Leadership

 As I was driving recently, over the radio came words that have resonated with me ever since. A preacher was talking about leadership as taught by Peter and Jesus. It was focused on being a good shepherd; mindful of the entire flock and ready to lift those in need. He talked about humility and being a service focused leader, ready to help others succeed and thrive.

What have your experiences been under leadership of bosses, coaches, pastors, organizations? As I reflect on the best and worst leaders I've encountered and take measure of their degrees of humility and service mindfulness, I find that the worst were lacking these qualities and the best were examples of great humility and were service minded.

In the worst, the leaders were self serving and gave little credit to those who worked under them. They focused on their "star players" and had little time for the ones they felt didn't meet their grade. They seldom sought input from the group but rather acted as though they alone had all the answers.  They belittled others and would step on whomever they needed in order to get more for themselves.

The best leaders were working right beside you and created a highly collaborative environment. They gave credit openly and they mentored. They were laser focused on the mission and asked for much from the team while working to ensure the team had what they needed to get the job done. They knew what was needed because they asked.  

The best advice I got from leaders still carry me. 

"You don't need to have all the answers but you need to know where to find them." This came from my First Sergeant when I got my sergeant stripes.

"Failure is not an option." This from my favorite boss and mentor and then he would lead or get out of the way.

A service focused leader is humble enough to seek better answers from those he or she leads and do what they can to ensure success. They lift everyone around them. We need this kind of leadership at all levels of our country.