Servant Leadership by Seth

Servant Leadership by Seth - November 2018 Scholarship Essay

My yearbook quote would be, "As you go forth in life, no matter where that takes you, always attempt to be a servant leader." I have been given many leadership roles in my school and I have benefited greatly from the various experiences. I believe that one of the most rewarding things about being a leader in your community is the credibility you receive. People tend to trust you more. They think of you as someone that cares about them and other people. By being in a leadership role you are putting your peers before yourself, at least if you are the right type of leader, which is a servant leader.

A servant leader seems like a contradictory statement, but it makes sense. You truly need to lead by example. If you try to help others and build relationships with people, that builds trust; and when people trust you then you are looked at as a person of integrity, which is hard to come by these days. You cannot only say you are going to help others and put them first, but you must show that you will by your actions and decisions daily.

One thing people get confused about with the idea of a leader is that you must have a title to lead people when in fact that is false. You can lead people every single day by doing simple things like saying hello to someone that nobody pays attention to in the hallways, or by helping your mom with the dishes because you know she has had a long day, or by picking up trash and throwing it away even when it isn't yours. True leadership is defined by your character, not necessarily the title you possess or even the skills you possess. It is how you live your life; how you treat others; what you do when no one else is looking.
One of the challenges in being a leader in our community is the responsibility that it entails. Every decision and action you make is put under a microscope and is judged by people because you are supposed to be the example. It is much easier to lose trust than it is to gain it, so you must always keep in mind no matter where you are or who you are around: Could this decision ruin my reputation or credibility with others? If you don't practice good character in every situation you are presented with, then you will never be able to lead the way that you need to lead. This is a tremendous challenge for anyone trying to be a leader in any form.

I am fortunate enough to have been given leadership roles in both middle school and in high school and in both academic and athletic areas. Through all these responsibilities the most important thing I have learned so far is not to let your title go to your head. You cannot be in these roles for self gain at all. I now know that I am given leadership roles for a very specific purpose and that is to help and make an impact on others. I may never know the effect that I have on another person, but I will certainly do my very best to ensure that it is a positive one.