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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Intro

R. Scott Rodin

1 // The Self-Aware Leader.

Mark Vincent

2 // Selfless Leaders in a Selfish World.

Dan Busby

3 // A New Perspective on Self-Less Leadership

R. Scott Rodin

4 // Selfless and Self Aware

Jo Ann Lyon

5 // The Courage to Live & Lead Selflessly

Tim Hanifen

6 // The Tools of Self-Less Leadership

Congressman Tim Walberg

7 // The Selfless Leader: Leading For Others

Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers

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Intro. Take a moment to think about the different leaders youve had in your life. Bosses.

Pastors. Parents. Presidents. Even just people who assume a leadership role in your

friend group.

Some of them you probably remember for all the wrong reasons. They were

manipulative or demanding. Some of them may have been uncommunicative or,

honestly, just not very good at their job. We all have those stories.

But every now and then, youll find youre following a good leader. Its a little harder to

define just what makes them good, but you know theres a difference. Youre better at

your job. You trust them to handle responsibilities. You feel empowered to do what you

do well.

This gets to the heart of the question were trying to answer here. What makes a truly

good leader?

There are certainly a number of qualities that every gifted leader must have, but one

thing that is common to all great leaders throughout history is something desperately

lacking in our culture today: selflessness.

It is our collective experience that the greatest leaders we have known all have had this

quality of selflessness, not as something they learned through study but as part of their

character and worldview.

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I invited six friends to join me in reflecting on our experience of selfless leadership. I

asked that they go beyond theory and talk about their struggles and victories in

developing this character in their life and leadership. I deeply appreciate their wisdom

and candidness that comes through in the pages that follow. Our collective prayer is

that through these reflections you will be inspired and challenged to embrace the high

and holy calling of a selfless leader.

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Dr. Scott Rodin is president of Rodin Consulting, Inc, the past president of the Christian Stewardship Association and Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, a Senior Fellow of the Association of Biblical Higher Education and serves on the boards of ChinaSource and the Evangelical Environmental Network.

He writes about leadership, the Christian life & professional calling @ thestewardsjourney.com

http://thestewardsjourney.comhttp://thestewardsjourney.com

! I had a mentor and a long time seminary professor by the name of Marcus Smucker

who took issue with the word selfless. He thought it an inappropriate word for a

Christian to use. Actually, it was not so much the word that troubled him as it was how

the word was deployed.

The distinction Marcus wanted us to make was that there is a difference between not

knowing who you are and extensive self-examination. Using selflessness as an excuse to

never consider who you are at all opens the door to self-abuse, abuse at the hands of

others, and worse, twisting others around abusive demands. Marcus had met and

worked with scores of people caught up in this type of abuse, often using selflessness

as a way to spiritualize the harm they were enabling. They saw it as a virtue rather than

the toxic behavior that it was.

Extensive self-examination does not mean self-centeredness. Rather, it is a deep

pilgrimage into understanding ones boundaries and capacities to serve others, learning

which part of ones self to set aside and which to carry forwardknocking the barnacles

off, so to speakin order to live in loving service to God and neighbor.

This means the leader needs to develop an understanding of love languages and basic

temperament, perhaps through the use of personality tests like the Enneagram,

Strengths-Finders, Colby, or Meyers-Briggs. Also, working with a therapist, an executive

coach or spiritual director, or joining a peer-based advising team, spending time in

The Self-Aware Leader. Mark L. Vincent

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silent retreat or gathering a clearing committee would be beneficial. This is not merely

to gain self-insight. Self-examination as the beginning and end of the journey is selfish.

Instead, it is to use acquired insight to heighten ones capacity to serve.

The inward journey to understand self is turned toward service and focused outwardas

if it is a rubber band stretched before being propelled across the room to its destination.

Think of it as grace received so that grace can be offered. Understand it as calling

clarified so that it can be recognized and clarified in others. Practice it as being present

with and accepting ones self in order to have cultivated the skill to be present with

others.

Selfish is distracted and elsewhere. Selfish has something better to do.

Self-less (self-aware) is present in the moment. The moment the self is in is

precious in its own right.

A Picture of Selflessness

High on my list of important mentors comes Bill Klopfenstein, a retired insurance

executive in the congregation my family attended. Consistently, throughout my

teenage years, Bill placed his hands on my shoulders, looked me in the eye from a few

inches away, and reminded me that he prayed for me every morning at his breakfast

table. God has his hand on your life, he would say. I hope you will listen. Those

words from him filled up the well of my life, setting a course where I came to

understand that my life was not my own.

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Bill Klopfenstein is the picture in my minds eye whenever I read about Barzillai (2

Samuel 17:27-29; 1 Kings 2:7). Barzillai was an influential tribal leader who played host

to King David when Davids son Absalom turned traitor and David and his entourage

had to flee Jerusalem. Barzillai gathered sustenance and supplies and rushed to provide

for his exiled king. Barzillai was leader and follower because he knew who he was.

There are so many richer and fuller portraits of historical figures and Bible characters I

could draw on to paint what a selfless leader looks like, but Barzillai calls to me

profoundlya leader who does not self protect when matters are urgent, even dire, but

moves decisively to do what can be done, playing whatever role is needed, secure in who

he or she is without worry over title, receiving credit for ones accomplishments, being

shown deference or coming out on top.

Barzillais actions are caught up in the words of Jesus when he talks about who is great

in his kingdom. Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and

whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. (Mark 10:43,44 ESV)

Jesus goes on to say that he too intends to live this example. Even the Son of Man came

not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45 ESV)

Knowing Yourself

I am privileged to have enjoyed more than thirty years of marriage to my wife, Lorie. I

learn from her more than any other influence in my life. For more than half of our

marriage she has battled a rare form of cancer which she has turned into a pulpit from

which to care about and influence others.

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She is as quick as anyone Ive ever known to grasp reality and accept limitation. She

knows who she is and presses it into service that has changed medical procedures,

encouraged medical professionals, and strengthened the resolve of others who face

prolonged suffering, all while being wife, mother, business owner and now

grandmother. Half of her life is spent gathering strength before or after medical

procedures, and still she outpaces most everyone else I know. It is not because she has

boundless energy. She doesnt. Rather, it is because she is in profound touch with who

and what she is so that it enhances rather than impedes her service to others. She is the

very embodiment of less becoming more.

I could go on listing the examples of self-aware leaders who pressed themselves into

service for others and have taught me how to serve others. Through my years as a

husband, father, business owner and pastorand as one who loves leaders into their

steward othersthese people have added to the tensile strength of my own rubber band.

They have stretched me taut with self-understanding so that I am launched yet again

into increased capacity to serve, and so that others will learn to do the same.

In the stretching that self-awareness requires, Ive learned a great deal about who I am

individuallymy own profound limitations as well as unique strengths. Writing about

them belongs in my journal not on these pages. What is useful to record here is what

Ive learned about being a selfless leader in general.

To do that, Im going to divide my lessons into two categories: assumptions and posture.

It is a mistake to think that if you put these to work you automatically become a selfless

and self-aware leader. Instead, understand these as the fruit of becoming a selfless

leader or, at least, understanding what one is.

