First shall be last, last shall be first.
Preparing those around you for success can be a tall order
involving humility and a willingness to put others first,
while still getting your tasks done.
Giving others the opportunity to succeed requires
planning, preparation, intentionality
and potentially sacrificing something
but is a huge motivating factor for growth, not just for your team,
but also as a leader.
growing up…
…It was normal for me to hear my mom playing piano. Some of my earliest memories are waking up from naps and walking down the stairs to my mom playing on her 100 year old Steinway baby grand, handed down to her as a family heirloom. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary when I would hear my mom play some jazz tune that felt old and then hear her take a spin on it as she improvised a rhythmic funk to it that was never too loud, but right in the pocket. From Bruce Hornsby and Ramsey Lewis to Earth, Wind and Fire and Stevie Wonder to James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt, she truly could play it all. Like a fish never realizing what water is because they’re swimming in it, I too didn’t realize that I had a truly world-class musician as a mom…because she was my mom.
This same woman who had perfect pitch and could play literally anything by ear, was the same woman who gave her life away to her kids and her family. She carried a gift that blessed so many people and could have been leveraged for gains, but she understood it would have been to the detriment of her family. I know now just as much as she did back then, the road to a professional musician is not an easy one, with sacrifices that need to be made to gods of industry and gatekeepers that are temperamental at best.
Little did I know at the time, and recognize far better now, she was teaching us humility. Not just from a life of service to others, no matter what your apparent “gifts” are but also in how she carried herself. I began to experience other people who had some sort of above average talent express arrogance only because they thought their talents afforded them more than the normal person. It created this cognitive and emotional dissonance, because my mom was one of those people who could have lorded her “superpower” over others, and she never did. She was unassuming yet confident, excellent and easy to work with. She would reinforce the idea that there is no difference between stage and life; there was no reason to feel superior, because no one was no matter your talent. If it was good enough for her…I guess it was good enough for me.
elevated responsibility.
It’s obvious why people with some sort of above average talent end up feeling above everyone else. As a society we value talents and gifts; it draws our attention and focus which I don’t believe to be an inherently bad thing. As spiritually created beings, we are pulled in and compelled by the supernatural, the divine, and in some ways experiencing someone masterfully play an instrument or a conquer an athletic endeavor feels like we’re scratching something otherworldly. It’s inspiring.
We end up elevating these people. We platform them. And those that we elevate can begin to buy-in to their own hype. Because they are great in one thing, it must mean they are great in another, right? However, how well we do what we do is not always indicative of who we are, and when people get elevated because of their talents and gifts, who they are is also just as much on display.
A lot of the time we end up giving people who are elevated in some way a leadership role. in reality, it is the easiest way to stumble into a leadership role but when people’s character is compromised the higher up they go, the problems don’t get bigger, they just get a lot easier to see.
An elevated role, because of talent then eventually with leadership, is not something to be coveted but a burden and responsibility to be honored. The higher up we go, the more accolades, eyes, ears and hearts we acquire, our responsibility exponentially increases. To deal with this, to be successful, to be the most impactful, to not crumble under the weight of that acquired responsibility, we must grasp the ideas of Jesus.
In essence, the higher we go, the lower we have to become.
foundations.
“So you want first place?
Then take the last place.
Be the servant of all.”
Mark 9:35 (MSG)
This countercultural wisdom from Jesus challenges the very core of traditional leadership. The world tells us to climb higher, be louder, and secure our place at the top. But Jesus flips that script, calling leaders to serve rather than be served.
Servant leadership isn’t about passivity or neglecting your own work. It’s about intentionality—planning, preparing, and positioning others for success. It’s about making space for others to grow, even if it means temporarily stepping aside or sacrificing your own comfort.
it comes at a cost.
To lead with a servant’s heart often comes at a cost. It may mean yielding the credit so that another may be recognized. It may mean setting aside personal ambition to invest in the potential of another. It may require listening when we long to speak, empowering when we are tempted to control, and elevating others when the desire to be seen tugs at our hearts.
This path is neither convenient nor without struggle. Yet, in the mystery of servanthood, we find a divine paradox: in lifting others, we ourselves are lifted. In pouring out, we are filled. In giving ourselves away, we become who we were meant to be.
nothing to lose.
When we prioritize others, we create an environment where people feel valued, trusted, and motivated. They become more engaged, more creative, and more willing to take ownership of their work. In turn, this strengthens the entire team, making success more sustainable and deeply rooted.
When we lead by serving, we don’t actually lose anything. Instead, we gain influence, trust, and respect—not because we demanded it, but because we earned it through selflessness. More importantly, we align ourselves with the kind of leadership Jesus modeled, the kind that transforms not just teams but hearts and communities.
leaders eat last.
Simon Sinek, in his book Leaders Eat Last, illustrates the importance of leaders prioritizing the well-being of their team. He shares how great leaders create environments of trust and safety, ensuring that those they lead feel valued and protected. One key concept is the “Circle of Safety,” where leaders take responsibility for their people, fostering loyalty and commitment. This aligns perfectly with servant leadership—when leaders put their teams first, individuals feel secure enough to innovate, take risks, and ultimately succeed.
Sinek argues that true leadership isn’t about authority but about taking care of others. Just as in Jesus’ teaching, the strongest leaders are those willing to step back, sacrifice personal gain, and serve selflessly for the greater good.
intentional humility.
So how do you put this into practice?
- be intentional about creating opportunities for others to succeed.
- encourage and equip those around you with the tools they need to grow.
- step back when necessary, allowing others to take the lead.
- celebrate the wins of your team, even when they outshine your own.
- model humility by being open to feedback and demonstrating a willingness to serve.
Leadership is not about basking in the spotlight but about holding the light so others may see.
When we embrace this sacred calling, we do not just build teams—we build legacies.
We do not merely lead—we transform.
And in the end, we do not lose by serving—we gain everything that truly matters.