If you’ve listened to enough podcasts about leadership, you’ll notice a few recurring themes:
- “Everything rises and falls on leadership.”
- “Leadership is influence.”
And if you’ve read any books about leadership, you know there are several styles. There’s the “my way or the highway” style, the macho approach, and probably many more. Most of these styles prove that leadership is a subtle art and demonstrate that these rigid systems don’t work for very long—or very well, for that matter. Then we come to servant leadership.
Servant leadership is the fundamental understanding that to lead is to serve. Leadership isn’t about wanting more for yourself than everyone else; it’s about wanting everyone else to have more. More responsibility. More significance. More success.
As the football season is about to begin in earnest, I recently read Tom Brady’s assessment of future NFL Hall of Famer Patrick Mahomes:
“Believe me, he’s, in my opinion, the best quarterback in the NFL. Why? I could talk about his physicals, but when I look at him and see why he’s great, I see the way that he’s endeared himself to his teammates. I see the joy they have when they’re out there playing together. I love seeing his rapport with his teammates, with his coaches, how he communicates after the game. I’m listening to the press conferences as much as I’m watching him throw a tight spiral because that’s ultimately what that position is about.
Yeah, it’s about your ability to be physically gifted—run and throw on the move, drop your arm angle, read coverages, and throw the ball deep. But it’s also about the message you’re creating every day to your fans, teammates, and coaches—how you present yourself on and off the field, and how you handle wins and losses.”
When I think of leadership, that quote captures it perfectly. It’s not about how we do fillings or how we hire and fire. It’s about the message we craft for our team, our patients, and our families every day.
So as you go about your week, think about the message you’re spreading every day. Is it doom-and-gloom, or is it positive and inviting? Is it gossip, or is it uplifting? Is it a worldview that says, “The world has been unjust to me;” or, is it a message that says “The Obstacle is the Way, and together we can overcome anything.”
Be well and do well,
Addison Killeen
P.S. Leadership isn’t just about what you do—it’s also about the community you build around you. If you’re looking to surround yourself with like-minded professionals who challenge, support, and elevate each other, consider joining Dental Success Network. In DSN, you’ll find a community where real leaders are made. Join us here and start your journey towards greater leadership today.
