The purpose of leading is not to be out front. Being out front is simply where good leaders find themselves. “Front” is merely a location, it conveys no authority. And it is possible to find oneself out front and not be a leader.
The goal of a leader should not be to serve oneself, it should be to serve others. “Which others, Andy?” I’m glad you asked. Everyone who crosses your path. This is what is meant by the terms servant leadership. It comes from an idea found in the Bible where Jesus told his disciples leaders place others ahead of themselves and serve everyone.
Who, Not Where, You Are
Leaders serve others. By doing so, they inspire others. You can seek leaders by searching for titles but all you will find is holders of titles who may or may not be leaders. How do you identify leaders? Search for followers. People naturally follow leaders; titles are optional.
But Leaders Are Out Front
Leadership is not a location, it is not a position; leadership is a role. Yes, leaders are seen as “first” by others. Part of effective leadership is correcting the misperceptions that the leader is “better.” Leaders perform a role on the team or in the organization. Expressed hierarchically, leaders are on the same level as team members performing other roles. Part of the leader’s role is to interface with outsiders and coordinate team activities and facilitate individual activities of team members. These responsibilities are often (and easily) confused with being in charge and dictating the work of the team and telling each individual what to do, but that’s not the true nature of leadership.
Leaders either lead or they do not. If a leader chooses to not lead that doesn’t make them a non-leader, it simply means they are not exercising their gift or performing their role.
Born or Built?
Are leaders born to lead or trained to lead? The short answer is “yes.” Leaders are born with some of the skills and talents of a leader. Leaders learn how to apply their skills and gain experience over time. Some leaders are born with more and some learn more, but all are born with some skill and learn from there. In either case, leadership grows.
Desire?
Some see the desire to lead as an automatic disqualifier for leadership – especially servant leadership. I disagree. I think desire is not necessarily an indication that one should be a leader. In and of itself, desire is not enough to make a leader effective. But certainly the inverse holds: if one is born with leadership skills and abilities and has learned more about leadership, it is natural for that person to desire to lead. After all, we all desire to be good at what we do; and if one is good at leadership it is to be expected that one will want to lead.
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Andy,
I love this introduction to the book. I can’t wait to read it. It’s on my GoodReads list now. I admire and seek follow Jesus’ example of servant leadership. He truly served and sacrificed himself for others. What others? Well, everyone in the whole world.
~Benjamin