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Assumptions

First, here are my assumptions. Rather than be so bold as to say you must embrace

these assumptions, I would simply suggest that you consider them as a starting point

for discovering and articulating your own. Knowing your biases (yes, assumptions and

biases are much the same) is a significant tool to help you serve othersincluding the

stranger, the rogue co-worker, the customer from a vastly different culture, even your

enemy. Without self knowledge about your assumptions and the actions that grow

from them, each troubling encounter you face leaves you clueless about how to proceed.

Assumptions are not preferences. I prefer an apple to a banana. I assume I must have a

quality diet that includes fruit.

Neither are assumptions unchangeable. They should be constantly refined as we put

them to use, test them and then refine them. For instance, I once assumed a sincere

apology brought forgiveness and a chance to try again. While this may work in my

prayers to God, it does not always work with humans. Many people are quite

comfortable holding grudges. I had to stop expecting that forgiveness would be offered

to me when I blew it. I had to revise my assumption about relating to others in order to

be able to move on when forgiveness did not come.

Assumptions are foundational. They are the bedrock of my worldview. They give shape

to my responses and next actions if I am conscious of them and put them to use. They

come after much refinement, frequent revisitation and careful, multiple uses. I would

not have arrived at them without deliberate work to develop self-awareness so I could

live a life that is less self-centered.

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Still, they remain a work in progress.

1. There is an interested and engaged Mover behind all things. I am not my own

creator and I do not operate in a vacuum. Others think they might. I believe I do not.

My assumption is that I am accountable for what I make of my life.

2. Every layer of knowledge revealed exposes more layers for discovery and wise

use. I am blind to my own ignorance. Whatever I learn and whatever others learn only

exposes how blind we are. Whatever light gets turned on only illuminates a little more,

showing the infinite expanse of we do not begin to grasp that we do not know. When we

embrace the vastness of this ignorance we can become humble inquirers (see Edgar H.

Sheins book Humble Inquiry for more on this), able to keep learning instead of being

mired in what we claim to know already.

3. Life is precious and brief and is rewarded in life to come. While for some this

implies an eternal destination, we can certainly all agree this means we have a legacy to

give to our descendants and to all lives we touch.

4. Human life is best lived in community that appreciates what it has been given

and intends to contribute welfare to the generations to come. Selfishness and greed

often interfere, however. This assumption touches on many of lifes facets, from how to

be a family member, how to carry out diplomacy and how to engage in the marketplace.

It is a wise as serpents, innocent as doves approach to living (Matthew 10:16).

If I express these assumptions in combination, and through the lens of selflessness as

defined here, then I assume I am responsible to God for understanding and developing

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myself as completely as possible so I may serve God as well as possible for the benefit of

as many as possible. This constitutes a lifelong act of worship that is never finished.

Posture

Posture is different than assumptions. Ive subjected countless people to the

conversation about the heart posture of the Christian, a posture I believe must be

exemplified in heroic, world-shaping leaders whether they have embraced Christian

faith or not. It is the posture of living on ones knees with raised arms.

This posture is necessary for one who claims the assumptions outlined above. Without

this life and heart posture people would think they are superior to others for having

figured some things out. They would take pride in being self-aware in the face of the

ignorance of others, which is a high irony. Imagine taking pride in knowing about ones

ignorance while others languish in it! Its like awarding oneself a gold medal for being

the fastest slow person in a foot-race.

This posture of the steward leader, a self aware, selfless servant of otherswhether

personally or organizationally assumedis a posture of:

Giving and Receiving. In front of God, giving and receiving are indistinguishable. In

this posture I can receive from God and I can share from what is currently in my

possession.

Supplication. From my knees with raised arms, I plead my case to God. I no longer

make demands.

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Penitence. I know I am flawed. I am aware of the shadows of my life. My sin is ever

before me. So is the great grace of God.

Submission. There is an authority higher than me. I offer myself to receive and

respond to instruction.

Humility. Here my worldview takes shape. I admit I do not possess unlimited

knowledge. I know I cannot control everything. I am in need of assistance from the One

I worship and from others who surround me.

Worship. This is more than generosity to God who is generous to me. I am offering my

selfpast, present and futureto the one who made me.

Covenant. Kneeling before God is one-half of a covenant embrace. God is standing

before me, arms outstretched, waiting for me to enter this embrace. From here I know

what it means when God says, Obey my voice and I will be your God and you shall be

my people. And walk in all the ways I have commanded you that it may be well with

you. ~Jeremiah 7:23

Freedom. Here I have laid my burdens down. I am no longer shackled to them.

Any leadership or followership I offer grows from this posture. It is from here I invite

others to join the journey of self-awareness that becomes service. From here I assume

responsibility granted me and assist the responsibility granted others. And from here I

bear witness of Gods great grace to the world.

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I began this chapter pointing to many example of selfless leaders I have known. And

yet, truthfully, I believe there are fewer and fewer new ones. I believe it to be a

significant and disastrous decline.

Why is this? Is it because those leaders who mentored me are shrouded in myth and I

view them through rose-colored glasses? I would like to think that is not the case.

Rather, it is because fewer people take the time to become self-aware, and that those

who do seek it do so as an end in and of itself. So many leaders point to what they built,

and what they accumulated under their watch, and what they were able to take with

them when they left, rather than pushing proteges to the front with the managed

expectation that those proteges are also developing others.

We have too many Herods and far too few John the Baptists. It is a ghastly contrast

John the Baptist loses his head for uncompromisingly telling the truth, while Herod is

consumed by worms for having claimed the glory that belongs to God. And yet how

true it is. This life ends tragically and surrounded by grief. All I can do is construct or

destroy its meaning and legacy.

Self-awareness in order to live selflessly makes all the difference.

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A steward of peer-executive advising teams, and a lifelong student and practitioner of organizational development and leadership, Mark L. Vincent is CEO of Design Group International, a consulting firm committed to process and client-centeredness. Among other works, Mark wrote: Fighting Disease, Not Death: Finding a way through lifelong suffering with his wife Lorie. He resides near Kohler, Wisconsin.

Learn more about Mark here: www.designgroupinternational.com

http://www.designgroupinternational.comhttp://www.designgroupinternational.com

!

In a world of self-promotion, selfless leaders stand out and are easily recognizable.

However, it is much easier to identify a selfless leader than it is to describe how selfless

leaders became that way. This is because selfless leadership starts and ends when a

leaders heart is rightand this is only observable to God.

The word selfless is commonly understood to mean having great concern for other

people and appropriate concern for yourself. Comprehending this definition gives us

an immediate glimpse into why there are so few selfless leaders. J. Oswald Sanders said

it well:

True greatness, true leadership, is achieved not by reducing men to one's

service but in giving oneself in selfless service to them. [1]

The Example of Jesus

Christ epitomizes the selfless leadera radically counter-cultural notion when

compared to the pervasive look out for number one mentality. The Gospel of Mark

tells us, Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever

wants to be first must be slave of all. [2]

Selfless Leaders in a Selfish World. Dan Busby

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So, the selfless leader stands out in a group of leaders because he or she is so Christ-like.

All leaders of Christ-centered churches and ministries are Christ followers, but not all

would be considered selfless.

It takes more than talking the selfless leader talk. It means walking the selfless leader

walk. A selfless leader is one that models grace and humility day in and day out.

Selfless leadership may be apparent in big decisions that occasionally come along. But

it is in the routine matters where selfless leaders really shineshowing grace-in-action.

