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Servant leadership is a concept which holds that adopting a service-focused mindset simultaneously benefits corporations, their employees, and the community at large. At Cydcor, the Agoura Hills based leader in outsourced sales, we know first-hand that our “People helping people” motto is more than just good PR; it’s good business. The benefits of participating in community service stretch well beyond creating a “feel good” vibe around the office (though they include that, too). Servant leadership empowers employees, builds critical skills to succeed in business, and fosters a sense of teamwork, community, and renewed commitment to the organization’s shared goals.
1) Empathizing with Others: Acting as servant leaders helps team members better relate to customers and to each other. Finding common ground is a necessary first step for building trust and is a key ingredient for forming strong and lasting partnerships.
2) Learning to Listen: Serving others forces employees to master the skill of listening. Indispensable and hard to teach in these times of selfies and tweets, the ability to hear and process information from others offers inarguable advantages in sales or any kind of business interaction.
3) Getting the Message Out: Servant leadership is all about gaining and raising awareness for critical issues affecting the global community. This push to spread a message for good can help employees hone the marketing and sales skills they’ll also use to advocate on behalf of their clients.
4) Dreaming Big: In order to envision a better world, servant leaders must set ambitious goals and create plans to achieve them. In business, the ability to think big and devise viable action plans to attain goals is critical to realizing personal and organizational growth and success.
5) Looking Ahead: Having foresight helps servant leaders anticipate and sidestep roadblocks in advance and create contingency plans to overcome the challenges that might lie ahead. Employees who master this skill through service can support their organizations with the strategic planning necessary to sustain business growth in a competitive business landscape.
6) Changing Minds: A critical task of servant leaders is to effectively persuade others to care, to give, or to volunteer to help achieve a common goal. They learn how to use consensus, not manipulation or coercion, to bring others on board and reframe thinking. This power to unite teams, recruit participants, and boost enthusiasm for causes and goals can give employees an edge when selling and promoting products, training direct reports, and building their crew.
7) Being Model Mentors: A defining characteristic of servant leadership is stewardship. Servant leaders see their role as one of developing others and helping them hone their skills to take on greater responsibility. Growing the leaders of tomorrow benefits the individuals, promotes growth within an organization, and trains future advocates for the community at large.
8) Committing to Growth: Good servant leaders make it their mission to help others achieve their goals and reach their full potential. They push others to venture outside of their comfort zones and create bold visions for the future. This passion for growth can help organizations stay competitive, inspires innovation, and builds a culture where employees believe success is achievable.
9) Building Community: A concept that spans employee teams, organizations, and society at large; employees who feel a strong sense of community view themselves as vital parts of something larger. They are motivated to perform because they know that what benefits the community, benefits them as well.
10) Taking Joy in the Journey: The greatest servant leaders are those who help spread excitement throughout organizations and into the community. They help maintain a positive outlook and thrive on the thrill of overcoming challenges. Acknowledging employees’ hard work and rewarding them for their achievements helps foster a community of servant leaders who express pride in themselves through excellence at their jobs.
Encouraging employees to act as servant leaders has benefits across every aspect of a business. It improves moral and unity, it fosters a positive relationship between companies and their communities, and it helps develop a workforce that is well prepared for the complex challenges of tomorrow.
More than 80 employees from Cydcor, the leading provider of outsourced, face-to-face sales teams, will roll up their sleeves on April 11 as they volunteer their Friday afternoon to unload and organize community donations for kids at Casa Pacifica, a residential treatment facility in Camarillo for abused, neglected and emotionally disturbed children. Employees will also have the opportunity to tour Casa Pacifica’s facilities and learn more about their programs and services.
Friday will mark the fourth time in the past year that Cydcor employees have volunteered their own time to help Casa Pacifica and make a positive difference in the lives of underprivileged children, teens and families.
“Cydcor is proud to have developed a relationship with Casa Pacifica. Helping out those who are less fortunate not only feels good, it’s the right thing to do,” said Gary Polson, chief executive officer for Cydcor. “Just like the enthusiasm our nationwide sales force brings to our client for outsourced sales, our staff is energized to volunteer as we all realize the benefits of giving back to our own community.”
Cydcor began its partnership with Casa Pacifica in 2007, when a team of 60 employees worked in their new warehouse to unload unloading storage units filled with community donations and organizing items based on age and gender. In December, Cydcor held a toy drive and delivered a mini-van full of toys to Casa Pacifica, helping to brighten the holiday season for more than 360 children and their families. Earlier this year, Cydcor employees donated their time to unload donations and organize clothing by size in order to help staff locate appropriate items for children more quickly. As part of Cydcor’s initiative to give back to the community, Cydcor also presented a $2,500 check to the non-profit organization.
“Cydcor has been committed to helping our organization in whatever way they can,” said Vicki Murphy, director of development and operations for Casa Pacifica. “Having the support of businesses like Cydcor is invaluable for us to further our mission and develop brighter futures for children of this community.”
About Cydcor Inc.
Cydcor Inc., is the leading provider of outsourced, face-to-face sales teams to a diverse client base of companies in a range of industries, including telecommunications, office products, retail energy and financial services. Cydcor works with a network of independently owned corporate licensee sales offices providing clients with access to more than 3,000 sales professionals and 200+ offices in North America. The privately held company is based in Westlake Village, Calif.
Cydcor
Gail Michalak
818-706-9500