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Serving Leaders Produce a Thriving World: They Shape the Vision
September 18, 2024
Serving leadership works! Serving leadership produces environments where people come to life, find meaning and purpose, and bring their best selves to the mission of the organization. Everything, even the bottom line, improves and thrives as a result!
The biblical foundation for serving leadership, and The Serving Leader Model®, is found in Paul’s vision for the church.
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Ephesians 4:11-16).
The serving leadership principles outlined by Paul in this passage produce a thriving church and will also produce a thriving workplace because they are based on God’s design for the universe! In this series, we’ll look at five actions serving leaders take. First, in this issue, the shaping of vision. The Serving Leader Model® calls this “Run to Great Purpose™”. Vision addresses the question, “Why do we exist and why does it matter?”
Serving leaders shape the vision by identifying purpose.
Paul invites his readers to see the purpose of where they are going. “...until we all reach unity...we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” As he describes this vision he gives meaning and purpose to all that they are doing.
Some leaders focus on the tasks people need to do and push for completion of the tasks without articulating a higher purpose. But serving leaders connect the work to a higher purpose. They clarify the purpose and share it with everyone in the organization. This does not mean that they must create a new or different vision from a previous leader but they do ensure that it is clearly identified.
Serving leaders shape the vision by raising purpose high.
Some leaders put a purpose statement on their official documents but never refer to it again. But serving leaders work continually to keep it in front of the people they serve. They talk about it; they share stories that connect with the purpose. Serving leaders help people thrive by continually keeping the vision in front of the entire team.
Serving leaders shape the vision by embedding purpose.
Some leaders talk about their vision but don’t deliberately get the vision embedded into the systems of the organization. But serving leaders keep working until every aspect of the organization is infused with purpose. This includes all the internal systems. Serving leaders ensure that vision is used when bringing new people to the team; they use the great purpose to evaluate individual and team performance and they use their purpose to make financial decisions. They recognize that where purpose is clearly identified, continually shared and embedded throughout the organization people thrive!
For further reflection and discussion:
· Reflect on your own leadership in the area of vision/purpose. How effectively does my leadership shape the vision of my organization? How does my leadership in this area impact the thriving of our team?
· Do we have a clearly defined vision? If so, what can I do this week to raise it higher? If not, what process will I follow to develop one? (Use the Vision Discovery tool below to assist you in this process.
· How well is our vision embedded into all our internal systems? What is one step we can take to include vision in our internal training?
· Read again the scripture above (Ephesians 4:11-16) considering your organization in the area of vision or great purpose. What is one step you can take this week to improve?
Until next time, yours on the journey,
Jon Byler
Click here for a resource from the Center for Serving Leadership to help you in this area: Vision Discovery Tool
In the next issue, we’ll look at how serving leaders create thriving by setting the values.
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