“Good leaders must first become good servants.” – Robert Greenleaf
“A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go but ought to be.” - Rosalynn Carter
Many times people confuse being a leader with power. A leader may have power, and many have authority, but a true leader is first a servant. What is a servant leader? A servant leader is a servant first and then a leader. In my current position I am a leader for my entire company. One thing I realized yesterday is that I see my leadership abilities as serving the 200 people who work in my company. Yesterday I spent three and a half hours with my team, creating bags and holiday invitations. There were a few people who complained the entire time about having to do so much work. I was not feeling well, so I worked on putting the invitations together and as I watched people I heard a lot of complaining and a lot of negative comments.
As I sat there I thought to myself, “I should ask each team member why they are on this employee activities team.” I know why I choose to step up and be the employee activities president; because I wanted to serve my co-workers. For me one of the greatest feelings in life is putting a lot of hard work into something for others, and then watching them enjoy whatever it is I worked so hard to create. I do not do all the work to get a thank you, or a pat on the back, but I do it to see the smile that crosses each person’s face. A servant leader puts their heart into their work; they put love into everything that they do.
I think that the ultimate visual of a servant leader is when Christ washed the feet of his disciples.
“In order to fulfill the mission of spreading the gospel, the disciples would need to learn to serve. Pride and arrogance would ruin the disciples’ relationship to God, to each other, and to the people they were trying to save. Humility and service to others is the evidence of love. It’s an important lesson for us as well. People line up to do the tasks that are considered important, glamorous, or respected. But Jesus showed humility by doing the task that no one wanted to do. He washed the disciples’ feet.” - George
Each day we all have the opportunity to be a servant leader. The opportunity to serve others with humility and love. I have always told myself if I can make one person smile, or touch one person’s life, I have accomplished my mission for the day, to make others feel loved. I realize as a servant leader of my team at work, it is my responsibility to help others realize their call to be servant leaders to the company. As the quote above says, “a great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.” My team may not agree with me 100%, but I now realize the direction that my team and I need to follow. We need to follow the ultimate example set forth to us by Christ, and serve our co-workers with humility and love.
How can you be a servant leader today?
HAVE A SUPER DAY EVERYONE! HAPPY FRIDAY!
Rebekah Chavez
e/d Teri Johnson
“A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go but ought to be.” - Rosalynn Carter
Many times people confuse being a leader with power. A leader may have power, and many have authority, but a true leader is first a servant. What is a servant leader? A servant leader is a servant first and then a leader. In my current position I am a leader for my entire company. One thing I realized yesterday is that I see my leadership abilities as serving the 200 people who work in my company. Yesterday I spent three and a half hours with my team, creating bags and holiday invitations. There were a few people who complained the entire time about having to do so much work. I was not feeling well, so I worked on putting the invitations together and as I watched people I heard a lot of complaining and a lot of negative comments.
As I sat there I thought to myself, “I should ask each team member why they are on this employee activities team.” I know why I choose to step up and be the employee activities president; because I wanted to serve my co-workers. For me one of the greatest feelings in life is putting a lot of hard work into something for others, and then watching them enjoy whatever it is I worked so hard to create. I do not do all the work to get a thank you, or a pat on the back, but I do it to see the smile that crosses each person’s face. A servant leader puts their heart into their work; they put love into everything that they do.
I think that the ultimate visual of a servant leader is when Christ washed the feet of his disciples.
“In order to fulfill the mission of spreading the gospel, the disciples would need to learn to serve. Pride and arrogance would ruin the disciples’ relationship to God, to each other, and to the people they were trying to save. Humility and service to others is the evidence of love. It’s an important lesson for us as well. People line up to do the tasks that are considered important, glamorous, or respected. But Jesus showed humility by doing the task that no one wanted to do. He washed the disciples’ feet.” - George
Each day we all have the opportunity to be a servant leader. The opportunity to serve others with humility and love. I have always told myself if I can make one person smile, or touch one person’s life, I have accomplished my mission for the day, to make others feel loved. I realize as a servant leader of my team at work, it is my responsibility to help others realize their call to be servant leaders to the company. As the quote above says, “a great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.” My team may not agree with me 100%, but I now realize the direction that my team and I need to follow. We need to follow the ultimate example set forth to us by Christ, and serve our co-workers with humility and love.
How can you be a servant leader today?
HAVE A SUPER DAY EVERYONE! HAPPY FRIDAY!
Rebekah Chavez
e/d Teri Johnson