In this article, Author Jan Jones, discusses Servant Leadership, explaining the relevance for executive assistants and the parallel to emotional intelligence.

FlyPrivate is a proud partner and associate of Jan Jones. Jan brings valuable, actionable information to EAs across the globe. We hope you enjoy her blogs as much as we do! 

FlyPrivate: In your book, you talked about Servant Leadership and explained the parallel to the role of the executive assistant. When you discussed this topic with us previously, many assistants had not heard about Servant Leadership, or understood how the concept could apply to executive assistants.

As Servant Leadership is more widely practiced by executives and business today, our readers are showing a growing interest in this concept. Would you help them to understand the specific relevance for executive assistants and how it will help them expand their influence at work?

Jan Jones: I’m constantly reminding assistants to take an interest in the ideas and practices that interest their executives. It keeps assistants in the know, and better able to relate to their executive’s way of thinking. It improves the EA’s understanding of how to work in partnership with their executive, because they understand the psychology behind how their executive is approaching certain issues. 

The concept of servant leadership parallels emotional intelligence in many ways, particularly with social awareness and empathy. Assistants will find servant leadership useful and interesting, because many assistants have a natural desire to be of service. Assistants help their executives and teams to perform to their highest capability, which is one of servant leadership’s foundational principles.

I recently heard my former boss, Tony Robbins, describe his success. He said “I love to serve. Do more for others than anyone else in the industry. When you do that year after year, decade after decade, you build a brand and millions of people come. That’s what happens when you add value. It’s always about adding value – how do I influence someone for a higher purpose?”

Servant-Leader and servant leadership are not new concepts. Robert Greenleaf coined the terms in an essay he wrote in 1970. He got the inspiration from reading Herman Hesse’s book, “Journey to the East.” 

In my book, “The CEO’s Secret Weapon” I told the story of Leo the servant in Hesse’s book. Hesse wrote “In addition to his menial chores, Leo sustained the group (of travelers) with his spirit.” When Leo left the group, they fell into disarray and the journey was abandoned because they could not make it without Leo.

This reminded me of the role an executive assistant plays in an organization. They perform some tasks that are mistakenly perceived as menial, yet “They hold together and sustain the multiple activities and personalities that keep an enterprise going.” This is precisely what executive assistants do in organizations all over the world.

I was introduced to Robert Greenleaf by management guru Dr. Ken Blanchard who is a respected friend of Tony Robbins. When I was writing my book, Dr. Blanchard invited me to his home and spent a full day guiding and advising me. This showed me firsthand who servant-leaders are. They live true to their principles. In my book I’m sure you noticed Dr. Blanchard’s relationship with his wonderful assistant, Dana Kyle, whom he likened to a “soul mate.” Reading his comments, you experience the servant-leader in action. They are leaders who listen closely to their teams, care about them on a personal level, care about their development and value their contributions. Which assistant wouldn’t want an executive like that?

Appreciation for the servant leadership concept didn’t come easily to an individualist like me. I struggled with the term because the words tend to imply the opposite of each other. People don’t want to be perceived as servants, particularly assistants whose role through the years has sometimes been spoken of in unflattering terms, analogous to servant. When I read about Leo in Herman Hesse’s book, I suddenly became clear about servant leadership and how true executive assistants have been examples of the concept for generations. It’s not about self-sacrifice, but about being of service. Helping people to accomplish their goals doesn’t diminish you. It strengthens your ability, elevates you and expands your influence.

In my book, Simon Sinek, author of “Start with Why”, said that a huge mistake executives make is “Treating their assistant as a
subordinate. What they don’t recognize is if you look after the
person and look after their growth as a human being, they will want to do everything in their power to keep you healthy, happy and productive.”

Does that sound like what an executive assistant does for their executive and their team? Like Tony Robbins, it’s about having the heart of someone who wants to be of service. That’s how in earlier generations assistants expressed the essence of the role. They were intensely loyal to the executive they served. They understood they served the larger organization, but their focus was centered on the executive whom they were hired to support. They looked out for them, and kept them protected from unnecessary distractions. They were the protector of their executive’s time, so these executives benefitted from that “white space” on their schedules that we hear so much about today. Quiet time to think and strategize, rather than being overwhelmed with doing. These assistants were tuned into their executives. They knew what they needed in order to be productive, and made sure they got it. This is how they were of service and in service to their executive’s objectives. And they were clear that in serving their executive, they were serving the executive’s direct reports, customers and the wider organization.

It is important for today’s assistants to understand the basic concepts of servant leadership because its influence is widespread. Companies such as Starbucks, Southwest Airlines, SAS, Marriott, Zappos, Nordstrom, FedEx have instituted servant leadership practices and offer servant-leader training. With the growing influence of servant leadership, EAs may find themselves working for an executive who is committed to being a servant-leader. It can be a radically different experience and one that takes getting used to, because you are asked to step up and be mindful of your better nature at all times. Embodying what it truly means to be a servant-leader is not easy, and cannot be trivialized as the latest buzzword. Servant leadership doesn’t happen overnight. It is a long-term transformation for people and organizations.

Assistants, let’s be clear. Servant leadership is not about subjugating yourself. It is about claiming yourself, living to your highest purpose while supporting others to do the same. Servant leadership is not a one-way street. The server is as valuable as those they are serving. If you are supporting a true servant-leader, they are also in service to you, helping you to perform at your optimum level.

Servant leadership is uniquely human. No AI, with all its digital efficiencies, data and metrics, will match the assurance and comfort a servant-leader brings to the workplace, allowing colleagues to perform at peak levels in a supportive environment. EAs should consider what developing servant-leader characteristics can do for their career prospects in a VUCA world.

Here are some characteristics of servant leadership as explained by the former CEO of Greenleaf’s organization, Larry Spears, and my take on the relevance for EAs.

Listening: Listening intently and receptively is vital to the growth of a servant-leader, and a crucial characteristic for an executive assistant. Former Popeyes’ CEO Cheryl Bachelder says “Listening well is the path to serving well.”

Healing: The potential for healing one’s self and others is a powerful force for transformation. Assistants routinely come across people who need help and encouragement. Find ways to be of service, without neglecting your core responsibilities, or becoming overwhelmed by other people’s issues. I knew an EA who volunteered for a suicide hotline. She had to stop because she became too depressed and it was seriously impacting her job as assistant to a senior VP. Empathy doesn’t mean taking on someone else’s problems.

Awareness: Not only situational awareness, but self-awareness. Because executives have high visibility, we are more aware of their lack of self-awareness than our own. I found myself demonstrating a lack of self-awareness recently. It brought home the value of vigilance, which keeps us from acting like a high school kid. Be aware of your impact on people.

Persuasion: Using persuasion rather than authority. Assistants should be used to this since many don’t have any direct or positional authority, yet they manage to get things done through collaboration, resourcefulness and treating others respectfully.

Foresight: Understanding the lessons of the past to look ahead and avoid problems in the future. Executives want assistants to develop their ability to anticipate. Being prepared gives you a big advantage in supporting your executive and independently spearheading projects. Your position in the executive suite gives you a bird’s-eye view advantage. Use that data strategically to plan your course of action.

How will you apply these characteristics to your role as executive assistant? Remember servant leadership is for people at all levels, not only for people with a “C” in their title (CEO, CFO). As a servant-leader, the assistant must understand their stewardship to their executive and to the organization of which they are a part. Servant leadership is not asking you to be submissive. You are being encouraged to build and be a part of something. Build something you value and care about.

