Leaders Eat Last

As a student leader in De Anza, I learned a number of many different things about leadership. But if there is one thing that sums up all these lessons, it's that leadership is sacrifice. Great leaders always put their people and the organization before themselves, and that is a fact. Why do they do this? I completely agree with Simon Sinek's answer to this question when he states that leaders are willing to sacrifice for their followers in the hopes that their followers would do the same for them.

Our leadership class can greatly exemplify this example as we are normally the first ones in and last ones out when it comes to long excruciating days and school events. We go in super early to set up and have everything prepared, then we stay way longer after hours to clean up and make sure everything was well executed. We don't necessarily do these things because we want our classmates to sacrifice the same (although it would be nice), we do this because we care more about the fun and well being of other people than we do about ourselves. Why? Because that's what leadership is! Once again, leadership is sacrifice.

An example of a time in my life when I put service before myself can be found right now actually. My parents, friends, and family ask me why I always lose sleep and mentally "degrade" myself everyday. They ask me why do I always stay late after school running to every SSC or PTSA meeting, or why do I always stay a bit after hours to help build lesson plans and hand out uniforms for JROTC. I like to tell them that I like sacrificing my time, energy, and personal well being for the happiness and success of others, or as I like to say, "If you're happy, I'm happy!" 

In my personal opinion, the best type of leadership, and the type of leadership that Sinek describes, is the concept of servant leadership. Servant leadership begins when an individual decides to serve their people first before leading. Servant leaders primarily focus on the health, well being, and success of their own followers before theirs. I believe this philosophy shows better results as opposed to "traditional leadership" which I see as the accumulation and definite exercise of power, the type of people who put themselves and their priorities before the organization. When people are followers of servant leaders, they start to build a special kind of trust with their leader, this is mainly because they see that their leader is willing to sacrifice before them, therefore, they become willing to sacrifice for their leader.