Leadership is Sacrifice

Here to Serve

Many supposed leaders renege on their responsibility to grow the people under their watch. In their foolishness, they suppose themselves to be wise. They think growing and developing others threatens their own significance. They are concerned the people might come to know just as much as they know and possibly even more. These supposed leaders have a scarcity, inferiority mindset. All they have is a title. They are no true leaders. They are at best tyrants and terrorists.

In a foolish bid to protect their position, they hold back on knowledge. What these fail to understand is leadership is not in as much what you know, as it is in who you are as a person. In their stupid bid to protect their position, they become relics – locked back in time and space. That which hitherto was a blessing to them now becomes a curse - stale and smell. “Self-sacrifice is essential to leadership. You will give, give all the time.” (Napoleon Hill)

True leaders have an abundance mentality. They know no one can ever take their place irrespective of what the person knows, or comes to know; irrespective of their skills, connections, or mandate. They understand everyone is unique and truly irreplaceable. We are each fashioned and equipped to make our own unique impact upon our generation. And, a key part of that assignment is to help others enter into their own calling (assignment). Changed lives are the fruits of effective leadership. Everything else is simply noise - a wash at best. 

True leaders are secure in their own uniqueness. They know to grow and develop others does not diminish them. Rather, it grows them. They are not intimidated by the things they do not have. Rather, they revel and maximize the things they do have. They freely give out of that which they do have knowing the more they give, the more that is given to them, and the more rooted they are in the things they already know. “When you become a leader, you lose the right to think about yourself.” (Gerald Brooks)

True leaders know their source will never run dry. They understand there is enough to go round for everyone. Hence, they have no second thought in giving out to bless and improve others. They know that the more they give the more that which they already have is consolidated and even more is added. Their faithfulness with what they presently have qualifies them for more. “In everyday things, the law of sacrifice takes the form of positive duty.” (James Anthony Froude)

© 2015 Akin Akinbodunse