Recently, I have had the honor of walking alongside a dear longtime friend and mentor through some health complications. As I sat with him at the hospital and in this nursing facility, in these unfamiliar environments, observing his physically weakened condition, it reminded me of the gift of friendship and community.
In those sacred moments, we reminisced over past funny moments, read some favorite passages together, and prayed together.
When it was about time for me to head out, he turned and asked me in a weak and softened voice:
“How can I serve you?”
As servant leaders, we serve. Not just when the spotlights are on. Not just when the cameras are rolling. Not just when there’s an award to be handed out.
As servant leaders, we serve when the going gets tough. When there aren’t easy solutions.
When perhaps, by the world’s definition, there’s not much to offer.
Servant leadership is not just a buzzword. Servant leadership is not a tool. Servant leadership is not for the faint of heart.
Servant leadership is a lifestyle. Servant leadership is a practice.
Just five words: “How can I serve you?” Give it a try this week.
To my friend, I smiled and said, “You already are, my friend. Visiting with you has been a pleasure.”
Onwards, friends.
If you are interested to learn more about fostering a servant leadership culture at your organization, feel free to reach out to us. At Rising Sun Consultants, we exist to help raise up the next generation of servant leaders passionate about pursuing purpose-driven ventures. We partner with organizations to build high-performance cultures that drive sustainable growth rooted in servant leadership.
