Servant Leadership

“It’s alright to be Goliath but always act like David.” – Philip Knight

A few months ago, I graduated from Daystar University with a bachelor’s degree in Communication.  During my time at the university, one of their core values that were deeply emphasized to us was servant leadership.  The idea of servant leadership didn’t mean a lot to me until I came out here to the real world.

Servant leadership is a philosophy whereby the leader puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible.  This concept became a reality to me as I started working here in Afri-Lift. I can say I work with the most amazing colleagues on the planet.

It is here that I have seen the leaders roll up their sleeves and help with the work assigned to others.  I have seen the same leaders join the rest of staff in Monday morning devotions, they join in missions to Kibera, lunch and even in small events like birthday parties. Do not get me wrong, there is always work to do around here but at the end of the day one leave the office feeling part of the team.

This style of leadership has also trickled down to our children sponsorship program. The Riziki Child Assistance program has leaders who have graduated from the program and volunteer to run the program. These leaders sacrifice a lot of time to prepare for their monthly meetings and ensure that everything runs smoothly. They work really hard to make sure that the rest of the children have fun and learn from the program.

The perfect embodiment of the servant leadership philosophy is our Lord Jesus Christ.  In John 13: 1-17, we find him doing something quite unfamiliar to his disciples- washing feet. In those days it was customary for the Jews to wash their feet before a meal. I believe this was because walking in sandals all day in the filthy roads of Palestine did not make eating at low tables easier since you know; dirty feet are not a great sight to look at while eating.

It is at this point that Jesus stood up and began to wash his disciple’s feet. This was work often left to the lowliest servants in the house. I can just imagine the disciples were stunned to silence at as His act of humility. To the disciples these would be stooping too low for someone who was regarded to be the King and conqueror. In Matthew 20:28, Jesus revealed that He had come to serve and not be served and to give his life as a ransom for many.

So, what kind of leader are you? Remember, you don't have to be on the organization's executive team to be a leader. True leaders(whether they are at the helm or not) are humble. They don't much care about the spotlight. They care about the results. And that comes from focus.