Leadership Is Love and Respect #244
As a Servant Leader you are not the important person. You are not the power broker and may not be the boss. The Servant Leader is primarily responsible to and feels accountability to those who follow. The Leader is, “the servant of the followership”. (Marquardt, Global Leaders for the Twenty-First Century) “It’s not about me; it’s about my crew”. (Navy Commander Michael Abrashoff USS Benfold, Fast Company.
Christ’s love sets the pattern for us. Paul tells us, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres … the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 & 13 NIV)
As Lundy puts it, “The single most important skill of an executive (leader) was his or her ability to get along with people. If you cannot get along with other people, then you are disqualified as a Servant Leader”. (Servant Leadership for Slow Learners)
Love and respect for people are terms that should be commonplace and a concept that is felt in all our church discussions, board meetings, task forces and daily discussions at work. This week, strive to find ways to demonstrate God’s love to your work associates through love and care. As a leader, you are only effective when you build on your people skills and your people feel cared for.
Take a minute and think though the 1 Corinthians verses again. Imagine these verses forming the culture at your place of worship. As Christian Servant Leaders we can and should redefine the standard by handling all our interactions with love and respect. As Christian Leaders, at home, with neighbors, at work and at church we need to be known by His love.
Leadership is … a Servant Leader committed to serving others.
Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach
Jethro Group
ldkjethrogroup@gmail.com
Leadership Is Serving in 2017
Happy New Year. At the Jethrogroup we are thankful for the privilege of influencing Leaders around our world. Many of you are Christ followers working in churches, mission organizations and secular jobs. Others of different faith backgrounds are reading, learning and developing their leadership one decision at a time. It is a privilege to serve.
Let’s start this year serving.
“Servant Leadership is being a servant first. The essence of servant leadership is leading by example.” (Angie Mays, Courteous Rebel)
“The art of leadership is being ready and able to subordinate one’s self interest often to the greater good of the unit or the organization.” (Fred Smith CEO of the Year, FedEx)
“My work as a director is to make everybody bloom.” (Mira Nair, Fast Company)
“In my experience, any leader, military or civilian, has one priority: the quality of the people under his command. Without their skill and spirit, the best plans and policies turn to dust.” (Michael Abrashoff, Fast Company)
“A servant leader is a servant first.” (Reflection on Leadership)
“Level 5 leaders embody a paradoxical mix of personal humility and professional will. They are ambitious, to be sure, but ambitious first and foremost for the company, not themselves.” (Hunter, James C. quoting Jim Collins in The World’s most powerful Leadership Principle)
“Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?” (Ezekiel 34:2 NIV)
As Christian leaders, we are not here to serve your “own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4 NKJV).
The leader is, “the ‘servant’ of the followership”. (Marquardt, Global Leaders for the Twenty-First Century)
“The servant-leader is servant first…it begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first” (Robert Greenleaf)
Leadership is … showing God’s love through service.
Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach
Jethro Group
ldkjethrogroup@gmail.com
Leadership Is Excelling In Service
David was a shepherd. A youth, a harp playing servant. Yet with God, he single handedly defeated Goliath providing opportunity to defeat the enemy. As a shepherd, he cared for his sheep and the sheep trusted him. As leaders, we may not herd sheep, yet we are responsible to lead staff and volunteers with the skill and ability of David. The lives of our associates and the future of our church or mission depends on our leadership.
Pray about these principles. Your work, your relationship with your people and achievement for God’s glory will be changed dramatically.
- Leaders who serve their people, their Ministry and our Heavenly Father consistently lead healthier organizations.
One third of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to work for are involved in the Servant-Leadership movement or identify servant leadership as a core operating principle. (Hunter, James C. The World’s most powerful Leadership Principle)
“You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 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 10:42-45 NIV).
- You are the leader. You set the example. Find something to do every day that serves your people.
“I have a theory: That if one person will go out of their way to show kindness and compassion, it will start a chain reaction of the same.” (Columbine massacre victim Rachel Scott in an essay written shortly before her death in April 1999).
“The Leader is the ‘servant’ of the followership” (Global Leaders for the Twenty-First Century by Marquardt).
“This is a large work I’ve called you into, but don’t be overwhelmed by it. It’s best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won’t lose out on a thing.” (Matthew 10:40-42 MSG)
Leadership is ensuring that every discussion, decision, and action puts God and your people first.
Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach
Jethro Group
ldkjethrogroup@gmail.com
Leadership Is... 