I recently shared thoughts regarding followership. A reality in following anyone is the leader’s ability to be compelling ‘enough’ to follow. I believe one of the ‘enoughs’ is something called Servant Leadership.
Rather than pontificate about this topic, I will share three sources. You make the connection.
“The greatest leader forgets himself and attends to the development of others.”
Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, in approximately 600 B.C.
“In the happiness of his subjects lies the king’s happiness, in their welfare his welfare. He shall not consider as good only that which pleases him but treat as beneficial to him whatever pleases his subjects”
Chanakya (a.k.a. Kautilya or Vishnu Gupta), Arthashastra, 4th century B.C.
42 So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:42-45 NLT, between 65 – 110 A.D.
A more modern conception of servant leadership development is attributed to Robert Greenleaf, who published his essay “The Servant as Leader” in 1970. This led to further essays from Greenleaf as well as works by authors such as John C. Maxwell, Stephen Covey, Max DePree, and Ken Blanchard to name only a few. Servant leadership emphasizes the success of a leader is seen in their ability to enable and encourage the success of others. It challenges leaders to serve others while staying focused on achieving results in line with the organization’s values and integrity.
It has been said that leadership is not ‘what you do’ per se, but ‘who you are’. So…
Are you a leader with the mindset to benefit yourself or to be a benefit to others?
You want something to do today? A little something wrapped around servant leadership? Something easy? Then do something today for someone else for no reason. Do it with the intention to help, to support, to bless, to enable, to serve someone else. And then do not tell anyone you did it. Do not do it with the goal of being acknowledged for your act. Do it just cuz.
“Make yourself necessary to somebody.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson