Leaders

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,  and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  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.                                     Mark 10:43-45

I was recently talking with a client about leadership at her workplace. I talked with her about positional leadership versus influential leadership. Positional leadership usually entails a place of power and authority. People follow because they are required to do so.

This is not necessarily a bad thing since there needs to be a sense of order and trust in the organization. Indeed, many positional leaders are very competent, have high values, and are admired. However, if a person in a place of positional leadership does not have solid values, to which they personally adhere, their authority is questioned, challenged, or disdained altogether.

A person with influential leadership abilities may or may not have a position of authority, but they are followed by those who observe their words and actions. People who follow their own high standards and values are seen to be people of integrity, and people will follow them.

I have heard the statement, “If a person cannot lead themself, they cannot lead others”. The meaning of this is that leaders must have personal discipline, self-awareness, and the best interest of the group placed before their own self-interest.

So, just a very quick study on types of leadership.

Jesus was the prime example of servant leadership. He had no position of authority. He was a trusted rabbi who lived and taught that the best leaders give of themselves for those whom they lead.  

Prayer: Father, thank you for the model of Jesus as servant leader whom we can trust, Amen