So many of us crave leadership roles for the power, the praise, and the affirmation that comes from them. It’s our human nature. Who doesn’t want to be needed, to be successful, and to be known as a mover and shaker in this world? Leadership is a powerful thing that gives the leader a great chance to shine. When a team grabs a big win, how often is the coach seen as the face of that victory? When a small business grows into a million-dollar corporation, who is the first to get the recognition? When we get a whole group of people under us to look good, we look good too. So of course we desire these roles. But what happens when our success is removed from the equation? What do you get when our leadership becomes all about those we are leading?
You get servant leadership. Servant leaders have a true desire for others to become greater than themselves, and they’re willing to give up what they have in order to see others step into greatness. It’s not about always being the face in front but rather coming alongside people (or from behind or beneath them) and helping to empower them forward.
When someone is leading me, I often think I’m supposed to be serving that person; that I need to understand what they want of me and do that… that I’m working to follow their directions and help complete their vision. But things change greatly when the leader becomes the one serving me. When they ask what they can do for me rather than telling me what to do for them. It makes me feel like a valued part of the team, it helps me grow, it leads me to greater respect for that person, and it actually motivates me to do more for them. This is the kind of leader I want to be—I want to be the one serving the people who think they’re supposed to be serving me.
There is an important distinction to make though. Being this kind of leader doesn’t mean allowing people to come in and take control of the business, the organization, or the family you’re leading; it doesn’t mean throwing your hands up and letting these people lead you, because you are still the leader… it’s simply a matter of heart posture and motivation. Is your only focus reaching the goals you have in place, and you happen to have a group of people who will help you do that? Or do you focus also on the people and what’s in it for them? It’s a powerful thing when leaders create a culture where those they’re leading can come to them wondering, “What can I get from this leader that will help me be better at what I do?” and then ask for it. And the thing they want to get is what the leader can do for them, the way he/she can serve them. Then as the leader serves them in this way, they become better at what they are doing, and everyone wins. They all go far together and these people are therefore being led, even when it didn’t always look like leadership. As leaders, we should be working for people, not having people work for us.
This is the kind of leader I want to be. I want to push others into the spotlight, not because I’m afraid to do the thing, but because there’s something they need to step into and I want them to get the glory and recognition. I want to empower people through the way I lead, and this looks like placing others in front of myself so they can shine and then stepping behind them as they start to do great; it’s not about looking good myself.
Jesus was the greatest servant leader of all time. Mark 10:45 shows us this: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” He was always more concerned with what He could do for others than with what others could do for Him. He didn’t worry about counting followers, looking successful, or even being viewed as a great leader. He lived to serve and to do what The Father led Him to do. So in looking at the way Jesus led, we have the best example to follow. To be a better leader, I must first be a better follower of Christ.
Imagine how drastically different your life might be if every leader around you thought of themselves last. How would things be different if every president and government official, every employer, every teacher, and so on lived this way? What would change if YOU did this? How would you live your life if you actually believed that other people are more important than you? Because this is how I want to live, it’s how I want to lead, and perhaps it’s something for you to ponder too.
As leaders, it’s natural to walk in front… but what if we didn’t, and instead, we served?