As much as we speak about “partnerships” and “relationships” it must be remembered that the assistant has been hired to provide the support the executive needs in carrying out the company’s mandate. Your effort must be in service of this requirement. This is not limiting you. It is expanding you. A spirited, resourceful assistant can take the role in many directions if they are looking out for the best interests of their executives and the organization of which the assistant is an integral part. There is much that can be done by an assistant with bold vision and a sense of purpose who wants to take the lead. It is only limiting if “what’s best for me” is your predominant focus.

Ideally, the executive has already adopted the role of servant-leader, so together the executive and assistant are in service and support of each other. I’ve had the privilege of working with a servant-leader executive and I can tell you, you will gladly work your heart out for this person, because you know they have your back as much as you have theirs. You realize they truly see you as a human being, and not merely a high achieving, production machine whose mettle they will test to the point of breaking. When this happens, the executive and the assistant are successfully partnered to deliver superior performance. They are aligned and fully engaged, bringing their best to work every day in the true spirit of servant leadership.

---

©The CEO’s Secret Weapon. The ideas expressed in this article and any text extracted from “The CEO’s Secret Weapon” are the intellectual property and copyrighted to Jan Jones. All rights reserved. No unauthorized usage or duplication by any means is permitted without the express consent of the author.

Author: Jan Jones

Want more from Jan Jones? Check out her Q & A Series!

Jan Jones is the author of “The CEO’s Secret Weapon How Great Leaders and Their Assistants Maximize Productivity and Effectiveness.” The book has received widespread acclaim from executives and executive assistants worldwide. Jan spent 20+ years as an esteemed international executive assistant to well-known business people, including Tony Robbins, the world’s #1 business and life strategist. Jan continues to champion the executive assistant profession with her writing, consulting and speaking. She offers timeless, practical advice that is relevant to the day-to-day role of the executive assistant. 

Jan Jones Worldwide

Visit Amazon to purchase Jan Jones’ book and visit her website:
The CEO’s Secret Weapon.

The CEO’s Secret Weapon: How Great Leaders and Their Assistants Maximize Productivity and Effectiveness

We’d love to hear from you! Please follow us on:

Website: www.flyprivate.com
Email: fly@flyprivate.com
Phone: 1-800-641-JETS (5387)

All flights arranged by Private Business Jets, LLC DBA FlyPrivate are operated by Part 135 Certified Air Carriers. FlyPrivate will act as your agent for the purpose of obtaining charter service.

You don’t have to hold a position in order to be a leader.
– Henry Ford

In this article, Author Jan Jones discusses the most effective leadership traits to enhance the credibility and status of the executive assistant.

FlyPrivate is a proud partner and associate of Jan Jones. Jan brings valuable, actionable information to EAs across the globe. We hope you enjoy her blogs as much as we do! 

FlyPrivate: What are the most effective leadership traits to enhance the credibility and status of executive assistants?  

Jan Jones: Executive assistants today are constantly being told “Assistants are leaders.” However, those words are not synonymous. Some assistants embrace the “assistants are leaders” mantra unquestioningly, others are not quite sure that assistants are leaders, or if they themselves have what it takes to be a leader.

Is every assistant a leader? No. Does every assistant think and perform like a leader? No. Can leadership be practiced and learned? Certainly. Do all assistants have the potential to be leaders? Absolutely.  

Here are some hallmarks of renowned leaders. Since EAs serve as their executive’s deputy, the goal is to exhibit the same positive traits their leader executives do, even if it is on a smaller scale. Understanding and modeling these traits will benefit assistants throughout their career, whether they stay in the EA role, take on a different opportunity, or start a business. Your objective doesn’t have to be to set the entire world on fire. Making an impact within your sphere of influence may be enough. For assistants with their sights on broader horizons, developing these traits will take you a long way into a promising future.

Leaders are Visionaries. Leaders have foresight and vision. Envisioning the “big picture”, the possibility, the potential. Visionary leaders take steps to make their vision a reality. As an EA, what possibility and potential can you see – at the level of your routine tasks, or on a bigger scale – that will make a difference to your performance, and lift up the performance of your executive and team?

