🌿 A Note on Servant Leadership (and a Few Thank Yous)
When was the last time a leader made you feel like YOU were the most important person in the room? Not because they were charming. Not because they were impressive. But because everything they did was quietly, deliberately designed to help you grow? Lately I've been reflecting on what makes ADHD Harmony feel so different, and I keep landing on the same two words: servant leadership. What is it? The term was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in 1970, but the idea is ancient. A servant leader flips the traditional power pyramid upside down. Instead of asking "how do I get people to follow me?", they ask "how do I help the people around me grow, thrive, and succeed?" Authority comes from service, not status. A few who walked it: - Mahatma Gandhi, who led a nation by making himself the smallest man in the room. - Nelson Mandela, who emerged from 27 years in prison choosing reconciliation over revenge. - Martin Luther King Jr., who reminded us that "anyone can be great because anyone can serve." - In business, Herb Kelleher at Southwest Airlines put employees first, customers second, shareholders third, and built one of the most loved companies in the world. Why I'm bringing this up. I see servant leadership alive and well in this community. To Jim, thank you. You lead by laying yourself bare, sharing your own loop, your own wiring, your own wins and wobbles. You don't stand above us, you walk alongside us. That's rare. To Renee, thank you for the steady, grounded presence behind the scenes - your unfailing cheerleading and encouragement To the developers and the team we don't always see, thank you for iterating on Sage and the platform with such care. Every small improvement I notice is someone, somewhere, choosing to serve this community better. I feel it, even if I never meet you. And to my cohort buddies and this whole crew, thank you for showing me that leadership isn't a title. It's a practice of turning up for each other. Grateful. 🙏 Debz (Hamilton, NZ 🇳🇿)