I work in organizational development, and I'm increasingly convinced that the most destructive leadership is the kind that sees the position as an opportunity to have power over others. Paul describes leaders as stewards, not rulers. That's a different fundamental orientation entirely.
A steward is responsible to the owner for how they use what's been entrusted to them. They don't own it. They don't get to use it for their own aggrandizement. They're accountable. That framework completely changes what leadership looks like. Rather than accumulating power and privilege, a leader accumulates accountability and service.
Organizations I've worked with that embrace this stewardship model rather than hierarchical power models function so differently. There's more honesty, more collaboration, less manipulation. People work harder not because they're afraid of the leader but because the leader is working hard too, serving the organization's purpose rather than using it to serve himself. That's the leadership model that actually works.
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