Leadership... is it in the 'I' or the 'S'?

Leadership gets talked about a lot. There are many books and courses on it. I know - I've read a few and done a few. But nothing has taught me more about leadership than actually being put in the role of a leader.

When I was first given the leadership position where I am today my Minister at the time [ who employed me] asked me what another word for 'leadership' was. I can't remember what I came up with, but they were all wrong. He even told me it started with 'I' and I still had no clue! So if you're still wondering what it is don't worry, I have been there. The word he was looking for was 'Influence'. It made sense. Still does. You can't lead if you have no influence right. But the longer I am in a role of leadership, the more evident it is that the Essence of Leadership is actually Serving/Servanthood, rather than Influence. Sure influence is important cause that means people will follow. But doesn't true long-lasting influence really come from serving those you want to influence. Influence requires trust and how can someone trust when there is not evidence of the 'trusted-to-be' caring for them. Servanthood is the purest form of showing love and thus serving gains trust which then gives one the permission to influence, thus lead. Oooh I just unintentionally used some literary form that I remember learning about in college [but can't remember the name!], how exciting, college is still paying off! :) If you look closely you'll see right in the middle of that line of logic is that ultimately Leadership is about the 'L': Love [but I think everything comes back to love in it's fullness - so I'll just stick to the servant aspect for this blog. And no I'm not from the 60's]


Why else would you want to lead people?

Ok I'm hearing "power-hungry" to that question. Sure a person could lead for their own gain, but I don't actually think that is really leadership - that's lording it over someone and it's more about forcing people  [whether overtly or not] to follow rather than giving people the choice to freely follow [which actually shows more power than having to use force]. 'Lording it' never lasts anyway cause eventually the people you think you are leading/have power over revolt against you [as history and even today's news stories depict]. I cannot help but wonder if people who end up being the power-hungry dictators, who lord it over others, actually started out wanting to lead because they thought they could help people.

Anyway, I am going to assume that most people - especially you because you are reading this - who want to lead or are put into leadership positions are usually at that point because they care about other people and feel like they have something they can bring to the table, so to speak.

I am reminded of a time in my training years where my supervising Minister at the time had to 'pull me up' on a few things I had made mistakes in. As we talked more he realised that the reason for those particular mistakes was that my percecption of my role was skewed. Here I was employed by a loving Church to minister to youth and kids while in college. I had been for almost 2 years and had been feeling a  bit overwhelmed by life and ministry - to the point that I was treating it like any job [part of my coping mechanism]. My supervisor told me [I'm paraphrasing cause I can't remember exact words after 6 years] "This is not a job. The church are making sure your living expenses are covered so you can be free to serve". This was a profound moment - a lightbulb moment! Suddenly I felt free again, like when I first begun,  to serve. The whole idea that I had to meet expectations, live up to some obligations, get everything right, do what everyone wanted me to do, all because I was paid, was not true! That changes things. It makes me think about whether there is a difference between organic leadership and a leadership role and what the pro's and con's are to each - but I'm gunna think about that another day [was that a sigh of relief I heard :P]

I wish I could say that I have never lost sight of that since - but it wouldn't be true. However, through these last 5 years or so of full-time youth and children's ministry, my understanding of leadership and servanthood has been through much vigorous testing and refining. It still requires more refining.

Today was a challenging day in leadership. All day 1 by 1 our youth kept dropping out of tonight's youth group gathering. Some with very legitimate reasons like work, being away or even in hospital [poor girl!:(] Then there were others who couldn't given a reason or got distracted by something else that seemed more important than sticking to the thing they committed to going to first [and actually RSVPed to say they were coming]. So by the time 6.30 rolled up noone did. It's days like this that are reminders, sometimes painful, that what I do - who I am even - is about servanthood.

We all serve someone - whether it be ourselves, others, or a god, or the king of all servants - the Servant King [whose business is serving others - hence the title].

If I wasn't in Minstry to serve I wouldn't still be here. It's costly and difficult, sometimes very lonely. But I love [see it does come back to love] these people and I really want what is best for them. There are great moments when I see one of them grow in an area of life and faith. They keep me here :) More than that I serve the Servant King and He inspires me to want to serve the people He loves too. In fact He enables me to serve - I really couldn't without Him [not for long anyway]. It is only since being put in a leadership position that I have begun to have a richer understanding of Jesus as the Servant King. Check out a situation Jesus had to deal with where 2 of his disciples wanted to be granted glory and status [which we usually attribute to leaders]:

^{Mark 10
35} Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
   ³⁶ “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
 ³⁷ They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
   ³⁸ “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
 ³⁹ “We can,” they answered.
   Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, ⁴⁰ but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
 ⁴¹ When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. ⁴² Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ⁴³ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ 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.”

Jesus totally smacked down the idea of leading out of a desire for personal gain and He backs it up by showing that He [their leader] lived out the purest example of leadership. Leadership cost Jesus everything. He knew the cost in the time and energy he gave to teaching, healing and feeding others. He knew the cost in facing the ridicule, attacks and even pressure to be what others wanted Him to be &do [rather than who He was and what His mission was]. He knew the cost in allowing Himself to be falsely accused, beaten to a pulp and nailed to a cross. And now He continues to serve us on earth by His Spirit & Word, and in heaven being our advocate. Leadership is a life thing - for life, with your life. What have I gotten myself into?!

I'm a West Wing fan. When I watch it I cannot help but think of Jesus and Christians. POTUS is serving the country by leading it - he wants to help the people do what's best for the people [generally] and he sacrfices personal things, takes personal risks and bears the brunt of all kinds of attacks. His staff serve him and serve the Americans in doing so ["I serve at the pleasure of the President" is their catch-phrase]. Obviously Jesus is way better than POTUS cause Jesus is perfect. But the dynamic of leadership/servanthood is similar. So if you're looking for some inspiration on leadership, watch the West Wing, but also read the Bible. As you watch the West Wing keep in mind that what you see that is inspiring you is only a drop compared to the never-ending river of it that you'll find in Jesus - hence why we need to read the Bible - start with the Gospels :)

So here I am. Challenged. Humbled and reminded that even on days like today, I serve at the pleasure of Jesus. Though, not because I am some wonder-woman [the idea of that kind of responsibility is way too overwhelming for me anyway], but because Jesus put it in my heart when He showed me how significantly He loves and serves me so I may be free to enjoy Him and the life within me that He paid for me to have. 

I'm going to go and change my 'leadership' seminar content now. Let's make Servanthood the new Buzz word! :)