The Second Word in Servant Leadership
I’ll admit it. I spend most of my time in discussions on servant leadership speaking about service. That’s because, for me, at least, without service, there is no leadership.
Well, today we’re going to focus on the second word: Leadership.
Any leadership conversation takes me back to my time as an enlisted Marine.
As background, my dad was a Marine – Mortarman/Sniper/Interpreter in Vietnam. He was assigned from Intel Company to Hotel 2/5 and mentioned in Keith William Nolan’s The Battle for Hue: Tet 1968 serving as then Capt. Christmas’ interpreter. Many of my early leadership life lessons came from my dad. But he also gave me another gift. The dreaded two o’clock shadow!
You see, Servant Leader, in the Marine Corps, when you wake up at four a.m. (aka zero-dark-thirty) for squad PT, you are expected to shave and be inspection ready at five. For someone who grows a full beard in a week, that meant shaving at four-thirty, just to shave again around noon. Otherwise, the Platoon Sergeant would tear me apart during the five o’clock formation.
Those early challenges taught me many things about leadership. One of those lessons was that leaders are proactive. Another was highlighted in a different book, aptly titled, by Simon Sinek Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t. In that book, Sinek emphasized that leaders create safe zones for those under their charge, that privilege is a responsibility – not a reward, and that trust is built through sacrifice and service. All topics that I also reference in my own book Don’t Glean the Margins.
Jesus’s life is a good representation of leadership through proactivity and creating safe spaces for His children.
After all, the whole reason for His human incarnation was proactive resolution of our sin problem through salvation by sacrifice.
For God so loved the world that He gave is only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
In GovCon, we can emulate Christ’s proactive stance, not through sacrifice, but through leadership. Leaders see their charges, observe their challenges, let them struggle and learn by building safe landing spaces, and intervene proactively before disaster strikes. Leaders build margins and guardrails that allow their charges to see the path, drift as they find their own way, but be gently nudged back on course if they vary too far from the target.
In my 20+ years in GovCon, I’ve had many mentors. Some, like Fred and Denise, taught me through positive growth experiences. Others (no names) taught me how not to act, how not to treat people, and how not to be remembered. Make no mistake – their mentorship is as valuable as those positive experiences. God didn’t give David a crown when He selected him as king – He gave him Goliath. Leadership lessons come from Joshuas and Goliaths alike.
So, Servant Leader, the next time someone calls on you to lead, whether you feel ready, qualified, or worthy, just remember that’s why you were placed on this Earth in the first place – to build the landing zone, guardrails, and gentle guidance that allows others to grow.
Be blessed, Leaders, and be servants too.
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