A true leader is the one who strives for the success of others. Tom Peters, bestselling author of In Search for Excellence said, “Organizations exist to serve. Period. Leaders live to serve. Period.”

Now your service to those you lead won’t make them successful. Your job as a leader is to provide the opportunities for success to happen. Your service is to open doors, encourage your team to discover and use their strengths, teach and mentor, and focus on the vision. Those on the receiving end of your service must work hard to use the opportunities provided to succeed.

“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.” – Max de Pree

In the end, the leader who strives for the success of others will receive more in return than those who focus on their own success.

“What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world, is and remains immortal.” – Albert Pine

Your success as a leader is defined by the success of those your serve.

Those who don’t serve aren’t successful in the long run: Regardless of their position Regardless of their authority Regardless of their responsibility

Those that do serve are successful in the long run: Because of their words Because of their actions Because of their results

It is all very simple. As Mohammad Ali said, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”