How to Shape Your Leadership

By Bruce Witt

When developing leaders we need to answer the following basic questions of Why, How, and What. The SERVE model that we use in training scenarios around the world connects with all three of these elements. In this article series, we’ll begin to close the loop of leadership by giving you tools on the How and Why.

The SERVE Model

The SERVE model is the big idea on how to develop leaders. Here are the five disciplines –

S – Shape your Leadership Champion a WOW culture (World of Worth)

E – Engage with Vision Focus on Strategy

R – Refine your Process Work on the Business

V – Value your People Empower Teams

E – Excel at Results Challenge the Future and the Next Generation

A Biblical Example

The SERVE model also draws from the life of David in the book of Acts 13:22, 36, “He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will….For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation,’”

God’s heart and His Purpose precedes His will and the generations. They are always linked together. Thus with each of the five disciplines, there is an overarching corresponding action.

S – Shape your Leadership

We teach the One Leader development process to serve as a foundation for the source, power, wisdom, and vision of a leader which is Christ working through us. Apart from this spiritual depth, the work and impact will be little more than what a man can accomplish in his own strength.

This spiritual maturity is evidenced by a true sense of humility that comes from a brokenness and surrender to the Lord. Upon these two principles the rest of the spiritual leadership is built. This perspective and place of leadership is not attained overnight, and it becomes the goal that all the leaders need to be seeking. From this platform of spiritual foundations, we seek to cultivate and grow a servant leadership heart.

The discipline of “Shaping Your Leadership” is the first step in the SERVE model, and its emphasis is people at a strategic level. It specifically focuses a leader to take responsibility for the role and stewardship of the people and organization they oversee. The goal is for a leader to seek the Lord in order to hear and follow Him, to create a culture of valuing and truly caring for the people, as well inspiring and motivating the people to accomplish its intended mission. They set the pace and will be held accountable for the product and process of the work. The key action is to focus and maintain focus.

As the pacesetter they set the model and offer a moral compass that will guide the actions, attitudes, and outcomes of the team or organization.

Invest in Leadership

The ACTIONS of servant leadership begin with the leadership principle of “The who before the why or what”. Everything rises and falls on leadership. The Lord always begins with people – one person or a small group of people wholly committed to Him and to His purposes. Leadership is a stewardship responsibility of managing God’s resources to participate in His purposes. Leaders follow, serve and influence as they champion the cause God has called them. Trust and creating worth is the capital that help leaders operate and serve the people they lead.

Now that we’ve established the first discipline as focusing on people, we’ll dive deeper into each discipline in later blog posts. In the meantime, please share your comments in this post – thank you

BW