013. Servant Leadership

Today, we're talking about one of the most important leadership philosophies out there: Servant Leadership.

As technical leaders in software development, it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks of managing teams, setting deadlines, and making sure projects are on track. But as a servant leader, your focus should be on helping your team achieve their goals.

This means taking a step back and looking at how you can best support your team. Do they need more resources, better communication, or more time to complete their tasks? Whatever it is, your job is to make sure they have what they need to succeed.

Another key tenet of servant leadership is facilitating greatness. As a leader, your job is not to micromanage your team, but to create an environment where they can thrive.

This means trusting your team members to do their jobs and empowering them to make decisions. It also means removing any obstacles that might be standing in their way. This means taking a proactive approach to identifying and addressing issues before they become bigger problems. If your team can't work, you can't work.

Here are some concrete examples of how you can remove obstacles for your team:

1. Providing resources: Whether it's tools, software, or hardware, make sure your team has everything they need to do their jobs effectively. This might mean investing in new equipment or software, or simply making sure they have access to the resources they need to get their work done. If you don't know what your team needs, ask! They'll tell you.

2. Clearing roadblocks: Sometimes, your team might hit a roadblock that they can't solve on their own. As a servant leader, it's your job to step in and help clear the way. This might mean helping to deep-dive code, working with other teams or departments to resolve issues, or advocating for your team's needs with senior management.

3. Encouraging communication: Communication is key to any successful project, but it's especially important in software development. As a leader, you should encourage open and honest communication between team members and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

4. Removing distractions: Software development can be a demanding and stressful field, so it's important to make sure your team members have the space and time they need to focus on their work. This might mean reducing unnecessary meetings or distractions, or taking busy-work type tasks off their hands.

5. Addressing conflicts: Conflicts are bound to happen in any team, but it's important to address them quickly and decisively. As a leader, you should be proactive about identifying conflicts and working with your team to resolve them in a positive and productive way.

Finally, it's important to remember that as a servant leader, your team gets all the glory. Your job is not to take credit for their successes, but to shine a light on their achievements and help them celebrate their wins.

This means recognizing and rewarding their hard work, as well as creating a culture of appreciation and gratitude. When you are recognized for an achievement, put the credit where it's really due: on your team. When your team feels valued and appreciated, they'll be motivated to keep pushing themselves to do even better.

1. Be a helper: Make it a priority to help your team members achieve their goals. This might mean providing them with the resources they need, offering support and guidance, or simply being available to answer questions and provide feedback.

2. Facilitate greatness: Empower your team members to do their best work by creating an environment where they can thrive. This might mean removing obstacles, encouraging communication, and trusting your team to make decisions.

3. Give your team the glory: Show your team members that you value their contributions by giving them the credit and recognizing their hard work. When your team members feel appreciated, they'll be more motivated to continue doing their best work.

As a technical leader in software development, it's critical to prioritize servant leadership. The success of your team is directly tied to your ability to serve and support them. By focusing on helping your team achieve their goals, removing obstacles, and fostering a culture of appreciation, you'll not only be a better leader, but you'll also empower your team to do their best work. Remember, a team is only as successful as its leader is at serving them. So lead by serving, and watch your team achieve greatness!