Vered’s Blog

I was listening to Barak Obama being interviewed by the press and there was one sentence that he said that caught my ear and made me realize one of the main differences between old type of leadership and Feminine Leadership.

He was making a remark that the word “service” in the Republican lexicon translates only to two options which are either becoming a politician or serving in the army (if you follow that road also serving time in prison…)

Then he said that as the Republicans were new to the concept of change and were using the word as a cover up and do not mean it they have no idea that serving can actually come in multitude ways beside those two ways.

I couldn’t agree more.

For too long the word leadership meant “Follow Me” – I’m the wise man and I will show you the promise land. I will find the solutions, get things done and all will be well. I will tell you what to do and you will do it and that way we will WIN. Leadership was connected to military, power and forcefulness. Just look how much time is devoted to figure out whether the candidates have any experience or knowledge about military and fighting.

This is the old way of leadership. But there is another way of looking at leadership, a way in which each of  us can grow, a way where we each use the talents and the strength and the wisdom of the community to create something bigger, stronger and much more successful than just by one person..

In Feminine Leadership the leader is a servant of the people. His or her job is to serve the people. To create a space where people will be able to develop and fulfill their potential – this is Servant Leadership.

Unlike leadership approaches with a top-down hierarchical style, Servant Leadership instead emphasizes collaboration, trust, empathy, and the ethical use of power. At heart, the individual is a servant first, making the conscious decision to lead in order to better serve others, not to increase their own power. The objective is to enhance the growth of individuals in the organization and increase teamwork and personal involvement.

No wonder when you come from this perspective you will value and use your experience as a community organizer as an element that gives you the right and helps you to lead.
Only when you think in terms of old fashion Power leadership being able to organize a community does not count a lot and does not sound so grand and important – but then of course the skills of a Hockey mom would…

The ability to bring together a whole community and mobilize them, take care of them, create a space for them to improve their life and allow them to develop demands a whole range of skills and qualities that certainly brings the best out of the Servant Leader. You will need qualities such as listening and empathy, awareness and persuasion, Imagination and insight, and most of all commitment to the growth of others.

Change as I said is not just a word. It’s not just in actions. Change needs to come also in the values that we carry. When we will start valuing Servant Leadership more than the old fashion Power Leadership change will come. When we will realize that what the world needs now is more community work, more caring, more listening and leaders that care more to their public and are willing to become a true servant to the community and not just to their own self care – that’s when we will make the difference.

Let’s have more community organizers than generals and hockey moms! (as you know the only difference between them and a bulldog is the lipstick…)