What about your vision for your own growth and development? How are you developing your prospects? What is your commitment to yourself to bring about your vision for your life? Think big and don’t hesitate to take even small steps in the direction of that vision. Proverbs 29.18 in the Bible says “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Don’t perish for lack of vision. Thrive and give yourself the life you deserve.

Leaders are Effective Communicators. Not only do leaders see the big picture, they are able to communicate it clearly. They get their point across and get others to buy in, because they share the Why of the vision. How are you communicating the vision of your organization? Understand that communication is also non-verbal so it’s not just what you say, it’s what you do, how you live, how you show up in your demeanor, in the work you produce. Your words have to mirror your actions, or your communication will be hollow and you’ll lose credibility.

In my book, “The CEO’s Secret Weapon” I say that the assistant is the executive’s “brand ambassador.”  To be a brand ambassador, you must communicate clearly, effectively and diplomatically. You must always be on-message. There can’t be any doubt that you know exactly what you are talking about. You are also a brand ambassador for yourself. Develop a credible air of authority in your aura. Leaders represent themselves as confident and capable. They inspire confidence in others. This is how you build your influence. EA trainer Adam Fidler encourages assistants to develop “executive presence.” This is precisely what that is – credibility, capability, confidence.

Leaders are Experts at Execution. Leaders know how to get tangible results. General Omar Bradley, who led the American forces on D-Day, said repeatedly “Amateurs talk about strategy. Professionals talk about logistics.” Remember this when you hear EA trainers constantly pushing the “Strategic Business Partner” narrative. There must be an effective plan for implementing strategy, otherwise strategy is dead in the water. When CEOs are fired for performance issues, it’s not because their strategy is flawed but because of poor execution of that strategy. Expert assistants understand what needs to be done, and they know how to get it done. Disciplined, focused and methodical, they follow through in executing objectives.

Leaders are Motivators. Leaders are able to motivate the team to get behind an idea. They inspire people to believe in themselves and their abilities. At one of my jobs, my boss would urge me to “light a fire” under our executives and teams, because I demonstrated a can-do spirit and a sense of certainty we could achieve our goals. He felt I was an exemplary ambassador for the vision he had for his company. Many executive assistants have access to high places. Pay attention to how executives at that level function so you can develop your stature and credibility. Make your enthusiasm for your job and your company a tangible aspiration for your colleagues to emulate.

Leaders are Passionate. Leaders are all-in with their mission. They know what they want to achieve and move confidently in that direction with high energy and determination. To be a superior EA, bring passion to your job. Love what you are doing and immerse yourself wholeheartedly in it.

Leaders are Focused. Leaders are seldom deterred or distracted from their goal, and if they are, they know how to quickly get back on track. Tony Robbins says “where focus goes, energy flows”. Keep your focus on your priorities and goals.

Leaders are Creative Thinkers and Problem Solvers. Leaders are solution-oriented and find ways to come up with the answers. They remain curious and interested. Leaders are not afraid to ask questions. They know how to troubleshoot and implement solutions by keeping the goal in mind. Leaders approach everything with a possibility mindset. Similarly, creative assistants always find ways to get better and do better.

Leaders take Responsibility. Response-ability: the ability to respond. To do that you must be alert. Assistants often complain they don’t have authority. It could be because they haven’t yet developed the ability to respond to what is necessary. Leaders step up and take charge when the need arises. They don’t hesitate to make themselves responsible for getting the job done and they accept the consequences of their decisions. This is one area where EAs need practice if they want to be considered a leader. Assistants like the idea of being a leader, but many don’t want to carry the burden of responsibility. Develop your response-ability. It shows you have courage, belief and trust in yourself. It will set you apart from others in a hurry.

