Taking my leadership/coaching sequence a step further, I wish to paraphrase an ancient Chinese proverb:"To lead is to serve,to serve is to lead". Personally, I believe that the sole (or is it SOUL?) purpose of life is to serve humanity... in some form or other. True service requires both a give and take: followers( athletes) give to their leaders (coaches) what the leaders need to know so that, in turn , leaders can give back to the followers what they need to know in order to accomplish a task. This is the DANCE I refer to in the title of my next book, Dancing Warrior Leadership ( see prior post about the Warrior leadership). In Japanese,the word Samurai ( you know this word) means servant or service with heart,honor and integrity.The ideal leader or coach is akin to the samurai,one who serves,guides,and leads with heart. The Native American tradition as articulated by Orin Lyons, member of the Onondaga Council of Chiefs, states that all leadership is meant to serve others. When I find myself in leadership/coaching situations...which happens regularly...I focus myself not by asking what can I get from this? BUT rather, how can I give( serve)? The more often I am aware of this mind-set( or is it HEART-SET?) those whom I lead/coach experience a heightened sense of self and satisfaction while I become more powerful,not over them, but power to influence and dance with them in order to help facilitate change and growth for all. According to the Chinese book of Transformation,the I CHING, "Love and Service towards others will create a spirit of unparalleled loyalty". Paraphrasing John F.Kennedy, I say: " ask not what your followers can do for you; ask what you can do for your followers".
That's it for now...I must go loa fing ( see Blog on Tao of Loa fing) in the hills for my Friday run among the deer people, those four legged animals who always want me to run after them. More later. DocJ
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