Issue #13, August 27, 2009
Servant leaders, like all great leaders, have a passion for excellence. However, their motive to lead with excellence is not simply for personal benefit or to increase financial revenue. Servant leaders lead with excellence because they have a passion to develop their own potential, to see others develop their potential and because of their desire to reflect God’s nature in their leadership. Paul challenges all of us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,” (Col. 3:23). His call is a challenge to rise above mediocrity to a wholehearted pursuit of excellence wherever we lead. What is the result when servants lead with excellence?
Leading with excellence reflects the nature of God.
The God we serve is not a lukewarm, half-hearted, casual God. Whatever He does is the best and we are called to visibly express His nature in all we do.
This excellence is expressed in our vocations where we use the gifts and abilities God has given us for His glory. If that is in construction, build the best buildings possible. If it is in education, teach with a passion that produces excellence. If you are a pastor, be excellent! Martin Luther King Jr. expressed it well, “If it falls to your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, like Shakespeare wrote poetry, like Beethoven composed music; sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, ‘Here lived a great sweeper, who swept his job well.’” As we lead and serve with excellence we reflect God’s very nature.
Leading with excellence inspires the best from followers.
Leaders who model excellence bring forth the best in their followers. Some leaders attempt to dictate good performance from followers and go to great lengths to measure this performance. But healthy leaders live and serve with excellence in a way that inspires others to also do their very best. Think about a leader that inspires you and reflect on what it is about their leadership that helps you to do better. Very likely they have a passion for excellence.
Leading with excellence increases results.
Positive results can be expected when we lead with excellence. Results may be measured in the ‘bottom line’ of financial profit in a business or in the maturity of disciples or community impact for a church. In any case, when we lead and work with excellence positive results normally follow. Given a choice between a mediocre product and an excellent one, which will you purchase? If you want to select a church, will you be attracted to one that doesn’t care how things are done or one where attention is given to excellence? It only makes sense that we are attracted to excellence and doing things God’s way works! For this reason even an unbelieving leader who pursues excellence will see increased results. What distinguishes the servant leader is the motive behind the commitment to excellence. The servant leader pursues excellence as a means to expand the rule of God in his/her sphere of influence.
A commitment to excellence is expressed in an unwavering dedication to growth and development. This will be the topic of our next issue.
For further reflection and discussion:
- Do I consistently model excellence in all I do?
- Does my leadership inspire excellence in others?
- What is my motive for the pursuit of excellence?
- What specific examples of excellence can others see in the organization I lead?
- How can I respond to the call to excellence while avoiding unhealthy perfectionism?