The Selfless Server

A fundamental trait of selfless leaders is serviceservice to othersespecially those who

work most closely with the leader. According to University of Southern California

professor of Leadership Studies James OToole, The greatest source of power available

to a leader is the trust that derives from faithfully serving followers. [3] The most

effective leaders are rarely public heroes who are charismatic or powerful: They are

the quiet leaders who resolve big problems through a long series of small efforts. [4]

As Benjamin Franklin often declared, A man wrapped up in himself makes a very

small bundle. The biblical perspective on selfless leadership is stated in Philippians

2:3: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider

others better than yourselves.

The Servant Leader

Instead of selfless leadership, too often we see leaders who are self-serving, which is the

polar-opposite of serving.

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This phenomenon is not limited to the ministry world. In Joseph A. Maciariellos book

A Year With Peter Drucker, a biography of the famed management expert in the title,

Maciariello notes that Peter Drucker had great hopes for business executives in the

United States. These hopes gradually faded as he saw one scandal after another and as

he found leaders to be self-serving. [5]

The most compelling leaders lead and keep their trust when they start with a proper

view of themselves. By embracing this essential humility, leaders will not only

influence and lead, but will transform the lives of those around them, reproducing

leadership in others. This essence is what C.S. Lewis would have referred to as

mereness. [6]

In todays kingdom of leadership, there are several varieties but two main breedsthe

ambitious creatures that baptize themselves as leaders and the unambitious servants

who quietly lead the flock. These faithful servants respond to the call of the trumpet.

They serve because of need, not because they covet conquest or attention. [7]

The most effective leaders are likely to be individuals who have no desire whatsoever to

lead or be out front, but are compelled to lead by their times, circumstances, calling or

characterleaders like Moses, George Washington, William Wilberforce, Alexander

Solzhenitsyn, Martin Luther King Jr., and Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Good to Great author Jim Collins says research showed that great leaders check their

egos at the door and replace them with an interest in their followers and the

organization. Compared to high-profile leaders with big personalities who make

headlines and become celebrities, the good-to-great leaders seem to have come from

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Mars. Self-effacing, quiet, reserved, even shythese leaders are a paradoxical blend of

personal humility and professional will. They are more like Lincoln and Socrates than

Patton or Caesar. [8]

Collins shies away from calling them selfless lest they be confused with being weak or

mild. They are seemingly ordinary people quietly producing extraordinary

results. [9]

The Marks of Selflessness

Selfless leaders do not talk about themselves. They say things like, God has blessed the

ministry. I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to serve with such a great team.

It is not false modestyit is genuine.

When one contrasts selfless leaders with the oppositeselfish leadersthe differences

are stark.

Here are three suggestionsto myself and othersfor selfless leadership:

1. Focus on your character, not on security. While leading ECFA, I have never had a

contractnever asked for a contract, nor have I been offered a contract. I have served

and serve at the pleasure of a high-profile national board. The lack of at least an annual

contract could be disconcerting for some leaders. This would especially be true for

someone who is past the normal retirement age, as I am.

The absence of a contract helps keep my perpetual focus and that of the board more on

my character instead of an entitlement measured by a period of time.

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2. Dont take yourself too seriously. At ECFA, we serve nearly 2,000 Christ-centered churches and ministries that serve on the front lines. Day-in, day-out, we must take our

mission very seriously. The care with which we handle our work can directly impact

one of the ministries we serve.

Conversely, we must not take ourselves too seriously. We laugh with each otherand,

yes, at times, at each other, but in a good-natured way. My staff knows they can laugh at

me and there will be no repercussions. It is a matter of discerning when to be serious

and when it is OK to lighten up.

3. Accept the blameeven when it is not your fault. A good leader does not throw

staff under the bus when the going gets tough. There is always the human temptation to

assess blame. The selfless leader takes responsibility for his or her actions and the

actions of staff, setting the example for the entire ministry.

One of our vice presidents reminded me of the time she sent a mass email to our

members and far beyond. In the body of the text, she included the name of a certain

high-profile evangelical leader, but the reference should have been to another person. I

took responsibility for the mistake, contacting the high profile-leader whose name

should not have been used and personally apologized for the error. I had forgotten the

incident, but my vice president remembered it like it was yesterday.

Through the lens of Scripture, selfless leadership is simply about more of Christ and less

of us. We must be in second placenot elbowing our way to the front. Christ set the

example with the Father: He must become greater; I must become less (John 3:30).

The less it is all about us, the better others are served.

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Selfless leaders get out of Gods way so that His Spirit works through them. Want

this trait in your life? Practice the inward disciplines of Bible reading, prayer,

fasting, and meditation. Let God take care of the rest. [10]

Selfless leadership is inconspicuous, yet not sacrificing anything in the way of

convictionenabling us to live out Micah's vision of acting justly, loving mercy,

and walking humbly before God and others.

[1] J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership (Chicago, Il: Moody Bible Institute of Chicago), 2007, 13. [2] Mark 10:43-44 [3] David Sirota, Douglas Klein, David Russo, How to Have the Best Employees, a collection (Upper Salle River, New Jersey: FT Press), 2014. [4] Joseph Badaracco, Leading Quietly: An Unorthodox Guide to Doing the Right Thing (Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2002), 1-2. [5] Joseph A. Maciariello, A Year with Peter Drucker (New York, NY: HarperCollins), 3. [6] Les T. Csorba, Trust: The One Thing That Makes or Breaks a Leader (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson), 28. [7] Gary Wills, Certain Trumpets: The Call of Leaders (New York, NY: Touchstone), 1994. [8] Jim Collins, Good to Great (New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers), 2001, 12-13. [9] Ibid, p. 36. [10] Gary G. Hoag, R. Scott Rodin, Wesley K. Willmer, The Choice (Winchester, Va: ECFAPress), 2014, 54-62.

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Dan Busby is the President of ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability), an oversight and accreditation organization. A CPA, Mr. Busby founded a CPA firm, was the Controller of a major medical center and CFO of a major religious denomination. Hundreds of thousands of his books and booklets on tax and finance issues have been used by church and other nonprofit leaders. Over 250 of his articles have appeared in various magazines and websites. He is a frequent speaker at national nonprofit conferences and has spoken in 37 states.

!

Perhaps the best way I can try to define a Selfless Leader is to contrast it with its

opposite. Could we say that the converse of a self-less leader is a self-more leader?

Put another way, does becoming a selfless leader require us to set aside our desires to

want more of our self as the focus of our leadership?

As Christians we know that this self-more approach is our default mode. Our sinful

nature always throws us back upon ourselves. Therefore, this is a journey of faith,

trusting that God can work in us the freedom to step outside of our self and find the

space to live and lead in a truly self-less way. I believe such a step will require three

things of us.

1. We Are Wired for Self-Promotion.

First, it will require a recognition that we are wired for self-promotion. This is a hard

thing to admit about ourselves and thats the point. Its hard because its true. For more

mature leaders who have won hard fought victories over this old enemy we may not

want to acknowledge that it still scratches at the door. But denying it gives it power.