Leaders are Courageous. Leaders know who they are. They have strength of character that can see them through daunting situations. They stand up for their beliefs and defend those who are in need of their protection. Leaders make difficult decisions and don’t back down from doing what’s right even if it’s unpopular. They are able to withstand the onslaught of unprovoked attacks on their credibility and reputation, and are fearless in the face of adversity. Courageous leaders are powerful influencers because their teams see they don’t hesitate to do what’s right. I’ve seen this first-hand in recent interactions with executive assistants. Courageous leaders stand up for what’s right in the face of mob rule and bullying. They hold themselves and others accountable. They don’t hesitate to call people out for their bad or cowardly behavior. Courageous leaders deal with conflict head-on because they know it builds their courage and problem-solving ability. They speak up even when it would be easier to just go along.

Leaders are Emotionally Intelligent. EI is about how you manage yourself and your relationships. Many EAs have excellent empathy skills, naturally sensing how others are feeling. They excel in the EA profession because they are adaptable. They can juggle numerous demands and adjust well to constant changes in priorities. Daniel Goleman says the ability to empathize and take an interest in others’ concerns is what helps us to get along with a diverse group of people. EAs certainly demonstrate this with the varied groups of executives and teams they support. Particularly strong in inter-personal skills, EAs should be careful not to get caught up in empathizing too much, always trying to please everyone, or trying to be liked. You can’t be in giving mode indefinitely without it taking a physical and emotional toll on you.   

Leaders are Intolerant of Mediocrity. Leaders don’t hesitate to challenge the status quo. As an EA, one of my biggest contributions to the companies I worked for was challenging status quo thinking. I didn’t hesitate to recommend or make changes that were necessary, and I always provided a rational explanation for why those changes needed to be made. Average ways of thinking and doing things that don’t propel you to next-level performance are a waste of time. Keep striving for excellence at all levels. Even incremental changes will help to set you apart from all the other assistants who perform the same tasks you do, but who can’t match the creativity and ingenuity you bring to those tasks to make you a game-changer. 

With leaders there is no one-size-fits-all. Leaders are diverse and multi-dimensional. They bring numerous talents to the table and are a constant source of inspiration to the world. No, you don’t need a title to be a leader and if you are confident about yourself and your ability, you won’t sweat over a title. To influence and lead you need self-belief, integrity, a sense of purpose, courage to take the lead, communicate effectively, accept responsibility and get things done. All these hallmarks of effective leaders take practice. Keep company with peers who are strong, capable and fearless. Develop stamina to keep moving forward. Executive assistants who develop these skills will expand their leadership capability and influence. Here’s to the leader within you!

---

©The CEO’s Secret Weapon. The ideas expressed in this article and any text extracted from “The CEO’s Secret Weapon” are the intellectual property and copyrighted to Jan Jones. All rights reserved. No unauthorized usage or duplication by any means is permitted without the express consent of the author.

Author: Jan Jones

Want more from Jan Jones? Check out her Q & A Series!

Jan Jones is the author of “The CEO’s Secret Weapon How Great Leaders and Their Assistants Maximize Productivity and Effectiveness.” The book has received widespread acclaim from executives and executive assistants worldwide. Jan spent 20+ years as an esteemed international executive assistant to well-known business people, including Tony Robbins, the world’s #1 business and life strategist. Jan continues to champion the executive assistant profession with her writing, consulting and speaking. She offers timeless, practical advice that is relevant to the day-to-day role of the executive assistant. 

Jan Jones Worldwide

Visit Amazon to purchase Jan Jones’ book and visit her website:
The CEO’s Secret Weapon.

The CEO’s Secret Weapon: How Great Leaders and Their Assistants Maximize Productivity and Effectiveness

We’d love to hear from you! Please follow us on:

Website: www.flyprivate.com
Email: fly@flyprivate.com
Phone: 1-800-641-JETS (5387)

All flights arranged by Private Business Jets, LLC DBA FlyPrivate are operated by Part 135 Certified Air Carriers. FlyPrivate will act as your agent for the purpose of obtaining charter service.