“Will the leader please stand up? Not the President or the person with the most distinguished title, but the role model. Not the highest-paid person in the group, but the risk taker. Not the person with the largest car or the biggest home, but the servant. Not the person who promotes himself or herself, but the promoter of others. Not the administrator, but the initiator. Not the taker, but the giver. Not the talker, but the listener.” Francis Hesselbein in her book, The Leader of the Future, illustrates “our future leaders will demonstrate less charisma and ‘me first’ attitudes and will provide a greater emphasis on the servant model of leadership.”
Our world is changing, managing by control doesn’t work. Greenleaf, in Reflections on Leadership, says “tomorrow’s challenges require that its leaders be servant leaders.” Effective leadership is not based on education, charisma, speeches or slight of political craftsmanship but the character traits of honesty, caring, dedication and service. Those who are fortunate enough to work with a Servant Leader will find a leader who, according to Hesselbein, “is willing to serve”, Sir Charles Tupper underscores Servant Leadership in his 1904 classic Leaders of Men when he confirms “the most essential elements of success are force of character”.
Controlling, self serving Leaders are like the shepherd in Ezekiel, “You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally” (Ezekiel 34:3-4). Consider, “Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” (John 21:16)
Leadership is living the Servant role in the future.
Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach
Growing Leaders Daily