Leadership is a Calling

“It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead.” — Robert Greenleaf.

This calling of mine is leadership. It’s not a job title. It shows up in every aspect of my life, but it doesn’t belong to me. It’s not a possession. It passes through me. It reveals itself in my sense of responsibility to the world, my community, my work, and my personal relationships. It resides in me where empathy, advocacy, and passion intersect with technical skills, knowledge, and experience.

Leadership is a life of Service

“What I have learned is that desiring to serve-first is an ancient, current, and future way to lead and will continue to capture our imagination and yearning for true leadership” —J. H. Horsman

I am now and will always be a servant-leader in training. This requires me to center empathy, generative listening, and compassion in all that I do. It also requires that I am open to collaborating with the creativity and contributions of others in order to create a strategy communicate a vision that supports the mission of an organization. More importantly, servant-leadership leads to connection, wholeness, and growth for those I serve—and my community.

Leadership Is Community

“…community is a dynamic state of affairs that demands leadership at every turn.”— Parker Palmer

Leadership is not a solo act. It’s one voice out of many in an ensemble. Authenticity and transparency are its values, and listening-first its primary action. A leader seeks out the gifts and skills of others, creating opportunity, connection, and growth for everyone. A leader understands that mistakes are inevitable and necessary to learn and grow, so it builds and maintains brave spaces to share stories, ask questions, listen, learn, and take risks. A leader is in a dynamic relationship within a community united in support of a vision.

Leadership Creates a Vision

“People commit to causes, not to plans.” — Kouzes & Posner

Every organization has a reason for being, whether it’s a mission, a vision, or a goal. It’s a living thing, the active beating heart of every task, communication, and project. Leadership helps define that reason for being, providing context and clarity for the real work of the community. It supports the systems and processes that ensure that heart stays alive and relevant. In its job of stewardship, it pays attention to human, financial, and technical needs. It creates an environment where flexibility and creativity thrive to keep that beating heart responsive and resilient.

Leadership Requires Self-knowing and Reflection

“What we can trust is our disciplined effort to get to know ourselves… our triggers, our habitual reactions, our strengths and weaknesses. All of this is possible—and essential—if we are to lead sanely in the midst of falling-apart craziness.”—Margaret Wheatley

In order to do this servant-leadership work with compassion and effectiveness, I need to start with my own internal work. I must prioritize regular time for self-examination and reflection. I need to seek out guidance from mentors and feedback from those I work to serve. I strive to to stay curious, always seeking to learn more about the world around me and the people who live in it.