Photo by drobotdean
We all feel a pull inside, a quiet voice that constantly asks why we’re here.
This is the start of our soul’s mission, the beginning of seeking the light: the truth and purpose that waits within all of us.
Servant Leadership: Ethical, Engaging, & Effective by Dennis Ondrejka shows us that leadership is not about power; it is first about this inner journey of finding truth in who we are so we can serve others well.
“The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural inclination to serve first.”
Photo by fwstudio
Looking Inward is the First Step
“Self-awareness is the cornerstone,” Ondrejka writes.
Seeking the light starts by looking within, at our own hearts, and asking ourselves what our actual values are, our strengths, and our weaknesses. When we look inside with courage, we find our reason for being, and we see the light that guides our steps.
Servant Leadership asks us to think about the person we are on our good days and on our bad days. On good days, we feel “big souled.” On hard days, we are “puny souled.”
Finding the truth about both parts of ourselves is key.
We must see our whole self—the light and the shadows.
This inner work is not easy because it means being honest and asking for feedback. This work means sitting in silence and listening: to be in “contemplation” and “taking a long, loving look at the real.”
When we do this, we start embracing clarity, letting the fog inside to begin clearing.
We then see what really matters to us.
We see how we want to live.
Finding Your Direction
Once we start looking inward, we often find old wounds or fears. These are the shadows, the parts of ourselves that we try to hide or ignore.
But these shadows hold power.
And we must bring it into the light to heal.
Pursuing wisdom, then, means understanding all parts of our story.
There is a powerful personal story about a father’s sunglasses within the pages of Servant Leadership.
The sunglasses “shielded his eyes and soul” and became a symbol of protection and distance.
The story teaches us that we all have ways we protect ourselves–and in seeking the light, we are gently looking at these protections.
Why are they there? What are they hiding?
When we befriend our entire self—light and shadow—we hear our call more clearly. This beautiful idea comes from Parker Palmer:
“Our deepest calling is to grow into our own authentic selfhood.” Your calling is where “your deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.”
This is your soul’s mission, the unique way you are meant to make a difference in this topsy-turvy world of ours.
It is the light you are meant to shine on others.
Ondrejka says that servant leaders are “called” and, therefore, people in their program often say:
“I am not exactly sure why I am here, but I felt this call.”
Living with Purpose Guided by Light
Knowing your purpose changes how you walk through the world because it turns everyday actions into something that is weighted with meaning.
In servant leadership, this inner light directly guides your leadership.
Seeking the light of purpose means your main goal is to help others find their own light. The leader’s job is to serve, to clear the path, and to lift people.
Ondrejka lists key traits of such a leader in Servant Leadership: listening, healing, awareness, and commitment to others’ growth. These are all actions fueled by a soul that knows its mission.
When you lead from this place, you are searching for guidance for your whole team, constantly asking yourself how you can help your people achieve their potential.
Through this perspective, you build community and celebrate others, using persuasion all throughout, not force. This creates a place where people feel safe, grow, and do their best work.
Ondrejka shares a story of a father guiding his sons in a storm, who calls them from the shore:
“Pull, pull, pull together. At-a-boy, you’re almost home.”
This is the voice of a true servant leader, one whose voice comes from a heart sure of its purpose. Let that be your voice, too.
Photo by benzoix
The Journey of Seeking the Light
The world will try to blow out your light. Busyness, fear, and doubt–all of these are natural and will create new shadows to blind you. Seeking the light is not a task you will ever finish. Not because you cannot do it, but because it is a way of living. Living ends only one way. So, rejoice.
The journey of spiritual enlightenment requires regular return to silence and self-reflection.
Ondrejka stresses the importance of rituals and practices. These are lanterns we carry, which might be a time for quiet, journaling, or meeting with others on the same path.
These practices help us “withdraw and reorient,” as Robert Greenleaf said. They keep our inner light burning ever bright so we can see our way and light the way for others.
This continuous journey is the heart of a life well-lived and how we keep embracing clarity in a confusing world. Seeking the light is how we stay connected to our soul’s mission.
Every day, we have a choice: to operate from our small, fearful self or from our “great-souled” self that is connected to a greater purpose.
Choosing the light, again and again, is the work.
Answer Your Call NOW
The path of seeking the light is the most important journey you will ever undertake. It is the path to finding truth, pursuing wisdom, and living a life of profound purpose that begins by looking within, embracing all that you see, and letting that inner truth guide you to serve the world around you.
Dennis Ondrejka has mapped this sacred journey in his book.
So, begin your journey today. Find your light and learn how to let it shine.
Get your copy of Servant Leadership Works: Ethical, Engaging, and Effective.
