Servant leadership — what’s in it for me?
Has the concept of servant leadership become so overused and universally accepted that it’s begun to lose its meaning? “Servant leadership” entered America’s corporate lingo in 1970 via a Robert Greenleaf essay titled, “The Servant as Leader.” Greenleaf’s essay offered an inspiring alternative to the authoritative, top-down leadership style of that era.
While widely accepted today, the reality is that servant leadership is too often simplified, and the bar lowered to as little as caring about your direct reports. True servant leadership is so much more than that; it’s about putting others first, even when you’re planning your own career. A servant leader prioritizes the needs and desires of those around them above their own, at all times and in all circumstances.
It begins by busting the greatest myth about true servant leadership: there’s nothing in it for you.
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Many people say they “fell” into their career. It’s a common story to have circumstances steer us in one direction or another, with opportunities, networks and evolving interests landing us in a field we didn’t anticipate. Often, it isn’t until a few years in that we pause and wonder, “How did I get here?”
When we reflect in this way, we naturally begin the process of thinking about our next steps. Do we want to change careers? Deepen our skillset to become an expert? Pursue a management role?
Whatever stage we’re in, be it early career, mid-career or late, development is an ongoing process worthy of investment and usually begins with the question, “What do I want to do?” We look inward, evaluate our skills, and make decisions accordingly. We allow ourselves to put ourselves first; we get to be selfish.
Yet at what point should our personal aspirations be outwardly focused? Remembering that everyone can demonstrate leadership qualities regardless of title or position, career development should include aligning our goals with the giftings God has given us and the position in which He’s placed us. Therein lies the mindset shift about servant leadership. It’s not about figuring out what’s best for you; it’s figuring out howyou can be best for others.
In his essay on “The Servant as a Leader,” Robert Greenleaf recognized that when each of us focuses on identifying the needs we’re equipped to meet, this is where good things happen.
“One does not awaken each morning with the compulsion to reinvent the wheel. But if one is servant, either leader or follower, one is always searching, listening, expecting that a better wheel for these times is in the making. It may emerge any day. Any one of us may discover it from personal experience.”
Look around and ask, “What are the needs around me that I’m equipped to meet?” Choose to develop and connect your career, skills, giftings and experience accordingly. Be the person they need, not the person you want.
In the book of Philippians, Paul writes, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (ch. 2 v. 3-4, NIV). The author goes on to write that our attitudes should be like Jesus, who humbled himself even to the point of dying on a cross.
To truly pursue service, we must first surrender many of the wants and desires we have. This humility becomes an extension of our faith and is only possible when we yield to the Lord’s best plans. In the book of Galatians, Paul again writes, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, ESV).
The Lord of all creation gave His life for me and now I live to give my life to others. As we aspire to grow in our careers and develop as leaders in both work and life, instead of questioning what’s in it for ourselves, consider these thoughts instead:
- How can I add the most value possible in my field?
- How can I invest in others?
- How can I make myself available for the Lord to connect my skills, giftings, and experience with His greater purposes?
As we seek to steward the resources and talents that God has given us, it only makes sense that we follow His example of selfless sacrifice. By serving others, we can increase our capacity to serve and therefore grow in our career.
Evelio Silvera is Vice President of Communications and Strategy at Christian Care Ministry (CCM). A communication strategist with deep experience in start-ups, publicly traded companies, multinational organizations, and state and local government. Silvera has also appeared on national radio and television outlets and served as a news and political commentator for Spanish-language radio stations across the southeast.
