Sam Walter Foss was an editor, humorist and poet (Foss, 1979) who was inspired to write a poem after encountering a kind old man who shared openly with anyone who passed by his house by the side of the road. As I read the first stanza of his poem below,
There are hermit souls that live withdrawn
In the place of their self-content;
There are souls like stars, that dwell apart,
In a fellowless firmament;
There are pioneer souls that blaze their paths
Where highways never ran-
But let me live by the side of the road
And be a friend to man. (Foss, 1979, p. 209)
I reflected upon the fact that servant leaders choose to become the type of leader that is like a ‘friend to man’ (Foss, 1979). Some people become influential leaders because they are visionaries. Like the stars and the pioneer souls in Foss’ poem, they live way ‘out there’ creating new paradigms and blazing trails for the rest. But in my opinion, the most influential leaders of all are those who simply walk alongside individuals to guide and encourage. They are parents, grandparents, teachers, counselors, mentors and friends. They often do not ever attain the notoriety that the trailblazers do. But they win the right to lead and influence because of the power of relationship. John Maxwell calls this the second level of leadership, where people follow because they choose to (Maxwell, 2016). “When people feel liked, cared for, included, valued, and trusted, they begin to work together with their leader and each other. And that can change the entire working environment.” (Magda, n.d.). To me, this describes what a servant leader does. He or she wins the right to influence someone through service to that individual. When you add the notion of investing in others’ development in order to empower them, this type of leadership is now transformational servant leadership and it becomes even more powerful. Maxwell calls this the highest level of leadership. How ironic that the path to highly influential leadership doesn’t begin by demonstrating your talents and abilities, but by putting others before yourself. According to Maxwell, leaders at this level “create opportunities other leaders don’t. They create a legacy in what they do. People follow them because of who they are and what they represent. In other words, their leadership gains a positive reputation. As a result, Level 5 leaders often transcend their position, their organization, and sometimes their industry”. I am continuously drawn to this type of leadership because it is not about me; it is always about the other person. Watching someone grow and develop is such a rewarding experience.
Foss, S. W. (1979). Let me live by the side of the road and be a friend to man. In L. E.Watson (Ed.). Light from many lamps (pp. 208-212). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
Maxwell, J. C. (2016, August 30). The Five Levels of Leadership. [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://blog.johnmaxwell.com/blog/5-levels-of-leadership
Magda, K. (n.d.). The five levels of leadership by John Maxwell. [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://psychologyformarketers.com/5-levels-leadership-john-maxwell/