![]() One of the keys to the growth in our school’s Student Leadership program, and the impact it has on our school community, has been a focus on the concept of “Servant Leadership”. To help everyone understand the foundation of servant leadership we summarize it by using the phrase, “It’s not about you.” This indicates to our leadership group that their main focus will be to serve our school community, not their own interests or agenda. This concept is the power of “Servant Leadership”, but it is also the power of everything else foundational to healthy relationships and community. In describing the importance of this little phrase, I considered calling it “the secret” of servant leadership and everything else, but it so much more than that. And with everybody on the internet claiming to have the secret to this and that it is hard to believe there are many secrets left! The word ‘power’ has two meanings. The first is the power a person or object has to accomplish things, such as the power of Niagara Falls to produce electricity. It can also mean what lies behind a person or object that makes it strong. For example, Martin Luther King’s power could be found in his ability to move people to action through his eloquence and example. Let’s start with the latter notion. The idea “It’s Not About You” is the power behind servant leadership because it makes it difficult for those being served to take issue with the methods or motivation of an effective servant leader. With an extensive outward focus on helping new students make the transition to high school, supporting many local, provincial, and national charities, and offering events of interest to a wide range of students, not just themselves, the actions of our school leadership group matches their words. This is vital, as nothing can undermine the effectiveness of a leader faster than the perception that they are in it for themselves. Having a group buy into the notion “It’s not about you” provides the coherence and togetherness necessary to have an impact on the community they seek to serve. Individual agendas and the desire to be in charge or to control others all have the potential to undermine their overall mission. Understanding, and trusting, that everyone is on the same page with respect to setting aside selfishness frees up our group to focus on their mission of “leaving our school a better place than we found it” and minimizes internal drama. Like the water flowing through the generating stations at Niagara Falls, the force of a group focusing outward on common service is relentless and can light up a community. Most of you, I suspect, may not have the privilege of working alongside students over a period of time and shaping a positive leadership culture. However, all of you function alongside people in a myriad of other settings. And in those settings you are a leader, regardless of your title or lack thereof. After all, as John C. Maxwell explains, “Leadership is influence, nothing more nothing less.” Imagine the possibilities if you adopted the mantra “It’s not about you” in all of your relationships. Might your marriage be transformed if your spouse came to trust that your actions were focused more on their interests and less on yours? Would your children respond differently to your requests if they could see that their thoughts and concerns carried as much weight in family decisions as yours (when reasonable to do so of course)? Bringing this paradigm to ones work community would have positive effects on your place of employment too. Would co-workers not be easier to work with once they realized you were there to serve? Your relationship with your direct reports would flourish as they understood that you were there to advance their career interests as well. And what boss wouldn’t be happy to promote a faithful worker with a servant leadership view of the company? A change of focus from ‘what’s in it for me’ - which can make everyday a battle to exploit every situation for one’s own good - to ‘who can I help today’ moves you closer to the magic place where you never really work a day in your life. A lot of power, and potential, in a little phrase. I urge you to check it out for yourself. I would love to hear about the difference it makes for you.
4 Comments
11/7/2016 06:04:40 pm
Hey Jeff! Love this read. The power of servant leadership is SO incredible! Student Activities Council rests on the fundamental value of serving others. What an amazing concept to learn in adolescence. I am so grateful for the experience to serve my community at Waterloo Oxford! You are making an incredible difference in the lives of your students.
Reply
Jeff Gerber
11/7/2016 10:32:05 pm
Annie thanks so much for the encouraging comments and for sharing the blog on Facebook to your Camp Alliwannado community as well! So neat to see the impact you and your camp are making in your community!
Reply
phil boyte
12/21/2016 04:44:24 pm
Jeff - thanks for sharing! This is good stuff.
Reply
Jeff Gerber
12/21/2016 09:51:27 pm
Thanks for the encouragement and kind words Phil. Means a lot coming from you!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Thoughts from JeffCheck back for the latest from Jeff..... Archives
October 2017
Categories |
Upcoming and Recent Engagements |
Past Engagements
|
Horizons Leadership Conference - May 24, 2022
Lockview HS, Fall River NS CSLA Student Leadership MasterClass - May 12, 2022 MacLean Memorial School - May 2, 2022 Chibougamau, QC Horizons Leadership Conference - March 8, 2022 Virtual Western University Education Conference - Feb. 22-25, 2022 London, ON (Virtual) Avon Maitland DSB Remote Learning School - January 25, 2022 California Association of Director of Activities (CADA) Conference - future workshop TBA Canadian Student Leadership Conference - Oct 21-23, 2021 Virtual Campus Global Student Leadership Days - May 18-19, 2021 Everywhere! Brock Student Leadership Summit - March 26, 2021 Brock University (Virtual) Columbia Basin Hospital - rescheduled date TBA Ephrata, WA Ephrata High School - rescheduled date TBA Ephrata, WA Thomas Jefferson High School - rescheduled date TBA Auburn, WA Georgian Bay Community School - rescheduled date TBA Meaford, ON Weyburn Comprehensive School - rescheduled date TBA Weyburn, SK John Rennie High School - rescheduled date TBA Point Claire, QC |
Brant County Rec Staff Training, Dec. 21, 2020
High Performing Educator Podcast - Nov. 9, 2020 Global Student Leadership Days -May 6-7, 2020 Brock University ConEd, St Catherines ON - March 7, 2020 Saugeen DSS, Port Elgin, ON - February 18, 2020 CharacterStrong Podcast - February 3, 2020 Ridge High School, Basking Ridge, NJ - January 29, 2020 CharacterStrong Podcast - Nov. 19, 2019 Decatur Public Schools, Decatur, IL - Nov. 6, 2019 Ontario Student Leadership Conference, Niagara Falls, ON - Nov. 4, 2019 Ephrata High School, Ephrata WA - Oct. 11, 2019 Canadian Student Leadership Conference - Sept 24-28, 2019 Gardner HS, Gardner Massachusetts - Aug 26, 2019 Youth Leadership Camp Canada - July 17, 2019 Camp Belwood Staff Training - June 26, 2019 Camp Wabanaki Leadership Staff Training - June 23, 2019 City of Kitchener Neighbourhood Camps Staff - June 9, 2019 Nova Scotia SSSA, Antigonish, NS - May 17, 2019 Bluefield HS, North Wiltshire PEI - May 16, 2019 Spring OSLC, Kingston ON - May 12, 2019 McKinnon Park SS, Caledonia ON - May 10, 2019 John G. Diefenbaker High School, Calgary AB - May 6, 2019 Cochrane High School, Cochrane AB - May 6, 2019 Beaver Brae SS, Kenora ON - April 25, 2019 Windsor Park Collegiate, Winnipeg, MB - April 24, 2019 Carberry Collegiate, Carberry, MB - April 23, 2019 |