Service Orientation 

Anticipating, recognizing, and meeting others’ needs 

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People with this competence:

• Understand others' needs;

• Monitor and seek ways to increase others’ satisfaction;

• Gladly offer appropriate assistance; make themselves available; and

• Grasp others’ perspective, readily, and can respond and act appropriately. 

 

People lacking this competency: 

• Focus on their own objectives rather than others’ needs;

• Provide routine or “off-the shelf” solutions and ideas;

• Speak poorly of others;

• Refuse to take a stand on behalf of another person;

• Fail to provide extra help (or even any help at all);

• “Pass the buck”; and

• May be discourteous.

 

Development tips: 

• Look for opportunities to be helpful, to be of service, to others;

• Anticipate and be aware of the needs of others; plan ahead to meet people’s needs if possible;

• Create a culture of service by modeling the behavior;

• Ask questions to understand another’s needs; act on or agree to a course of action;

• Under-promise and over-deliver; do more than expected; and

• Follow through; check to ensure satisfaction.

 

“The best job goes to the person who can get it done without passing the buck or coming back with excuses.” - Napolean Hill 

Great Resource: Servant Leadership, by Robert Greenleaf

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