Leadership

Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage.                                 Mark 10:44-45 (The Message)

I have always been a student of leadership principles. I love the work of people like Adam Grant, Malcolm Gladwell, Rev. Michael Slaughter, Brenee Brown and Jim Collins among others. One of the wise quotes of Jim Collins is “True leadership only exists if people follow when they have the freedom not to.”  If someone is coerced into doing the things you would want them to do, you have not exercised leadership, you have exerted power.

He goes on to say that (what he calls) a “Level 5” executive has the attributes of “Building enduring greatness in an organization through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will.”

His concept on the paradox of the humility of leadership is a powerful principle that I have always seen as a key element in excellent organizations. This humility sets a powerful culture from the very top of any organization. If a leader is willing to hear and implement better ideas than his/her own, is willing to own mistakes, is not driven by the need for adulation and praise, and can set a collegial tone, that leader is one worthy of a loyal following in any organization.

Jesus, as servant leader, is a great example of humble leadership. He is worthy to follow!  

Prayer: Lord, impress upon us the paradox of being a good servant in order to be a great leader, Amen