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There once was a man who spent his life with two pieces of paper tucked into his pockets and they stayed there every single day.
One piece of paper he wrote on the note: I am nothing but a speck of dust.
On the other – the universe is made for me.
Each day throughout the course of his life – he honed into these two messages, because there were times when he needed to bring his ego into check – cultivate some humility, and there were times when he would get trapped into self-doubt or lack of belief and he needed to be reminded that the universe is created for me, he needed to be reminded of his magnificence.
Leadership in today’s world requires us to hold on to both beliefs.
Below is an exert from my recent book; The Future of Service is 5D, why humans serve best in the digital era, which applies this idea to service leadership.
We are magnificent and incredibly influential on the people around us. Your potential is limitless, which is also true for the people – your teams – who follow you as their leader. One of the most magnificent superpowers a leader has is to see and hold belief in people long before they believe in themselves. You can literally change the weather of your organisation’s culture and how people treat each other just by how you lead.
Whenever humans are involved, the ego is always present. For this reason, it’s essential to continually ask yourself, ‘Am I doing this for the sake of others or to further my own interests?’ When the ego is present and ruling the show, that’s self-serving leadership. When the ego is present but is not ruling the show, that’s service leadership.
Below is a simple contrast between self-serving leadership and 5D Service leadership.
| Self-serving leadership | 5D Service leadership |
| Control-orientated
Self-serving leaders tend to exercise a high degree of control over their teams and the work being done, often micromanaging tasks and making decisions unilaterally. |
Empowerment
5D Service leaders aim to empower their team members, fostering an environment where individuals feel confident and capable of taking initiative. |
| Lack of empathy
Self-serving leaders lack empathy, showing little understanding or consideration for the feelings and needs of their team members. |
Empathy
5D Service leaders show understanding and consideration for the feelings and needs of their team members, promoting a supportive work environment. |
| Self-promotion
Self-serving leaders often prioritise their own success and recognition over that of their team members or the overall organisation. |
Collaboration
5D Service leaders value teamwork and encourage collaborative problem-solving and decision-making processes. |
| Short-term focus
Self-serving leaders may focus on achieving short-term goals, sometimes at the expense of long-term sustainability and growth. |
Long-term vision
5D Service leaders focus on long-term goals and sustainability, prioritising these over short-term gains. |
Some leaders adopt a self-serving leadership style, and it is like a thunderstorm, fierce and destructive, where the leader’s actions only serve to fuel their own ego, leaving chaos in their wake. In contrast, some leaders adopt a 5D Service leadership style that is like a gentle rain, nurturing and refreshing, as the leader’s actions shower support and care upon their team, helping them grow and flourish. Both get the job done, but with different lasting results.
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