Exemplary vs. Servant

The process of how we lead will define our lives and how we impact others.

This is the thought that I've been contemplating over the past few days.  As I continue my education in pursuing my MBA and attempt to bring this knowledge into practical use, I am constantly being challenged to step up in lots of areas.  The idea of servant leadership has been passed around for years now and there is so much that we can get from this idea that to be a true leader we must serve people as Jesus did.  There is much validity and weight to the teachings of servant leadership, however, I have been challenged to take it another step.

The challenge to you and I is that we become exemplary leaders.  Leadership is not about personality or who we think we are, but practice and what we actually do.  Exemplary leadership challenges us to use our actions and what we actually do.  Business executives that apply this style would train leaders beneath them by being an example and creating other leaders that act and do as the top leader does.  Thus creating his or her style of leadership throughout the entire organization.  The organization doesn't take on the leaders DNA but the people within the organization take on the leaders DNA.

So, what if you and I took this to our everyday lives?  What if we used exemplary leadership in our homes with our kids, at school, at church during our worship services, or with those we work with?  What if those around us took our example and had our DNA?  What would they look like?  My prayer is that my kids will get a double portion of my spiritual DNA, that my example to them will be great, servant-like, and Christ like.  May we decide to lead others by example and not worry about messing up, but simply being an example of Christ no matter where we are.

For Life