As I reflect on the past here at the beginning of this New Year, I am reminded of one of my greatest frustrations and challenges as a young leader. So much water under the bridge since I first led a team in South East Asia back in the late 90s. I was young, inexperienced, but full of vision, plans, and goals. I was also joined by my friends on a mission to change our part of the world.

So then why was I frustrated? Why did I feel like my friends resisted some of my initiatives? Has that ever happened to you? Have you ever wondered why co-workers or family members resent your leadership?

Thankfully a mentor of mine helped me discover that my top-down leadership approach lacked the ability to empower. I needed to learn how to listen. To encourage others in discovering their gifts and aligning them with our shared vision. To genuinely care about other’s journeys and create unity around a shared purpose.

I discovered a solution in Jesus’ model of serving leadership. It put me on a lifelong journey, showed me how to listen and empower others. In fact, it changed everything in how I influenced those in my organization, my friends, and my family.

I remember one of our staff coming up to me about a year into my serving leadership journey. “Your leadership has really changed!” he informed me. “You now listen...really listen...to us.”

Serving leadership is not about letting the inmates run the prison —allowing people to jolly well do as they please. Rather, it’s about human dignity. It’s about developing a person’s being, knowing, and doing. Serving leadership begins with casting vision and then flipping the traditional pyramid of leadership upside-down for empowerment.

I’ve spent a lot of time putting together a program that can help you lead yourself and others. It’s very practical and will help you process your own journey, relationships, and experiences. This program can help you move forward in determining who you are, what you know, and what you will do in the future to influence those you love and care deeply about. Jesus’ leadership model has truly changed me from the inside out.

Click here to get this program or email /text me (269.625.3400) about bringing it to your company. Brochure with pricing here.