Once we acknowledge it we can pray against it, claim Christs victory over it and engage

friends to hold us accountable when they see it start to manifest itself. In reflecting

back on my years as a seminary president I wrote the following,

A New Perspective on Self-Less Leadership

R. Scott Rodin

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Perhaps the hardest place to decrease is in the influence and the power we hold

over people and decisions. For this reason we find Christian leaders who are

overly directive at best, and autocratic at worst. And as a result we produce

churches and ministries that are rife with learned helplessness. By

overestimating our own worth, we help our people depend on us for everything.

And that dependence feeds into our need to be needed, to be the idea person

and visionary, and to be in control. We tell ourselves that the more we lead in

this way, the more our leadership is valued and our presence desired. Of course,

this is not real leadership, but a counterfeit that gives us our increase and

expands our kingdom. It also, however, does a terrible disservice to our people,

leaving them uninvolved and under-developed. It wastes resources and limits

our ministry, all under the guise of strong leadership and the use of our God-

given talents for getting things done. [1]

This is why the first step to becoming a self-less leader is to acknowledge our self-more

tendencies. And further, to identify the places in our current leadership style where

they have taken root.

2. Become a Steward.

The second step, I would suggest, is embracing a stewards view of our leadership role.

The alternative is to lead as if we owned our position, our organization, our people and

our strategies. This may sound harsh, but take time to examine your attitudes toward

these things and see if there isnt some vestige of an owners approach to each. Owner

leaders are self-more leaders. They have to be because they tie their self-worth to their

jobs and seek self-affirmation through vocational success. When we pretend to be

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owners, we return to the original sin in Eden and grasp at an alien ownership that will

only serve to put us in bondage. As Christian leaders we must never forget that

ownership and bondage are inseparable. But just as inseparable are stewardship and

freedom. That is the choice set before us every moment we choose to serve as a leader. If

we believe we own our employees, our clients, our facilities, our students, our inventory

or our profits, we will serve as leaders in absolute bondage. With that bondage comes

fear, anxiety, relentless pressure, discouragement and despair.

The selfless leader must make it a daily discipline to refuse the temptation to

ownership and assume with joy and privilege the mantle of the godly steward in every

area of his or her life. As followers of Jesus, we know our only true identity is in Christ

alone. This sets us free to be steward leaders.

This is a mindset and practice I always found hard to live out, but whenever I did I

experienced real freedom. On a particularly challenging day during my seminary

presidency, I was approached by a wise friend and board member who encouraged me

to wear the mantle of the presidency lightly. I knew he was right, but the battle to

carry it out was fierce.

I have been blessed over the years by the poignant words poured out in the form of

leadership prayers by Richard Kriegbaum. In his leadership prayer on ownership he

writes, This is my one incessant prayer to you, hour by hour, day by day; Its yours. I

am not fighting this battle for you, God. Its your battle, and you are fighting it for me.

It is all yours and I want whatever you have for me in this situation. He ends his

prayer with, So this day is yours; I am yours; these people are yours; the resources are

yours. The challenges we face are yours, as is everything we hope to accomplish. Its

yours, God. Its not mine. [2]

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That is the prayer of the selfless leader.

3. Become Self-Less by Becoming Christ-More.

The third step is best expressed by a favorite saying of mine, Great leadership is not

about who you are leading, but who is leading you. In order to become self-less,

something or someone needs to take the center spot that we have vacated by setting

aside our desire to occupy it. Christ must assume that central role. We only become

self-less as we become Christ-more. For that reason, developing an increasingly

intimate relationship with God becomes the selfless leaders highest priority. And this

encompasses our other two steps. It is in intimacy with God that the Holy Spirit can

help us identify the places where we tend toward self-promotion. And if we are to be

stewards and not owners, then it is critical that we know the wishes of the true owner.

Both of these require an ever-deepening relationship with Jesus Christ. We could go so

far as to say that the most important moments you spend in your leadership role are

the ones spent in the presence of God, seeking His will and thirsting for the wisdom He

is so willing to provide.

Intimacy also means transformation. You cannot draw closer to God without being

changed. The selfless leader understands that before God can do a great work in an

organization, that work must be done first in the heart of the leader. This is what I have

learned about being a steward leader. Unless God has taken our hearts captive, all of our

good doing will lack spiritual integrity and Christ-like authority. Our work will expose

the absence of Gods anointing. And it is at the exact moment that we think we have it

all together that we cease to be useable in the work of the kingdom.

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I once prayed that God would change the people under me so they would be easier to

lead. What He taught me was that He wanted to change me so that I might become a

more humble, faithful and obedient follower of Christ, and through that change people

will be drawn to Christ through me. That, I believe, is how a selfless leader is shaped.

We are surrounded by self-more leaders. Even in our churches and Christian ministries

we find systems and structures that actually reward this self-more style. In our culture

it is very difficult to be self-less in positions of leadership, influence and authority. Yet

that is our calling and highest privilege. As I said at the outset, this is a faith journey. It

requires us to surrender ourselves fully to Christ, and in His presence allow the Holy

Spirit to clean us of our self-more ways. As we find our identity in Him and seek deeper

fellowship in Him as the true owner, we can know the joy of the leader who has been set

free to lead for Christ. It is these humble, repentant, obedient and self-less leaders that

God will continue to use in the most powerful ways to lead His people for His glory.

May we be counted among these faithful followers.

[1] Rodin, R. Scott. The Steward Leader. (Downers Grove: IVP, 2010), p. [2] Kriegbaum. Richard. Leadership Prayers. (Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1999), pp. 6-7.

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Dr. Scott Rodin is president of Rodin Consulting, Inc. specializing in helping Christian non-profits take a biblical approach to strategic planning, board development and capital campaign fundraising.

Dr. Rodin is past president of the Christian Stewardship Association and Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He is a Senior Fellow of the Association of Biblical Higher Education and serves on the boards of ChinaSource and the Evangelical Environmental Network.

Dr. Rodin holds Master of Theology and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Systematic Theology from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.

!

The idea of selfless leadership is something that is regularly referenced in leadership

books but generally gets subsumed in another topic such as Servant Leadership and

other various models that focus on the empowering of others. However, to truly look at

selfless leadership calls for deeper probing as a leader. Doing so will reveal two very

different paths that at first blush can look identical.

Many times, the term selfless leadership brings up images of martyrdom, work-a-

holism, self-deprecation and ignoring self-care. All these descriptions have the

appearance of selflessness. Persons leading in these ways receive a great deal of praise.

These affirmations continue the behavior and much gets accomplished.

However, if not checked in some way, it becomes self-destructive behavior not only to

the leader but also to those who are serving with this leader.

When people lead in this way, trust erodes and is replaced by a leader who fears losing

their power and followers who obey out of paranoia. Before long, this becomes

leadership driven by self rather than selfless leadership. Power and control become

obsessions. I do not believe Christian leaders intentionally begin their leadership in

this manner but without self-awareness and accountability, one can unconsciously slide

into this style.

Selfless & Self Aware Jo Ann Lyon

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How can we avoid doing this? There are three practices that we can, and should,

take great care to incorporate into our personal lives.

1. Self-Awareness

The first step to achieve selfless leadership is self-awareness. This is not as easy as it

seems. Self-awareness is defined as one understanding his or her strengths, weaknesses,

thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and calling. Self-awareness includes an understanding of

what drives you. A second very significant part of self-awareness involves

understanding other people, how you are perceived, and how to respond to other

people.

