Those who study or work in the field of business management must have already heard about the importance of being a leader, a concept often mentioned in this 21st century, to the detriment of the old manager who exercises control over his subordinates through power. But… what does it mean to be a leader?
Seeking answers to this question, I directed my attention to one of the most talked about and revered works on this subject: The Monk and the Executive – A Story About the Essence of Leadership, by James C. Hunter.
The entire plot of the book revolves around the discussion between a monk, who was a great leader when he was an executive, and six characters who seek to learn about leadership.
I believe that in all the work, what best stands out is that to lead, it is necessary to serve. We need to serve and sacrifice for others to gain their respect, and admiration and thus exert influence over them.
And someone must be thinking: but I work alone, I don’t command a group, so for me, this business of knowing how to serve won’t help!
Wrong!
If you study all the principles that the book points out (or at least devote yourself to the study of service in business management), you will realize that what is interesting in a leader is also interesting in a freelancer.
As a good professional, I must adequately serve the needs not only of my subordinates but also of my superiors, clients, related communities, etc.
In other words: my attention needs to be focused on all stakeholders (people or organizations who are directly or indirectly affected by a company’s actions) to ensure that the targeted product meets not only the standards of my company but also the demands of all sectors and people involved.
Taking myself as an example, understanding better what it means to be a leader made me think more about what it means to be a good professional and what are the flaws in my daily conduct as a professional. And I believe the biggest of them all is exactly this: I have failed to serve adequately.
Serving a customer correctly, for example, requires a lot of discipline, lived experience, and dedication in seeking to observe all needs and attend to them as soon as possible.
Among the various characteristics that the book points out in a good leader (which, for me, are also essential in any successful professional) we can highlight:
- Knowing how to meet the needs of your subordinates (we can extend here to the needs of your superiors, customers, and other stakeholders);
- Know how to listen and respect subordinates as well as their opinions (once again, we can extend the concept to everyone involved);
- Knowing how to forgive third-party mistakes, thus being flexible, but not failing to punish when necessary.
The book deals with many other things and I hope to be publishing, soon, a review of this book (yes, I already finished reading it) so that you, the reader, can analyze it and, if you agree with me about how interesting it can be for change your view of leadership and professionalism, then decide whether it deserves a read or not (and I mean it when I say it deserves more than just one!).
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