SELFISH LEADERSHIP VS. SERVANT LEADERSHIP:
“Do you eat the last slice of pizza?”
Recently, Julie and I enjoyed an evening out with dear friends, dining al fresco over authentic Italian pizza. As we savored the conversation and the wine, I noticed we were down to the last slice. I briefly considered claiming it for myself, but before I could act, one of our gracious guests offered it to me saying, “Steve, please have the last piece.” With a thankful smile, I accepted.
This small, kind gesture sparked a reflection on my own approach to leadership. Essentially, there are two paths a leader can follow:
While enjoying that last slice of pizza isn’t inherently wrong, it served as a poignant reminder of the importance of putting others first.
Leadership is not a birthright; it’s a privilege.
When entitlement creeps into our mindset, it can diminish our genuine influence and connection with others. If we start to think solely in terms of position, it’s probably time to shift our focus towards the potential of what we can become together. Embracing a non-positional mindset can profoundly affect the mood and emotional tone we set as leaders. How we view and treat others speaks volumes about our personal identity, self-worth, and confidence.
Here’s to embracing servant leadership!
–Steve
As a master storyteller, Steve has unparalleled ability to communicate dynamic business and leadership truths through stories, anecdotes and humor. Harness the power of the “number one” predictor of professional success, impact, leadership, high performance and sustainable relationships in business and life. Steve’s highest rated keynote presentation.
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“The purpose of Leadership Quest is to help professionals develop their personal leadership, vision and emotional intelligence. Everyday I strive to help leaders and teams achieve their desired goals in sales productivity, leadership, time maximization, and life-balance. ”
About the Author
Steve Gutzler is the President of Leadership Quest, a Seattle-based leadership development company. Steve is a dynamic, highly-sought-after speaker who has delivered more than 2,500 presentations to a list of clients including Microsoft, Starbucks, the Seattle Seahawks, Pandora Radio, Boeing, Cisco, Starwood Corporation, the Ritz Carlton group, and the U.S. Social Security Administration. He recently was voted #1 by the readership of Huffington Post as the Most Inspirational Leader on Social Media.
A published author on leadership and emotional intelligence, Steve resides near Seattle with his wife Julie where they enjoy time with their three adult children and six grandchildren.
