Serving Leader

The batch of 2008 of medical students  at the MOSC Medical college, where I work enacted a skit on the occasion of the awareness event on child development, which the department of developmental paediatrics and child neurology organised, in connection with its anniversary of service. 

The scene on this photograph was that of an adolescent boy, seated in a  wheel chair due to the spasticity of his lower limbs, caused by Central Motor Dysfunction. The volunteers who offered to find the way for him to the treatment facility in the hospital, knelt beside him to communicate with him.

I was moved by this natural gesture of the two medical students 'lowering themselves' to be in touch with the boy at his 'level'. They tried to engage him in a conversation, but he was non-verbal. Instead he scribbled on a paper something about his parents.

There are several ways of communicating. Often, the communicator is reaching out to the listeners from his or her level. It is seldom a communicator finds the level of the listeners and start from that level. 

It is for this reason, the incarnational story of Jesus of Nazareth is distinct and inviting. He seemed to reach the level of people naturally by choice. He humbled Himself to be in a serving role. That was His way of leading by example. Some refer to Jesus as a 'servant leader'. I wish, Jesus would be referred to as a 'Serving Leader, which to me shifts the emphasis to 'leading by serving'. 

This form of leading is by descending from one's rightful position to be present to a person at his level. This journey of self giving is for serving and not becoming a leader from the benefit of recognition this may bring. 

Mother Teresa received global acknowledgement for her serving life style; but that did not elevate her to a position, which distanced her from those she felt called to serve. On the contrary she became even more closer to them emotionally and incarnationally. 

A parent helped me to understand the implication of 'stepping down'  when he demonstrated how to crawl to his daughter, who was nine months old. Most parents wait for their child to crawl by themselves. But this parent was ready to lead the child into crawling, by demonstrating it. It was not easy for him. But he was sharing in the experience of his daughter. 

A serving leader joins in to share intimately in the experience of those whom he or she attempts to serve.

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)