Leaders are Learners: Leaders Eat Last – Simon Senek… A Different Look at Servanthood

“EVERYBODY CAN BE GREAT…BECAUSE ANYBODY CAN SERVE. YOU DON’T HAVE TO HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE TO SERVE. YOU DON’T HAVE TO MAKE YOUR SUBJECT AND VERB AGREE TO SERVE. YOU ONLY NEED A HEART FULL OF GRACE. A SOUL GENERATED BY LOVE.”
– Martin Luther King, Jr.

I usually love to multi-task when I am exercising. And usually, it is watching or listening to something about life, love, leadership, or laughter. I am sure you are not surprised. Anyway, I put on YouTube in the background, and it did its algorithm and pulled up The True Story Behind Leaders Eat Last, an interview with Simon Sinek.

I have read several of Simon Sinek ‘s books, listened to many of his podcasts, and watched many of his inspirational and instructive talks, but this excerpt from his conversation with Molly Bloom is top of my list. And I wanted to share it with you.

I will tell you why I want to share it with you in just the following quote that occurred twenty-three seconds in,

“ I like to joke that in the military, they give medals to people who are willing to sacrifice themselves so that others may gain, and in business, we give bonuses to people who are willing to sacrifice others so that we may gain.”
– Simon Sinek

I stopped everything and had to rewind it so I could listen to that quote several times.

Even though Simon’s talk is about leadership, this quote exemplifies both the goal and the problem of one of the most crucial elements of leadership – servanthood.

For many, the goal is the pursuit of the prize and not the promotion and care of the people. For many, it is not our personal sacrifice but who must be sacrificed so we might gain.

Now, in my top 5 strength finder s assessment are strategy, activator, and achiever. It’s a surefire recipe to put tasks (or prizes) over people. I can even fool myself into thinking that the task is for the good of the people. Yet, at what cost?

If I am a person who models leadership on the principles, values, and ethos of Jesus, then I am reminded that I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14). Not what I win but what He desires I win. And His model of winning was servanthood. His model of greatness was sacrifice and suffering. And it was always about people, not prizes.

After I sat with this quote from Sinek, I asked myself about the things on my calendar and if they were about what I might gain for myself or what others may gain. I think that is an important leadership, life, love, and laughter question that should be asked often and reviewed daily.

As I gathered up the courage to start the interview, Simon went on to vulnerably share his experience at a military outpost in Afghanistan. From the moment he landed and his feet were down on the tarmac, it was traumatic and courageous. And how many of us know in these moments of crisis, our hearts and minds are revealed?

In his processing of the day’s events, he shares the following pivotal moment where he finally gets to lie down, and fear enters the room and the unshakeable need to leave. Yet, he had no control over it. With the lights out and fear coming in, he shares it was his willingness to surrender and the immediate calm that he experienced. What does he surrender? Simon surrenders the need to control the narrative of being served so that he might leave but rather serve those who may never leave.

What if we approached our servant leadership with that mindset? A mindset that says, I will serve you through my fear of not getting my way so that I may find peace that you will find a way.

I won’t give away the final moments of the interview as Simon shares his experience with the highest level of military leaders in our nation. But I guarantee it will redefine service, community, and love.

Here is the interview. Enjoy…be ready to put it on pause often…and maybe be okay to share tears with him and for the many who have served us that we have not seen, known, or been able to say thank you! Simon calls it “holding space”. Let’s learn to hold more space for sacrifice for those who serve for the sake of others.

Go on!

(you have to watch to the end of the video to know what I mean).

You are loved!