Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Servant leaders?

There is a fascination in some circles with taking people identified as "leaders" and teaching them how to be "servants." You know, and label it "servant leadership."

You'd try to contort people who were in leadership roles to make them more humble, self-sacrificing, authentic, transparent, empathetic, etc.

Normally met with less than awesome success. It hardly ever catches on when approached from that angle.

Instead, I think that we should look for people who are already servants and make them leaders.

Find those who already give, and give, and give of themselves. People who are incredibly humble (instead of just the false humility), people who live their lives authentically & transparently, people who consider others more important than themselves. The good listeners, the self-aware, the kind, the caring, the selfless.

You know who I'm talking about, surely you immediately thought of so-and-so as a real "servant."

Why not take those people and give them the tools to increase their influence? Show them and guide them in how to instruct others to live by their example? Point to them and say "be like that!"

I bet it's a whole lot easier to teach a 'servant' how to lead, than to teach a 'leader' how to serve. How about you?