“The greatest among you shall be your servant.”
Matthew 23:11
Servant leadership is perhaps the most overlooked leadership style in today’s business and political world, and I believe the reason for this is simply the lack of deep understanding.
What is service?
I’ll begin with what it’s not. Service is not just taking on the responsibilities and inconveniences of other people. In some cases this may even be a disservice, because you’re taking away an opportunity for them to learn and grow from their own challenges & mistakes.
Service goes beyond the surface, it comes from a higher motive. True service cannot be achieved without an underlying loving-kindness and appreciation for other people. It’s not what you say, but how you say it. It’s not what you do, but how you do it. You must be inspired, and to be inspired, you must allow other people to inspire you.
In service there is sacrifice, but what is to be sacrificed? The ego. Great leaders do not make decisions by putting their personal desires on a pedestal. Instead, they embrace the needs of others as equally important as their own. Through this humility, they learn to empower the spirits of others, and that united spirit will become the essence of your culture.
So before you try to figure out how to get the most out of your people, first look at how you can give the most to your people. Don’t look for greener pastures, instead, attend to your own.
– Wyatt Simkins
That’s true leadership.