Do You Care to Lead?

Chapter 1Serve

If serving is below you, leadership is beyond you.

—Anonymous

The first part of the Caring to Lead Leader Formula is to serve. You won't get those you lead to even think about following you unless you serve. Pouring a big portion of this selfless action into your leadership is the magic sauce of Care to Lead Leaders. It's the first ingredient of connection between you and your team and organization. And it is the fastest way, hands down, leaders can connect and start building trust with their people. Service starts with your personal commitment to selflessness.

Selflessness

An anthropologist was studying the culture of a remote African tribe. On the final days of his studies he had prepared to leave and was waiting for transportation to take him to the airport. While waiting, the children of this tribe had gathered around him as they had done many times before.

The anthropologist decided to gather the candy he had collected from a town he had visited on his way to the remote tribe days before. He filled a basket with the sweets and then placed it underneath a fairly large tree. He then walked about 100 or so yards from the tree and drew a line in the dirt. The children were told that when he said go, they were to run as fast as they could and that the first one to the basket would win all of the candy for themselves.

The anthropologist gave the signal and ...