Much of this goes back to Socrates words know thyself, which was the basis of his

philosophy. However, Socrates valued not only intellectual self-examination but also

being in touch with ones feelings. Self-examination and emotional awareness are

inextricably connected and always needed to be in balance. Self-awareness is a

continual journey and is always evolving. This is done as one is in relationship with

other people, not in self-absorption and isolation.

2. Active Listening

The second step is that of active listening. I have found the wisdom of God in some of

the most unlikely places and people, but its not always easy. It requires a self-

emptying of ones preconceived thoughts and ideas on how a mission is to be

accomplished. Active listening requires humility with the desire to always be learning.

Many times I have found it helpful to write the points of the conversation on paper as a

person is talking. Not only does that bring value to the person speaking, but also I have

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often gone back and found gems in what had been written that I perhaps could have

missed otherwise.

3. Vision and Purpose

The third aspect of selfless leadership is that of vision and purpose. Jesus of course, is

the clear model of selfless leadership. He makes his vision and purpose clear on many

occasions. I have come down from heaven, not to do my will, but the will of Him who

sent me (John 6:38). This same sentiment is repeated several times in his ministry. As

we follow Jesus life we see that his overall purpose guides every decision and his

leadership even in more specific areas.

Therefore, selfless leadership calls for more than just a style that anyone may put on or

take off. It is a higher calling. It is a lifestyle in every aspect of leadership. I have heard

it said of a significant Christian leader that his life was lived for an audience of One,

with wide open arms and relational integrity. This is an example of an overall vision

and purpose. In this manner, one is so committed to the purpose that self is lost and the

purpose is the driving force. When our purpose is far greater than our perceived

abilities and resources, we begin to touch the hem of selfless leadership.

How to Love in a Fearful Land

I perhaps experienced this significantly as I was standing with hundreds of Sierra

Leoneans in a refugee camp during their brutal war a decade ago. I was overwhelmed

with the pain and suffering they experienced and, at the same time, realized my

responsibility as a leader to bring some type of hope, to effect change in the current

reality, and to lead people in North America to action. When I stood up to speak, I saw

three books on the corner of the freshly made podium. One was a very tattered

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hymnbook. The second was a well-worn Bible. The third a book by Henri Nouwen

called How to Love in a Fearful Land. The pastor had grabbed these three items as he

fled with his family from his home to seek refuge in the bush, running from rebel

attacks and eventually making it to a refugee camp. The scene of that day has been

emblazoned in my mind forever. It became another example of the driving force of my

leadership in which the purpose became greater than myself.

Personally, the overall purpose of my leadership is actually to follow Jesus. Specifically,

I have been called to a ministry of restorative justice. Much of my work is restoring the

kingdom of God on earth as He has meant it to be.

Perhaps the guiding principle of selfless leadership is that of Jesus as noted in John 13:

12-15, after Jesus had washed the disciples feet.

Do you understand what I have done for you? he asked them. You call me

Teacher and Lord and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord

and Teacher have washed your feet, you also should wash one anothers feet. I

have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

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Dr. Jo Anne Lyon is the General Superintendent of our denomination, The Wesleyan Church, serving to guide its vision, key message, and missional priorities.

Shes the founder of World Hope International & has 10 fantastic grandchildren.

Connect with Jo Anne @ www.wesleyan.org/706/jo-anne-lyon

http://www.wesleyan.org/706/jo-anne-lyonhttp://www.wesleyan.org/706/jo-anne-lyon

! I am an average person who works very hard and struggles in his spiritual life,

relationships and this journey of life like everyone else. I am always in awe and

appreciation of others who seem to be so much more spiritually attuned and intimate

with God than I am. But I have been a believer in the triune God my whole life and I

have known their hand upon me guiding, correcting, advising and aiding me in all

circumstances. Some have been dramatic, but most were just life as we all live it. I have

always been active in prayer and the older I get the more prayer becomes simple

conversation and discussion. These conversations with God frame my life. Whether

God answers me with yes, no or wait, I am always given guidance, clarity of thought,

insights and the sense of direction and next actions to take, and that includes my

calling to lead.

I knew from an early age that Gods calling upon my life was to attend a military

academy and become an officer in the service of my country. As a result, God insured I

got the proper education and training to prepare me.

I attended and graduated from the Naval Academy. I became a Marine Officer and

aviator and spent over 35 years learning the profession of arms and growing within the

selfless leadership culture of the United States Marine Corps.

The Courage to Live & Lead Selflessly Tim Hanifen

- ! -29

It is from this perspective that I offer some thoughts regarding Selfless leadership. In

my view, there are two starkly contrasting approaches to team and organizational

leadership.

The Greater Good

Selfless leadership is ethically leading others in the achievement of assigned goals and

the greater good for the benefit of all others before oneself. Self-centered leadership is

leading others in the achievement of assigned goals using ways and means that

maximize the personal recognition and benefit of the leader over the institution and all

others.

These leadership approaches are polar opposites in their focus, goals, strategies, ways,

and means. Selfless leaders focus externally on enabling and achieving the success of

the organization and people before their own personal success. In any endeavor, these

leaders first ask themselves and their teams, Whats the right thing to do here? and

then, How best can we do it? Accomplishing the goal or mission and doing it right

becomes the teams guiding and unifying focus. This type of selfless leadership grants

freedom to every team member to take necessary action and removes all potential

paralysis and doubt in the face of danger, risk and opposition. Ultimately, selfless

leaders leave lasting and positive institutional accomplishments. They shape lives by

their leadership and they earn an honored and emulated reputation going into the

future.

Whats in it for Me? In contrast, when self-centered leaders face a mission or goal they ask, Whats in it for

me? and How can I best use others to accomplish it with the least personal

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accountability and risk? The success of the mission, institution and team are

secondary to the success of the leader. As a result, the self-centered leader is focused on

controlling all team activities. They work to remain in the forefront of recognition and

seek the credit from above. When criticism comes they deflect it to team members

below. Looking good is more important than actually being good or accomplishing the

good. Self-centered leaders produce an exhausting and slavish work environment.

When the mission is over, virtually all credit goes to them and those who served under

them are just happy they have moved on. I have seen that those serving under self-

centered leaders resolve that no matter the cost, they will never work for that leader

again. In the end, self-centered leaders become known for the people they really are.

They leave no lasting, positive accomplishments and those with whom they have served

politely avoid them. When stories are told, these leaders are singled out as searing

examples of what not to do and how not to lead.

Courage and Selfless Leadership

Let me share an illustrative personal story. When I served on the Navy headquarters

staff, I was responsible for development oversight of a helicopter towed mine warfare

system designed to detect undersea mines. The Navy had spent over a decade and

nearly a billion dollars in developing a towed array system tailored for a two-engine

helicopter. But, as in all programs, over the years, both the helicopter and towed system

grew in weight and significantly reduced the aircrafts power margins for safe

operations and especially, single engine operations. If there were a single engine

failure while towing, the aircraft was unrecoverable and would hit the water in seconds.

The aircrew would be lost. I reported the potential problem to a counterpart with the

responsibility and was told it would be addressed. However, no action was taken. The

following year, while visiting the Persian Gulf where temperatures and humidity

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greatly affect helicopter power margins, the safety issue arose again. This time my team

and I dug into the details.

