Serving First is a consulting business that offers leadership coaching, board governance training, and facilitation support—all centered on servant- and transformational-leadership principles. My primary clients will be leaders of small-mid-size rural and/or arts based nonprofits, many of whom come to their roles with little or no prior experience working in nonprofits, leading teams, or working in highly focused mission-centered organizations. The following leadership principles form the foundation of the consulting and leadership work I plan to do in the future.
Leadership is a life of service
To lead well and justly, to serve a community through the work of a mission, requires leaders to serve-first (Horsman, 2018). This begins with listening first with empathy and compassion.
Leadership is community
Community needs leadership at every level (Palmer, 2017). A leader does not act alone. Effective leadership requires collaboration and dialogue with all who are being served.
Leadership creates vision
“People commit to causes, not to plans” (Kouzes & Palmer 2022, p. 112). The work of a leader is to clarify and communicate the vision of an organization, creating context and clarity. In that way, a leader is also a story teller.
Coaching that in times of trouble or confusion, the first step is to do the work to get to know yourself, and the source of your emotions, fears, and reactions (Wheatley, 2017).
Leadership requires self-knowledge
Leadership is a calling. (Greenleaf, 1977). I want to help others hear that call, learning to use their skills, talents, and privileges to serve the broader community.