If You Can’t S.E.R.V.E. You Can’t Lead

When you lift your leaders up you’ll will rise with them. Some of the most successful people throughout history are known because they rose in the ranks by serving someone who took them to the mountaintop of success. No one starts out at the top, it is only because of their willingness to follow someone that they were able to elevate. The greatest leaders are the greatest followers. Meaning they are willing to serve someone that can take them to a higher level. Robert Greenleaf, the founder of the modern servant leadership movement and the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, said, “Good leaders must first become good servants.” If you think serving is below you, then leadership is beyond you. Those that are willing to serve are the ones who are eligible to truly succeed. When you change your mindset from “what can I get?” to “what can I give?” you will become more and more valuable to those around you.

When you lift your leaders up you’ll will rise with them.

Humility is a word that we don’t typically talk about in business, but it’s effect is monumental. We tend to think of strong, bold, fearless characteristics when it comes to highly successful people. But that is our problem…we have associated humility with weakness, when in fact, it’s the humble that truly possess the most power. Artist and Poet Kahlil Gibran said, “Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, but manifestations of strength and resolution.” Humility is strong, bold, and fearless. It takes much more strength to walk in humility than it does to stand out in pride. Ego is one of the greatest limiters of influence. And serving others takes a great measure of confidence and boldness. Author Gordon MacDonald said, “You can tell whether you are becoming a servant by how you act when you’re treated like one.” Make it a point to serve someone every day and your influence will grow stronger and stronger because of it.

Here is a great acronym that will help you remember to S.E.R.V.E.

S = Simple

Don’t make it hard to be a servant. Don’t wait to do everything before you do something. If you wait to do something until you can do everything, you won’t do anything. Just start with what you can do. It’s not always the big things that make the biggest difference. Sometimes it’s the small things that have the greatest impact. I have heard that little termites do more physical damage in a year’s time than all natural disasters combined. Small acts of kindness and service go a long way. Serving doesn’t have to be complicated or monumental; it just needs to be genuine.

If you wait to do something until you can do everything, you won’t do anything.

E = Exciting

Don’t serve with a frown on your face or a bad attitude. Nothing is worse than someone who is helping but doesn’t really want to. If you’re going to serve others, be excited about the opportunity to lift them up. Don’t walk around complaining about what you are doing for others. Find the purpose in why you are serving and keep your eyes on the bigger picture: people. Showing an excitement to help others makes them feel valuable.

R = Random

Random means there is no organized process; it’s just spontaneous. Step out when you see a need. Serve others when they are least expecting it and when you are least expecting it. I am sure it means a lot to you when someone drops what they are doing to randomly help you, so return the favor. If you see a need, be the one to fill it. Spontaneous genuine help impacts people. The less they expect it, the bigger the impact it makes. Random acts of kindness result in specific acts of gratitude.

Random acts of kindness result in specific acts of gratitude.

V = Voluntary

Be the one to step up and take the initiative to serve. Do it without expecting anything in return. Volunteer yourself without being forced or required to. The word volunteer is defined as a person who does some act or enters into a transaction without being under any legal obligation to do so and without being promised any remuneration for his services. Volunteers serve from the heart. John Bunyan said, “You have not lived today unless you’ve done something for someone who can never repay you.”

E = Enduring

Don’t stop serving. I have met many leaders who feel they have “paid their dues” and no longer need to serve. They think they’ve somehow grown out of the servant role. But you never move beyond being a servant no matter what level you may be on. It is not something you do for a season and then graduate from. Serving is a life-long endeavor; it is a lifestyle of valuing people. Don’t grow weary from serving. It is hard work and will require blood, sweat, and even tears at times. Don’t stop because of the effort it takes. The payoff from serving far outweighs the comfort of sitting. It takes humility to surrender your selfishness and energy. No doubt we need to pace ourselves and be careful of those who “use” us, but better to lean on the side of serving than the side of selfishness.