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Authentic Leadership - October 04, 2005
"Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." John 13: 14-17, NIV
General Norman Schwarzkopf once said, "People choose their leaders based on character. I judge character not by how men deal with their superiors, but by how they deal with their subordinates. That's how you find out what the character of a man truly is."
Leadership is important. We are all leaders in one way or another. Parents lead their children, businesspeople lead their companies, coaches lead their teams and elders lead their churches.
When we think about the leaders in our lives, we can all identify qualities that make these people good at what they do. Leaders have a strong track record and the ability to delegate. They set high but realistic standards and expectations, and they have a commitment to continued personal growth. Good leaders have integrity.
But the best leaders are defined, as Schwarzkopf said, by their character and how they treat the people around them. The best leaders have a servant's heart and they know how to follow others.
If I'm part of an organization and I can see that the leadership within that group is performing effectively, I am content to be a follower. I don't always have to take over the proceedings, and I certainly don't have to make all of the decisions. In fact, I receive a certain joy from being able to help others reach decisions.
Authentic leadership is not about being the boss. It's about being a servant. Authentic leaders pattern their leadership style after the greatest leader and the greatest servant of all time: Jesus Christ. Jesus once sat down with the twelve men in his organization and told them what leadership is all about:
"You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads. It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave" (Mark 10:42-44, The Message).
If you want to be a leader, you must serve. And if you don't understand servanthood, you don't understand leadership. Good leaders not only understand servanthood; they exemplify servanthood.
Rich DeVos is the former chairman of Gospel Communications. He is also the author of "Hope From My Heart: Ten Lessons for Life," co-founder of Amway Corp., and owner and chairman of the NBA's Orlando Magic.
"Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." John 13: 14-17, NIV
General Norman Schwarzkopf once said, "People choose their leaders based on character. I judge character not by how men deal with their superiors, but by how they deal with their subordinates. That's how you find out what the character of a man truly is."
Leadership is important. We are all leaders in one way or another. Parents lead their children, businesspeople lead their companies, coaches lead their teams and elders lead their churches.
When we think about the leaders in our lives, we can all identify qualities that make these people good at what they do. Leaders have a strong track record and the ability to delegate. They set high but realistic standards and expectations, and they have a commitment to continued personal growth. Good leaders have integrity.
But the best leaders are defined, as Schwarzkopf said, by their character and how they treat the people around them. The best leaders have a servant's heart and they know how to follow others.
If I'm part of an organization and I can see that the leadership within that group is performing effectively, I am content to be a follower. I don't always have to take over the proceedings, and I certainly don't have to make all of the decisions. In fact, I receive a certain joy from being able to help others reach decisions.
Authentic leadership is not about being the boss. It's about being a servant. Authentic leaders pattern their leadership style after the greatest leader and the greatest servant of all time: Jesus Christ. Jesus once sat down with the twelve men in his organization and told them what leadership is all about:
"You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads. It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave" (Mark 10:42-44, The Message).
If you want to be a leader, you must serve. And if you don't understand servanthood, you don't understand leadership. Good leaders not only understand servanthood; they exemplify servanthood.
Rich DeVos is the former chairman of Gospel Communications. He is also the author of "Hope From My Heart: Ten Lessons for Life," co-founder of Amway Corp., and owner and chairman of the NBA's Orlando Magic.
Great start in the day. . .thanks for the reminder