We relentlessly pursued and documented the facts regarding the underpowered nature

of the aircraft and the high probability of aircrew deaths in any single engine

inoperable situation. The more deeply we dug, the more resistance we experienced.

For over a decade, people within the Navy and acquisition community-many who were

now senior officers and acquisition executives, had accepted optimistic data, assumed

best case operating conditions and hoped a fix would be found. Though the risk was

suspected, money had been sunk and many professional reputations were now at stake.

Cancellation of the program was the right and only thing to do. It was not a matter of if

engine failures would occur but when. When it happened, the helicopter would crash

into the water and the aircrews would be killed within seconds. As we dug deeper into

the data and resistance mounted, I spent a significant amount of time in thought,

prayer and conversation with the Lord. I also discussed my concerns with my deputy, a

Navy Admiral and one of the finest leaders and partners with whom I have ever had the

pleasure to serve.

After examining the facts, the Admiral and I resolved that continuation or cancellation

of the program and helicopter re-missioning were decisions only the Chief of Naval

Operations (CNO)-the Service Chief of the Navy, could make. We were determined to

insure the case would reach him for decision-no matter the cost. As we developed and

coordinated the CNO decision package, we faced increasingly intense pressure and push

back from many people on various Navy and Pentagon acquisition staffs. On several

occasions we were approached privately and publically and had confrontational

meetings with many who were trying to dissuade us from taking the information and

cancellation recommendation to the CNO. Attacks were made upon the data, our

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motives, our reputations, our knowledge and our professionalism. Our careers and

futures were questioned. Yet we both remained resolved and peaceful. We knew our

facts were in order. Our cause was just. Our internal sense of right action was true.

Therefore, our course was set. Over time the facts garnered the support of several key

and influential senior and peer Admirals on the staff.

When the package finally went forward for the CNOs review and decision, he directed

an independent investigation of the comprehensive staff package, data and facts. The

review included simulator flights by trusted senior aviation officers. None could react

or recover from a single engine failure while towing. Within weeks, the CNO, a selfless

leader himself with the best interests of his fighting Sailors and their families at heart,

permanently cancelled the towing device program and re-missioned the helicopter and

aircrew personnel.

The real understanding I would like you to take from this shared story is that God

moves us all into places and positions where we can choose to do the most good for all

concerned. It is not an accident. Rather, it is the intentional handiwork of Providence

unfolding before you. Dig in, be fact-based, choose to take action and do what is right

and good. Be steadfast in your conviction. Overcome all opposition. As I look back, as

the only Marine General Officer and also a career helicopter pilot on the Navy Staff, I

was probably one of the few leaders without an agenda, and in a position to give it an

independent look and if verified, bring it forward for CNO decision in the face of strong

opposition. Likewise, I think that if you are reading this story then someday you too

will find yourself someplace where God brings you a situation, issue or task that only

you can fix. The only question is What will you choose to do?

- ! -33

How to Cultivate Selfless Leadership In Your Life

If you want to develop and cultivate selfless leadership in your life, here are some

guidelines to follow. Consider them arrows for your leadership quiver.

Make doing and accomplishing good your guiding goal. This higher calling keeps your eyes on the true prize. It also provides a unifying motivation and focus for your

team and for yourself. In the end, it is the framing goal that brings about lasting

benefit and transformational change for everyone. A self-centered leader is motivated

by the goals of self-interest, self-promotion, recognition and expediency. Doing good

is nothing more than an unintended by-product. A selfless leader knows right from

wrong and recognizes that doing good as a first principle removes moral doubts and

liberates team members to take necessary ethical actions in all situations.

Live and speak truth. Speak truth respectfully, tactfully, compassionately, mercifully

but consistently to juniors, peers and seniors alike at all times. A selfless leader believes

in absolute truths and knows right from wrong. They make truth and facts central to

their lives, character, and leadership. In stark contrast, a self-centered leader sees truth

as situationally dependent or morally relevant. Truth is flexible. As a result, they sow

doubt and mistrust among those with whom they work. The only predictable truth is

that their decisions and actions will always benefit them in some way. In contrast,

selfless leaders, by choosing to speak truth, engender trust and can be relied upon by all

those with whom they interact.

Exercise courage. Selfless leadership is risky business. A leader will often have to stand

in the moral or ethical breach and against the rising tide of counter-views and opinions

to do what is right and necessary. Standing in the breach is always uncomfortable. It

- ! -34

requires courage, which is esteemed as the one human quality that guarantees all the

rest. Courage is often defined as facing danger or risk without fear. However in my

life experience, I believe this definition is absolutely wrong. Instead, the true definition

of courage is facing danger or risk with your fears and doing the right thing anyway.

Courage, acquiescence to evil and cowardice are all individual choices and a leaders

choices determine whether the future ends in victory, stalemate or defeat. Danger, fear

and risk are always personal companions in selfless leadership. When you face them, it

would be good to remember this true definition of courage and the quote by Major

General later President Andrew Jackson, One man with courage, makes a majority.[1]

In contrast, a self-centered leader will always seek to curry favor and avoid any

situation where they risk the displeasure of seniors or go against the rising tide of

popular opinion. They go along to get along with no personal requirement for the

exercise of principle or courage. Unlike self-centered leaders, selfless leaders face doubt,

evil, injustice, fear, apathy or acquiescence by exercising courage and resolve to become

a majority of one. One who stands in the breach and accomplishes needed change. As

such a leader, your steadfast and courageous example will inspire and liberate others to

do likewise.

Model and reward desired behaviors. Selfless leaders understand and accept that they

must be the example and model the behaviors they expect. They must also promptly

recognize, reinforce and reward all those who emulate and reflect their standards. Self-

centered leaders tend to reward only those people and behaviors that they see as adding

to their personal recognition, stature and influence.

Practice trust. Selfless leaders are content with defining and accomplishing the teams

goals. They allow their rising leaders and the team to define the ethical how in

- ! -35

accomplishing the goal. In doing so, they are demonstrating and practicing trust that

their teams know the leaders intent and will do right accordingly. They provide

oversight and help, holding their teams accountable without micro-managing.

Oppositely, self-centered leaders do not trust their teams. They organize the team and

workflow so as to control or micro-manage all activities. They make themselves the

decision nexus. No action can be taken and nothing can proceed without their

concurrence. They purposefully paralyze progress and actively discourage team

creativity and initiative in order maintain their personal control and credit.

Unbelievable but true!

Invest in transformative relationships. Change the lives of individuals and you

change the destinies of organizations, nations and the future. As a selfless leader, make

time for deeper relationships with juniors, seniors and colleagues alike. You will not

regret it. They will be forever grateful for your time, interest and investment in their

lives, happiness and goals. Relationships bless both ways. Self-centered leaders see

relationships as positioning and access to power centers, as a quid pro quo or simply

another means for achieving their personal goals, recognition, credit and reward.

Selfless leaders, on the other hand, recognize that transformative relationships are the

key to achieving lasting and rewarding change.

Have patient and peaceful expectations. Evil rewards quickly and disproportionately

in order to reinforce and reward bad choices. God blesses and rewards more slowly and

in more meaningful, abundant and lasting ways within the lives of all concerned. Self-

centered leaders have high expectations and are more demanding of immediate and

significant reward. They become impatient and angry when they do not see a rapid

- ! -36

return on their invested effort. Selfless leaders are patient, peaceful and confident in

the knowledge that doing the good and right thing ultimately wins the day.

