A visit to a Civil War battlefield helped me realize that the best operations are run upside down.
Those who work or have been employed in government agencies or other large organizations understand how critical leadership is to the fate of the enterprise. Even smaller offices can fall prey to the horrors of mismanagement by megalomaniacs and their close relatives.
This week I went to the Cedar Creek battlefield in Middletown, Virginia, which is near Winchester and Front Royal. At the visitor center I espied a copy of an interesting handwritten note from Abraham Lincoln to General Philip Sheridan. The President gratefully thanked the General for his leadership in turning a Union rout into a victory.
Lincoln’s note was amazing, even shocking, because of its closing. He signed it “Your obedient servant.”* The President was acknowledging a subservient position to a battlefield officer? Much has been written about Lincoln’s state of mind and psychological health. Perhaps the man was off his rocker after all.
Seeing that letter to “Little Phil,” a man who stood five-feet five-inches, from one who literally and physically towered over him especially on the U.S. government organizational chart, was nothing short of astounding.
I was immediately reminded of a new book entitled Lead Like Jesus by Ken Blanchard, who also penned an earlier best-selling The One-Minute Manager. In his new book, Ken recalls the Bible gospel stories. In one, Jesus literally washed the feet of his disciples, demonstrating that they first had to serve before they could lead others in understanding his teachings.
I was also reminded of a decade-old organizational management philosophy, which seems to have disappeared as quickly as it appeared. The best organizations operated essentially with an inverted organizational chart. Leaders were listed at the bottom and were responsible for supporting and serving the rank-and-file.
Servant-leaders. Do you work for one? Would you like to? The idea is so radical, yet so simple, that we might think it would be rather commonplace. Unfortunately, it is not, and we realize our human nature prevents most of us from ever functioning that way.
We earned our stripes. We worked for unreasonable bosses. Why shouldn’t we evolve into unreasonable bosses?
Consider your current job. Look back on your work history. Were you ever employed by a servant-leader? Was your boss as concerned as you were, if not more so, that you had the tools and support to succeed in your position? What that a priority for her or him?
Odds are that when you recall the jobs that were most satisfying, a servant-leader was likely at the helm. She was nurturing. He wanted to help you grow. You felt as if, strangely, that person worked for you. The chief responded to your needs.
Yet, reality confounds our best designs and wishes. Most of our boss-subordinate relationships are hard-wired and each party knows his or her place.
Take this test to determine if your boss is a servant-leader.
Does your employer want you to succeed and look good in your job? Or, does your employer want himself or herself to look good and succeed?
By now I am sure you know which person is more likely to be the Abraham Lincoln of your organization.
** Lincoln’s handwriting was hard to read. The closing looks like “Your Obt Serv.” However, one rendering translates this as “Your Able Servant.” In any case, the result was the same. Lincoln understood and practiced servant-leadership.
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Fred W. Apelquist, III, M.Ed.
Approximately 570 words.
(c) June, 2007