LEADERSHIP LESSON

During our leadership classes for the last three editions, we examined teachings on the subject of leadership from the book “Leadership for Dummies.” Form the feedbacks we got, the classes and teachings were worth all the pain, but hey, what pain can be too much to bear just to get our dear motherland back on track as far as leadership at all level is concerned.

For this class however, our lesson is illustrated by the story of two brothers who desired at a time in their lives to lead (which is not a wrong thing to do), but the way they went about it was completely wrong.

These two brothers were students in an ancient school under a very disciplined master who by all standards was a leader of leaders.

They went to their master and said to him, “Sir, we want to lead our generation and we believe the only way to achieve it is by occupying the right positions. So we beg you to please allow us to become your first and second assistants (right and left hand men). And that way our colleagues and the rest of this generation will have no choice but to listen to us.”

The response of the master shows us what was wrong in the way these guys went about their request (though the request or desire in itself was not wrong).

“You guys are not serious,” the master said. “You think I got to this position like that?” He continued, “Today, I will teach you how to become a leader.” Then he said to them, “He that must be the greatest or leader must first be the SERVANT of all.” That is it right there, the A – Z of leadership is SERVICE; servanthood – that is the true spelling of leadership. It is not POSITION or TITLE.

What the master was telling them here was that you do not need a position or title to be a leader, whether in church or in the community, all you need is to find an area of need and begin to serve the people, when you begin to do this, the ‘MASTER’ says you have become a leader. The people may now become so pleased with you that they entrust you with position, but that is not the most important thing, it is only a fringe benefit.

I believe this is a word for all of us to take very seriously to heart. And in case you are out there seeking political office in the pretense that you want to go and serve your people, I encourage you to start serving (or better still servicing) them now without the office or position, because that is the only way the service can be genuine and not position motivated.

That is all we have time for in this class. Till we see again in the next class (next edition) go and become a servant-leader.

(The story used is taken from the Bible – Mark 10:35 - 45)

(As published in the 10th edition of my newsletter Motivation.Com)