Appropriate recognition and rewards always follow in time.

The Greatest Testimony

Selfless leadership is a journey. It is seldom taken and requires a daily walk upon roads

that are rarely travelled in this world. Its true power lies within the decision, moral

character and resolve of the leader. It is the leader who chooses to constantly bear his

or her companions of danger, doubt, risk and fear. Yet he or she steadfastly leads others

to accomplish the mission, do right, do good, serve all others before themselves and

accomplish the greatest good for all concerned. It is transformational leadership at its

best. It produces lasting change within people, organizations, nations and eventually

the world one choice, one action and one step at a time. What could be more

satisfying or a greater testimony of your leadership, your legacy or a life truly well

lived?

[1] Jackson, Andrew. One man with courage makes a majority. 4 January 2015. http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/

34843-one-man-with-courage-makes-a-majority

- ! -37

Tim is married to Anne for 20 years and the proud father of three daughters and grand-father to one grand-son. A 1978 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he is currently the Vice President, Marine Corps Systems with the Boeing Company and a retired Marine Corps leader, aviator and Major General with 35 years of service.

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/34843-one-man-with-courage-makes-a-majority

! Leadership is as old as, wellGod Himself. And yet, leadership can happen any time

two people are in a relationship. It happened with Adam and Eve, Noah, Moses, Paul

and Timothy, Joan of Arc, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill,

General Patton, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mike Ditka, Michael Jordan, Ronald

Reagan, Malala Yousafzai, Barack Obama and the list goes on. Some of these leaders

were good, strong and effective. Some were weak, manipulative and controlling. But

they all led, in one way or another.

Weve all experienced leaders who motivate, irritate, inspire, confuse, resource us, and

maybe even abuse us. We generally assume that a leader has personal desires for

success and the willingness to do what it takes to achieve that success.

But is there a type of leader who motivates for success of a project, in a team concept,

without thought for themselves? In the process of leading, is it possible to bring the

team to a sense of empowerment and personal achievement that enables them to

experience success and personal growth individually and as a team? Can a leader with

this type of team success remain as it were in the shadows?

If so, that would be an example of a self-less leader.

The Tools of Self-Less Leadership

Congressman Tim Walberg

- ! -38

Looking back over my working life I can identify leaders who were consistently self-less

in their leadership. They not only lead a team to succeed in projects and tasks, but they

enabled me to expand my sense of achievement and increased my desire to accomplish

greater challenges. I sensed that these leaders cared more for me than just using my

services to complete a task. They communicated through word and attitude, goal setting

and affirmation that they truly cared for me. It was evident, though unspoken, that

these leaders were truly interested in preparing me and other team members for greater

responsibilities even with other organizations.

A self-less leader is one who finds great fulfillment in serving those they lead for the

purpose of motivating and resourcing their successful personal growth as they achieve

the goals set for them. As a Christian, I would add that a self-less leader is one who finds

great fulfillment in serving God in ministry to those they lead for the purpose of

motivating and resourcing their successful personal growth as they achieve the goals set

for them.

I have benefitted greatly by this kind of leadership that motivated me to expand my

horizons and aspirations. Additionally, I have become more diligent to give my

attention to greater quality of effort as I attempt greater challenges. All of this has

brought about increased rewards and an expanded appreciation for what can be

achieved if one is willing to take the challenge. Self-less leaders give these opportunities

to those they lead, to those they serve.

No Easy Path

Having experienced the positive effects of this kind of leadership, it is also my desire to

commit self-less leadership with those I have been blessed to lead. As an elected public

- ! -39

servant who has the responsibility to represent a congressional district, and as an

employer of a professional staff who enable me to address the needs and responsibilities

of my district, I have multiple opportunities to be a self-less leader. I know of no quick

and sure path to becoming this kind of leader other than a lifetime of conscious

consistent commitment to the task. While there are books, seminars, and courses on

leadership that can assist in growing as a leader, even a self-less leader, I know of no

greater resource than the Scriptures for the development of a person for this kind of

leadership.

Through personal experience, I am fully convinced that any leader can find benefit

from the training principles found in the Bible. However, no greater success can come

from this powerful training manual than to a leader who has by faith accepted Jesus

Christ as Savior and Lord. It is then that the enabling power of Gods indwelling Holy

Spirit can be unleashed to unpack the richness of Scriptural truths leading to personal

growth and self-less leadership. This by no means is a short-term process but rather a

lifetime commitment. It is easily assumed, but I should clearly state that I have not

achieved consistent self-less leader status. However, there are several aids available in

context with Biblical principles of leadership that have assisted me in my continuing

efforts to grow as a self-less leader.

Time Spent in Scripture

The first and most important discipline is investing consistent time in studying and

applying Scriptures that key in on character and servanthood. This includes time spent

analyzing good and successful leaders in the Bible. They certainly were all humans with

failings and weaknesses, but their consistency of self-less leadership can afford us a

model to follow.

- ! -40

One of those self-less leaders was King David whom God Himself labeled a man after

My heart, who will do all My will. (Acts 13:22) David succeeded greatly in leadership.

David failed greatly in leadership. But Davids heart attitude was always one of

submission to the purposes of God. He was quick to put himself in the hands of God in

humble service for Him. Thats why Acts 13:36 has always appeared to me as the

epitaph of Davids life when it concludes, For David, after he had served the purpose of

God in his own generation, fell asleep I cant think of any better epitaph of a self-less

leader than the fact that before he died he consistently served his people according to

the purposes of God.

Gods purposes followed can only lead to self-less service and leadership. When Gods

purposes become my purpose, people are served.

Another example of self-less leadership comes from the life-shaping attitude of the

Apostle Paul. In Acts 20:24, he shares his motivating commitment for self-less

leadership when he proclaimed, But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to

myself in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the

Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God. His motivating desire

to empty himself of any personal aspirations, save for completing what God had

charted for him, can only lead to self-less service. That attitude enabled him to call his

followers to Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. (I Corinthians 11:1) Again,

the focus is on Christ and others. How can this focus lead to anything other than self-

less leadership? Lest we forget, Pauls model was the ultimate self-less leader who said of

Himself, For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give

His life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)

- ! -41

Regular Feedback

A second aid to developing self-less leadership is regular evaluation and feedback from

those I lead. I have found great benefit from both direct requests for specific evaluation

and broadly implied permission for my staff to evaluate my positions, plans, and

strategies. Those direct requests for evaluation often take the form of questions like

What do you think? Does this make sense? How do you feel about the situation?

Do you feel resourced? and Did I blow it?

These and similar other requests have been extremely positive for my team members.

Though sometimes humbling for me, and a bit threatening at times for a staff member,

this openness has developed a greater sense of ownership and freedom for my team to

take the responsibility for a project with an enhanced sense of personal and team

reward upon successful completion. It hasnt diminished my leadership in any way

either. Ive had the benefit of positive and creative feedback, and they have been given

release to participate in still greater ways.

