True North, Emerging Leader Edition, 3rd Edition

8I TO WE

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

—Mahatma Gandhi

We now tackle the greatest challenge of your journey: the transformation from I to We. In your early years, you are measured primarily for your individual contributions. Thus, the most difficult transition for emerging leaders is recognizing that leadership is not about them—it's about serving others and bringing out their best. We leaders are servant leaders.

I first encountered the notion of servant leadership in 1966 when I invited Robert Greenleaf to share his views with a Harvard seminar I was leading. As he wrote in his 1970 essay, “The Servant as Leader,”

The servant leader is servant first. One wants to serve first; then one aspires to lead. This is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions.

A servant leader focuses primarily on the growth and well‐being of people and their communities. The servant leader shares power, puts the needs of others first, and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible.

Nelson Mandela: Seeking Reconciliation

While spending 27 years in prison for a political crime he didn't commit, Nelson Mandela endured many different forms of pain: hard labor, racist taunts, and extreme illness. Because of his efforts, he saved South Africa from civil war and inspired leaders all over the world.

On February 11, 1990, he walked out of his ...