How to Tap Into the Paradoxical Power of Leadership Self-Sacrifice
Remember being a kid? If you are competitive, you may remember campaigning to be the leader so you could pick your friends or play a particular position. As kids, the motivation to lead often was purely selfish. In the workplace, this motivation can be devastating. Evidence suggests that self-centered and manipulative leaders increase counterproductive behavior. Real leadership doesn't come from a title. Exceptional leaders put their team and its mission first. There are many well-documented stories about extraordinary self-sacrifice that changes the world. But, not all acts of self-sacrifice have a positive impact on leadership in the workplace. Here are two practical ways leaders can tap into the paradoxical power of self-sacrifice and elevate people, profit, and purpose.
Why self-sacrifice matters in leadership
There is no single definition of what is leadership. However, there is broad agreement that leadership involves the influence of followers toward turning vision into reality.
Maybe not too surprisingly, research suggests that self-sacrificing leaders are more influential than self-serving leaders. Leadership self-sacrifice in the workplace is demonstrated to enhance:
Intentions to reciprocate the leader's behavior
Feelings of team belonging
Intentions to give
Cooperative behaviors
Willingness to change
Self-Sacrifice is the giving up of one's own interests or wishes in order to help others or advance a cause.
Acts of self-sacrifice are inspiring. Many stories of modern world changers involve a common theme of tremendous self-sacrifice. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mother Teresa represent a couple of these leaders. Martin Luther King Jr. was central to the American civil rights movement. He faced numerous threats to his life and ultimately was assassinated in 1968. His message and his sacrifices galvanized the civil rights movement, leading to significant legislative and social changes in the United States.
Mother Teresa, also known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, served the poorest in India. She founded a religious congregation that aids those in need, including the sick and orphaned. Despite extreme personal sacrifice and criticism for her commitment, she stayed focused until she died in 1997. As of 1979, she had helped over two million sick, including nearly fifty thousand lepers treated by mobile dispensaries and special clinics.
But, not all acts of self-sacrifice in the workplace result in a positive impact. Those most influential involve self-sacrifice that conveys the leader can be trusted to act in a way that benefits the team and its mission.
Here is a good discussion by Simon Sinek about the power of self-sacrifice within an organization. It's inspired by Marine Corp General Flynn's account of why senior officers in the military eat last.
Self-Sacrifice Strategy #1: Establish Goals that Benefit Your Team and Organization
A leader's performance management goals should clearly emphasize a direct benefit for their team and its mission. Too often, leadership goals narrowly focus on the leader's direct contribution to the organization.
The key is the use of the word "and." Leadership goals need to go beyond driving individual performance and include their team. Here are a few high-level goal examples focusing on the leader, team, and organization.
Create a culture of inclusion in the organizational unit I lead - an environment in which every employee feels valued and has opportunities to contribute and grow.
Collaborate with followers to establish robust development plans, provide appropriate support (time, resources), and monitor progress to facilitate successful achievement of plans.
Provide followers with regular coaching and timely feedback.
Recognize the strong performance of employees I lead through financial and non-financial means, both formally and informally.
Be open and honest in communications and cascade business information in a timely manner to my team.
President Obama speaking of Medal of Honor recipient Captain Groberg said, "on his very worst day, he managed to summon his very best. That's the nature of courage — not being unafraid but confronting fear and danger and performing in a selfless fashion. He showed his guts, he showed his training; how he would put it all on the line for his teammates."
Self-Sacrifice Strategy #2: Cultivate Belonging
According to Gallup, two in ten employees rate their mental health as fair to poor. Depression, anxiety, and suicide are common mental health conditions associated with lacking a sense of belonging. Leaders can cultivate high-quality relationships and belonging by developing enhanced self-awareness, asking followers questions grounded in genuine curiosity, offering help, and showing appreciation.
Start using these five questions taken from Michael Bungay Stainers' book The Coaching Habit in your next one-to-one meeting:
What’s on Your Mind?
What’s the real challenge here for you? The spotlight shifts from the problem to the person wrestling with the problem. It invites learning and growth.
And what else? (AWE) The recipient hears, keep going.
What do you want? This shifts the discussion to consideration of the desired future state.
What was most helpful for you? People learn best when given space to reflect on what just happened. Ask them.
Leadership self-sacrifice can positively influence follower behaviors, performance, and the willingness to change in ways necessary to thrive in today's complex workplace environment.
What ideas do you have for demonstrating self-sacrifice that communicates your commitment to the team and its mission for the greater good?
References
Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-Changing Leadership Habits: 10 Proven Principles That Will Elevate People, Profit, and Purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting.
Gallup. (2022). State of the global workplace 2022 report. Gallup.; Best Christian Workplace Survey 2022.
Hoogervorst, Niek (2012). When do leaders sacrifice? The effects of sense of powerAon leader self-sacrifice. The focusip quarterly (1048-9843), 23 (5), p. 883.
Shin, J., & Shin, H. (2022). The effect of self-sacrifice leadership on social capital and job performance in hotels. Sustainability, 14(9), 5509.
Van Knippenberg, B. M., & van Knippenberg, D. (2005). Leader self-sacrifice and leadership effectiveness: The moderating role of leader prototypicality. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90, 25-37.
