What does it mean to be committed to being a servant leader, who looks to Jesus as the model for their leadership?

We kicked off our 5/6-Year Leadership Roundtable Group last week. This group of 22 leaders has spent the last 5 years committing themselves to a journey of becoming the leader God created them to be.

You will not become a proficient servant leader if you are not committed. You will default back to the more comfortable self-serving mode that we were all born into. That is why I believe there are not more servant leaders in this world. It is not easy.

If you are committed the rewards are plentiful. People will want to follow you. They will want to be in relationship with you and be on your team. Your team or organization’s performance will be improved. Your relationships with your family and friends will be enhanced. You will develop your personal leadership skills, which will enhance all areas of your life. You will be a role model for others, which will have a positive generational impact on the world.

People committed to servant leadership:

  • Follow Jesus’ model of commitment. Jesus lived his entire life focused on his purpose and values of serving others. He never wavered all the way to the cross.
  • Continuously learn and develop their skills in servant leadership. One book or one class on the subject will not do it. The reason the 22 leaders are beginning their 5th and 6th straight year of participation in the Leadership Roundtable is they know they need constant refreshment of instruction, and accountability from fellow leaders on their development.
  • Are prepared for challenging times. Satan would prefer that we not think about others first, and instead focus primarily on our self. Recognize that outside forces will be against this focus, so it will not always be easy. The rewards for staying dedicated will far outweigh the downside.
  • Teach others about servant leadership. Each of the 22 leaders started our class last week, sharing how they were driving servant leadership in their organization. It was amazing to hear about the daily initiatives and results they are driving by teaching these principles in their sphere of influence. People’s lives are being positively impacted.
  • Pray for strength, guidance, and wisdom in their journey towards becoming a servant leader. We cannot become a servant leader on our own. It requires instruction, accountability partners, and a higher power. Tapping into Jesus for this is the true secret to a commitment to servant leadership, as he authored it in the first place!

I am seeing what can happen when leaders truly commit to becoming servant leaders. They are making the world a better place. How committed are you to this really important journey?

Mark

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35