Do you have a balance between serving others and serving self? (147-1)

The leaders who exert power but refuse to serve hurt themselves, their organization, and their team. Read Ecclesiastes 8:9.

The self-centered, self-serving leader is so common that virtually everyone has experienced the negative conditions they create in the workplace or in their family. The reason the problem is so pervasive is every one of us carry in us some of the desires that drive the self-serving leader.

It is my opinion that virtually every leader is one decision away from trending away from servant leadership and starting down a path toward self-centered leadership. All of us have in us the love of being first; we all like to be served at times; we like to impress people; and we like special perks and privileges. These are all elements created in us by God and if kept in balance help leaders to become high achievers, but when out of balance move leaders to use their influence and power to serve self.

Jesus was the only perfect leader to ever live but even on His team, where they had a perfect role model, some of the leaders He was mentoring allowed their focus to drift from serving others to serving self. Luke 22:24 says, “Also a dispute arose among them (the 12 disciples in Jesus inner circle) as to which of them was considered to be greatest.” Jesus interrupted their argument with words intended to bring about a proper perspective concerning self-service and serving others. Jesus said, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves” (Luke 22:25-26).

All too often leaders make one bad decision and begin the journey of tending toward self-serving leadership rather than servant leadership. Solomon’s words of wisdom in Ecclesiastes 8:9 should serve as a wake up call, “…There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt.” Wise leaders continually evaluate the motives behind their decisions. When they find too many of their decisions have their own interests significantly outweighing the good of their team they know they have gone out of balance toward self-serving and take immediate corrective action to keep from putting themselves in harm’s way.