Do people – employees, peers, bosses, customers, everyone – feel valued when they interact with you? Do they feel listened to – and heard? Do they feel you make every effort to address their needs – or explain what you can do for them?

In our “get it done,” fast-paced work environment, these are tough questions to consider. Yet employees of government offices – be they leaders or team members – are categorized as civil servants.

Too often, we don’t serve others effectively. Sometimes interactions are less than fully civil!

Whether you formally lead others in your organization or not, you can be a servant leader – by being of service, of grace, and fully present, in every interaction. How can you do that? By being clear about your personal purpose, values, and behaviors, then living in alignment with them every day.

I have coached dozens of senior leaders who work hard to demonstrate values alignment in their personal and professional lives. Over hundreds of conversations I’ve discovered three proven ways that help keep the servant leader on track. They are:

Share your purpose, values, and behaviors

First, if you have not done so already, formally define your personal purpose and values. Your purpose is what you want to accomplish, for whom, and to what end. Purpose is your present-day “reason for being,” so your focus is on your life, your work, your team, and the opportunities that today offers. Values, defined in behavioral terms, enable you to be clear about how you’ll go about accomplishing your goals. A behavior that aligns with an integrity value might be “I keep my commitments.”

Once you have formalized your personal purpose and values statement, share it with your team, your peers, and your boss. Let them know that it is a “working document” that will evolve over time as you learn how to live these expectations. Let them know that you will need their help to ensure you stay on track.

Behave in alignment with your purpose, values, and behaviors

Once you have defined and shared your personal purpose and values, your must consistently act on those standards. Evaluate decisions, actions, and plans based on how they well they align with your purpose and values. With focus, you will clearly understand the most values-aligned decision or action.

You want behave in such a way that you walk out of the office or facility at the end of each day with your “head held high,” firm in the knowledge that you did your best to behave according to your stated purpose and values that day – in every interaction.

Actively seek feedback and learn from it

Your intentions are pure. You’re trying to live your purpose, values, and behaviors. But how do you know how others see your plans, decisions, and actions daily? Simple. You ask them.

Engage in open and honest feedback with your peers and boss to understand how they see your behavior – and whether they see it aligning to your defined purpose and values. Ask, “In your view, how am I doing? What could I do better? What should I do different? What concerns do you have?”

You may receive feedback that is different than how you perceive your plans, decisions, and actions. When that happens, don’t defend; this is a chance to learn about values alignment! Ask, “Tell me more. What can I do differently next time to ensure I’m making the best decision?” When the conversation ends, honestly thank them for taking the time to help you understand their viewpoint.

You’ll need to spend time every week with these three avenues. By embracing these approaches, you’ll help ensure you are serving well more often than not.