Beginning with their first day on the job, and periodically thereafter, I try to assure my

staff that I desire them to give me constructive feedback and criticism. They are told

that my disappointment will only come if they have refrained from expressing their

disagreement and we fail at something that could have been prevented. This broadly

implied permission for them to evaluate me before the fact has benefitted me greatly

even when on occasion I have ultimately continued my planned course.

Self-less leadership doesnt come without risk or challenge. Everything in my human

nature cries out to assert my own authority. My desire for praise is never far from the

surface. But, when I sense a team passionately working together in unison with

- ! -42

enjoyment, I know self-less leadership is not only worth it, but that there is greater risk

and challenge to lead any other way.

- ! -43

Congressman Tim Walberg is first a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband, father, and grandfather. He has also been privileged to serve as a Pastor, State Legislator, Foundation President, Division Manager in higher education, and Member of Congress from Michigan's 7th District. In any spare time expect to see him anywhere outdoors hunting, fishing, or on the saddle of his Harley Davidson.

! I grew up as a farm girl doing chores alongside my younger brother, Jeff, and my

parents. I can tell you the value of hard work was rarely lost on me. In an early

childhood memory I recall dreaming of owning a toy stroller for my dolls. When I

asked my parents for it, my dad responded, Cathy, you must earn it. And so I did. I

picked walnuts at five cents a bucket for days. I knew that if I worked hard, if I kept

at those walnuts, one by one, I could succeed. The lessons of ones childhood are

foundational, and to this day I gain inspiration imagining what is possible for those

who persevere. I loved that stroller, and I appreciated it all the more because Id earned

it.

In America we can roll up our sleeves, work hard, and succeed for this is the place

where fulfillment and inspiration can take roots and grow. To this day, I am inspired by

those who are willing to come together to bring an idea to life because the possibilities

are limitless. And I often reflect on those days spent picking walnuts, because they

taught me a lot about life.

The Power of Values

Hard work is one important part of it, thats for certain, but it is also about much more.

I turn to the words of Saint Augustine, first spoken well over a thousand years ago.

Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on

you. It is in this spirit I approach each day with prayer and with gratitude; with

The Selfless Leader: Leading For Others

Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers

- ! -44

diligence and with determination. This sentiment embodies my commitment to help

make peoples lives better, and it guides my work as a parent, as a leader, and as a

member of Congress

Like most of us, Ive encountered my fair share of challenges challenges that go

beyond earning that little toy stroller. In times of uncertainty and of the unknown, I

take each day with this mindset: I work to do what I believe to be right and good and

grounded on the Bible. I am humbled by the men and women of Eastern Washington

who have trusted me to serve them and take this responsibility seriously, and it is with

them in mind that I center every decision I make in Congress. I am grateful to be a part

of an endeavor far bigger than one person.

Through my work in Congress, I have found much of life is about God encounters. The

men and women I am privileged to encounter each day veterans who have served our

nation so honorably, students from Washington State University hoping to find good-

paying jobs, leaders of institutions shaping the next generation of innovation these

are the people who inspire me to lead. They inspire me to be true to my values, and to

serve selflessly the best I can.

Life is not black and white. In difficult times, when decisions are complex and often

weighed by uncertainty, this is when ones commitment to values is most critical. And

in those times, I believe it is important to seek council. To turn to God and to family as

we weather the storm of life. Ultimately, as a leader, the decisions that I make on behalf

of the men and women of Eastern Washington have an impact. And I know full well

how important it is to believe with conviction in the integrity of my decisions. As a

leader, I think it is critical to trust in yourself and seek Godly wisdom at all times.

- ! -45

Be Yourself

In December of 2013, I received a phone call during a staff Christmas party in Eastern

Washington. On the other end of that line was a recognizable voice it was the Speaker

of the House. He was asking me to deliver the Republican Response to the State of the

Union.

It was about as unexpected a call as you could imagine.

As the Speaker and I spoke, he offered me words of encouragement, and I took them to

heart. He said to me, Cathy, just be yourself. And I took courage in believing God had

prepared me just as I was for this moment. The words I shared with the American

people that night in January following the Presidents address were centered on our

shared belief in the American Dream. They were about the opportunities of America,

and the opportunities that made it possible for a little girl who grew up on a fruit

orchard in Kettle Falls, Washington to serve in our Congress and work to help people

across Eastern Washington and across the country.

I share this story as one that exemplifies leadership. Just be yourself, like Speaker

Boehner said. Work day in and day out to do your best. Treat others with respect. Being

a leader means recognizing the God-given gifts each and every one of us was born

because every person on this earth has something wonderful to offer. We are each

blessed with certain talents, and I believe we should foster those talents. A true leader

knows not to be something theyre not.

- ! -46

Leading Through Helping Others

My parents taught me to approach life with determination, even if no one was

watching. They taught me to pick up trash from the ground if I saw it there it didnt

matter if someone was around to see me do it, that wasnt the point. And thats how I

approach my work in Congress and my responsibility as a parent of three young

children. They have taught me to see our world is so much bigger than one person.

There is a Ronald Reagan quote inscribed on a plaque that sits on my desk. It reads,

There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you dont care who gets the

credit. Just one sentence, but a sentence that says so much about selfless leadership

and so much about the impact we can have if we dont get caught up in seeking the

limelight. Instead, if we focus on helping people really helping people think about

the good we can accomplish. Our democracy can thrive when our leaders understand

the great responsibility we as a nation have been bestowed. And as Americans, we have

the unique task of keeping our democracy alive and well.

That task is one I work to uphold.

I believe so much in empowering others to succeed, and have seen firsthand what

reverberating greatness this approach to governing can achieve. I have admiration for

the members of my staff who serve our country and know achieving success for our

nation is not about one person it is about a much greater cause. A true leader

encourages and fosters the success of others.

It is with great pride that many members of my team have gone on to pursue public

service. That includes Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Buetler, who served as a

- ! -47

legislative aide in my Washington D.C. office, and was elected to serve in the House in

2011. It includes Mayor of Spokane, David Condon, who was elected in 2012 and

previously served as my District Director. And it includes Dick Leland, who became a

Spokane District Court Judge in 2013. The impact each of these leaders have had on

communities across Washington state is humbling. Each of them have touched so

many lives, and as we all work to help and to lead the best we can, we remember our

roots, we remain grounded, and we never forget the people who elected us to serve. A

true leader understands their shortfalls as well as their abilities, and works to offer

leadership and humanity all at once.

We all experience difficulties in our daily lives, some are small, some are big, but all

require our attention and our commitment. To me, it is the approach to solving

problems that true leadership is most visible. Credit is not what matters.

Results matter. Humility matters. From my days spent pitching in on the family farm

to the days spent in the halls of Congress, I believe leadership is a mindset and a way of

being. It is not something to be checked off on a list, it is an approach to life itself, and

it is what I work to employ each and every morning.

- ! -48

In Congress, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers represents Eastern Washington and serves as Republican Conference Chair, making her the fourth highest ranking Republican in the House. Since being first elected in 2004, Cathy has gained more responsibilities earning a reputation for being hard working, trustworthy, and willing to work across the aisle.

Cathy grew up on a farm and was the first one in her family to graduate from college. She and her husband, Brian, a retired Navy pilot, have three young children.

Cathy is going to continue to work to find solutions to improve peoples lives, and so all of our children and grandchildren will have an opportunity to make the American Dream come true.

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- ! -49

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