Servant Leadership: Silence! I kill you.

"Silence! I kill you."

Ok, so Achmed the Dead Terrorist, one of Jeff Dunham’s most popular creations, isn’t what I would call the poster boy for servant leadership. But he and Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler” manage to give good counsel in an area that servant leaders should learn – know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em.[1]

Servant leadership is about more than guiding, teaching, and training through God’s principles. It also requires wisdom and good judgment on when your counsel will be received and when it will be wasted.

“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” (Matt 7:6, NKJV)

You see, servant leaders, not every circumstance requires your experience or knowledge to fix it. Sometimes, as my boss once told me in a performance evaluation, we need to let others fail so our leadership can see who needs help and how to help them. Sometimes, servant leaders, keeping quiet is God’s way of helping others, especially if they are apt to misread or misconstrue your counsel.

We’ve all been there. We’re part of a team and the team is floundering, not because it is incapable of solving the problem, but because the person in charge is a poor leader, has been given a task that is beyond her abilities, or is already overtaxed – in today’s business parlance we say he is “out of bandwidth.” Isn’t it your job as a good servant leader to take one for the team, step up and take charge, and ensure the job gets done well, right, on time, on schedule, and on budget?

Not always, no.

Failure is a good teacher and sometimes failure is in God’s plan. Some people are blessed, born leaders. Others need experience to get there. Like WD-40, it takes failure to perfect the secret leadership formula.[2] During that painful period, a servant leader is best serving when he practices what he preaches.

“He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God;’” (Psalm 46:10, NIV)

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” (James 1:19, NIV)

So, pay attention. Be wise. Know when to speak, when to listen, and when your real responsibility lies in preparing your team for the fallout of failure. It is hard to be still when you are impacted by a lesson that is meant for someone else, but sometimes, Servant Leaders, that’s exactly what God planned for you.

(Photo: jeffdunham.com)

[1] Schlitz, D. (1978). The Gambler [Recorded by K. Rogers]. Los Angeles, California, USA.

[2] WD-40 stands for Water Displacement perfected on the 40th try (www.wd40.com/history)