The Most Important Question to Ask New Leaders

Blanchard LeaderChat

“Do you want this job so you can serve—or so you can be served?”  Of course if you ask most people this question straight-up, the answer will always be “to serve” in the mind of the applicant, but a closer examination of what is behind the desire to serve is still really an opportunity to accomplish individual goals.  For example: 

• “I want to take this organization in a new direction.”
• “I want to be able to ask anyone on the street who is the number one service provider in our space and hear…”
• “I have a great idea on how to improve things.”

A serving leader, by contrast, will look to serve the goals that the organization wants to achieve. This is what Jim Collins referred to as “Level 5” leadership in his book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t.  It is a…

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