Leadership or Servanthood?

Is a true leader a servant?

Do those two concepts share identical roles and functions?

Are they synonymous?

Well, conceptually I know the answers to those questions. Practically, I yet have to prove it in my life.

When one thinks of a leader, what comes naturally to one's mind would be Sir Thomas More, Lee Iaccoca of Chrysler, John F. Kennedy, Mohandas Gandhi, Winston Churchill, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, General MacArthur, John A. McDonald, Nelson Mandela, and Mother Theresa, to name just a few.

As leaders, what they had in common were their transcendent vision, their uncommon valour, their personal charisma, and their ability to influence and mobilize the hearts and minds of people around them.

There is a marked difference between secular leadership and spiritual leadership. The latter does not lead as a landslide result of a popular vote. Rather, they lead by offering themselves sacrificially to meet a dire need, having been the first to identify that need.

Mother Theresa certainly met that criterion. So did Thomas More, Mohandas Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. The charisma that exuded from them was nothing more than the uncanny willingness and impeccable personal integrity with which they abandon themselves for the good of others whom they had come to love, be they friends, strangers, or foes.

A true leader leads by personal example by charging headlong into the discomfort zone first.

As one leadership credo declares:

"True leaders are not those who strive to be first; they are the ones who are first to strive.

True leaders are those who give their all for the success of the team (A leader is not a Lone Ranger!).

True leaders are first to see the need, envision the plan, and empower the team to take action in meeting those needs.

By the strength of the leader's commitment to success for all, the power of the team is thereby unleashed.

Therefore, leadership is not a trumpet call to self-importance; rather, it is an opportunity to quietly serve."

What a quaint credo sharply juxtaposing the "Me, Me, Me!" culture of the world!

But, that's what makes a person stand out head-and-shoulder above all others as a leader, not a wind-tossed follower.

Another one of those paradoxes that makes one re-think what truly counts in life.