Servant Leadership The practice of Servants leaders value others more than self, daily

~ Martin Luther King, Jr.~ "Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.~

Your competitors have the same equipment, strategies, access to coaching and they play the same competition; and it can all be duplicated. Servant leaders are individuals who can ORGANIZE, ENCOURAGE, TEACH, COMMUNICATE AND ENERGIZE teams in a way that brings out the best of everyone involved with the program. SERVANT LEADERSHIP

Successful athletes must make it a priority to develop leadership skills if they want to build a sustainable competitive advantage. John Maxwell sums it up best, “Everything rises and falls on leadership”, this is truer today than ever.

Serving comes before leading. If you want to know HOW you lead, just WATCH the actions of those under your leadership. They will give you a clear picture of how your leadership is influencing them by how they are serving and leading others.

you must first learn to be a great follower and become the best teammate and player you can be GREAT LEADER Get to practice and meetings on time Exceed all the minimum requirements Follow the rules Don’t cause problems with your teammates or coaches, on or off the field.

Servant Leadership is a desire to give up your desire to be served and, instead, you will need to find your significance in service to the team mission and members of your team.

The Seniors on highly successful teams understand that contributing to the success of the team is everyone’s responsibility. They will consistently take the initiative to teach and help others. This action opens the door for others to follow their example which creates an environment in which everyone is responsible for the positive direction of the team.

Servant leaders value others more than self, daily, values learning to lead better daily but looks for opportunities to serve as much as possible.

A servant leader is more interested in making a difference than always winning. We are all leaders and followers at the same time, and neither title is mutually exclusive A servant-leader is willing to get their hands dirty, to sweat it out with you, to lose sleep with you to help you advance in your goals. Some of the best players have no aspirations to become captains, yet they lead by example, and they usually lead by example in the other areas of their lives off the field.

Benefits of being a Servant Leader: 05 04 You can do more good for your team, and influence your teammates more readily, by modeling Servant Leadership. 03 02 Others will want to be associated with you and your team because of the value you bring them. 01 Others will follow your example and thus create a more positive team environment. You will help identify unique leadership traits in all team members. You will make the lives of your teammates better.

Characteristics of an athlete who practices Servant Leadership: 05 04 A servant leader listens. Traditionally leaders are known for their communication and decision-making skills. Although those are needed, a servant leader seeks to ask questions, listens respectfully, clarifies what has been heard and reflects before acting. 03 02 A servant leader has vision. Vision is a characteristic that enables the servant leader to understand the lessons from the past, the realities of the present, and the likely consequence of a decision for the future. 01 A servant leader shows empathy toward others. Many times, a teammate may have a have broken spirit. Although this is part of being human, servant leaders this as an opportunity to make others whole. A servant leader is deeply committed to the growth of everyone on the team. A servant leader seeks to identify ways for building community within and around the team.

Characteristics of an athlete who practices Servant Leadership: 05 04 Keep in mind that a servant-leader who is adding value to others sometimes forgets to add value to self. Make it a priority to fill yourself up so you can keep pouring into others. So, take a rest to give your best. 03 02 Does your vision for what you want to become fire up your teammates to want to do the same? Ask them! 01 Ask your coach for ways to perfect your role so you can better contribute to the team’s success. Look for teammates who need an encouraging word. Think of ways to help your teammates. Stay after practice and hit crosses to someone; be a lifting partner.

Self-evaluation and improvement: Where would you rate yourself on the practice of Servant Leadership? Why did you give yourself this rating? What benefits will you receive if you improve your rating? Whom do you know that demonstrates this principle consistently? What do you admire most about this person? What specific action can you take immediately that will improve your rating?