedback.

Have you ever watched an elite coach make multiple, tiny adjustments to an athlete’s stance? Dramatic improvements in performance require focused attention and continuous feedback. Similarly, annual performance reviews are not sufficient feedback for anyone who truly wants to grow, and those are the only people you want on your team. Emotional intelligence researcher Daniel Goleman says that leaders who excel at coaching engage in steady, informal dialogue with employees about their performance and goals. This provides employees with clarity about what’s expected of them and how their tasks support the overall vision or strategy. They trust that they’ll receive timely, helpful feedback as they stretch themselves, which builds confidence. Best of all, the support of continuous feedback increases commitment. Goleman says, “(The) implicit message is, ‘I believe in you, I’m investing in you, and I expect your best efforts.’ Employees often rise to that challenge with their heart, mind, and soul.”[1]

4. Take the training wheels off and let go.

Remember that the number one goal of a great coach is to help others succeed. As you build your team members’ skills and confidence, they grow in their capacity to perform independently, and perhaps even to surpass you in certain skills or accomplishments. It challenges many of us–who have spent years, if not decades, refining processes and becoming subject matter experts–to let go and trust our team to get the job done without us. Other managers are beloved because they are always there, providing solutions, expert advice, and a path forward, but that’s helicopter management, not coaching. Coaches use a technique called scaffolding to gradually remove support and guidance as team members become more competent. A similar approach allows managers to plan work assignments that engage their teams in continuous learning.

So ask yourself… Am I a model of the mindset I want my team to embody? Am I asking questions that dig deeper? Am I giving the kind of feedback that inspires growth, confidence, and commitment? And finally, am I cultivating team players who will eventually be able to get results without me? These four aims are the ultimate measure of a great coach.

[1]  Goleman, Daniel. “Leadership that Gets Results.” Harvard Business Review, March-April 2000.

A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong. Servant leadership is a timeless concept, but the phrase was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in his 1970 essay The Servant as Leader. Greenleaf said:

“The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first… The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served.”

Greenleaf’s powerful Best Test for servant leadership asks:

• Do those served grow as persons?
• Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, and more likely to become servants?
• What is the effect on the least privileged in society? Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?

While traditional leadership generally involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the “top of the pyramid,” servant leadership is different. The servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first, and helps people develop and perform to the best of their ability.

It is helpful to remember that Greenleaf wrote the essay while leading people at AT&T. His work was lived out in the real world of business and working with people inside a large organization. Here are four of my observations from a fresh reading of the essay about how we can develop the skills of servant leadership:

1. Learn to Listen.

Leaders have traditionally been valued for their communication and decision-making skills. Greenleaf does not discount these skills. Instead, he pushes listening to a loftier role. Servant-leaders must have a deep commitment to listening and focusing on others. They seek to understand and clarify what is being said and what is not being said. This same skill is applied to oneself by listening to our own inner voice. Our inner voice will lead to empathy if we truly care about others more than we care about ourselves.

2. Practice Empathy.

The servant-leader strives to understand and empathize with others. People deserve to be accepted and recognized for their special and unique spirits. We extend grace to ourselves. Why not extend this same grace to others by assuming their good intentions? This kind of acceptance helps us avoid making others feel rejected, even when we suggest corrective behaviors or performance improvements. The most successful servant-leaders are those who become skilled listeners and then put their empathy into action.

3. Promote Healing.

The healing of relationships is a powerful force for transformation of individuals, teams, and entire organizations. Broken spirits and suffering from emotional hurts are part of our human condition. Servant-leaders recognize that they have an opportunity to help others become more whole. In The Servant as Leader, Greenleaf writes, “There is something subtle communicated to one who is being served and led if, implicit in the compact between servant-leader and led, is the understanding that the search for wholeness is something they share.” This requires vulnerability on the part of the leader and the other person. This is part of the healing process.

4. Use Personal Persuasion.

Servant-leaders rely on persuasion to lead change, rather than positional authority, coercion or compliance. This is one of the clearest distinctions between traditional authoritarian leadership and servant leadership. To move the group forward, the servant-leader builds commitment to shared values–often one person at a time. Greenleaf cites the example of John Woolman, an American Quaker and abolitionist, who spoke with his contemporary Quakers one-on-one and persuaded many to free enslaved people before the Civil War.

Employee engagement is a hot topic today, but we don’t emphasize the power of leader engagement enough. As leaders engage with the people around them with a “serve first” attitude, employee engagement will follow. It is hard to resist anyone who genuinely demonstrates that they care about us. Leaders who empower others and create environments for personal growth are rare, and they give their organizations a powerful edge in retaining and cultivating top talent.

Here’s your challenge: How well do you measure yourself against Greenleaf’s Best Test? In which of these ways could you put servant leadership into practice today? 

Resources:

Greenleaf, R. K. (1970). The Servant as Leader. Robert K. Greenleaf Publishing Center.