Course 2: Becoming a 7 Cups Leader - (Discussion #2) Service Leadership at 7 Cups
Please note: In order to successfully complete Course 2, you must respond to this post. Your comment/response should answer the questions/shows that you completed the given activity (if any). Read the post carefully and follow the instructions given. Save your responses to a document that you can later refer to. You will need to copy/paste your response in the course evaluation form at the end of each course to show that you have done the work and to refresh your memory.
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Being a leader at 7 Cups takes many forms. One thing every listener has in common is that we are all agents of service. Whether we are taking member chats or we are welcoming a new listener to the community, every unique contribution made by listeners is equally wonderful and valuable.
There are many ways to spend our  volunteer time at 7 Cups. Some of you will choose to focus on member chats and others will choose to be involved with our community programs, or both!  No matter which path, all contributions are considered incredibly valuable and special.
The term  Service leadership  (based on the philosophy of servant leadership, in  which the main goal of the leader is to serve)  can be explained in this way:  "Traditional leadership generally involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the top of the pyramid. By comparison, the servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible."
Sometimes leaders or community members who help with projects receive high praise for their efforts (and they all deserve it) but this is never to take away or undermine the contributions of listeners who fly a little bit more under the radar. How one chooses to spend their volunteer time on 7 Cups is up to them & we love you all the same!
Leadership - Becoming a Teen Star, Mentor, Mentor Leader or Ambassador.
Weve long said⦠that if you want to be a mentor, be a mentor, eventually youll get a badge. These service leadership roles are incredibly important to the functionality of our community. The individuals in these posts do an excellent job helping to keep our community safe and positive. I am very thankful for them.
One misconception I have heard floating around is that once youre in one of these roles you need to do more, be more, show more, etc. The reality could not be any further from the truth. These roles signify contributions that are currently being made & are not about contributions we hope these individuals will make in the future.
Another way to think about this is - Â if youre accepted to be a mentor leader or ambassador, we will not be giving you more work. Our aim is to honor the work you have been previously/currently doing. In fact, wed love for you to add more self-care to your regular routine. These titles are reserved for successful project leaders & community members who are already involved in community engagement projects and actively making a positive impact. In some cases, we may give you more tools to do your specific projects more effectively.
In this sense, service leadership is simply about where you plan to spend your time. To those of you out there who focus 100% on member chats, we LOVE YOU! To those of you out there who focus on community programs, we LOVE YOU TOO! All of these contributions are equally valuable and important. As a collective  community, our aim is to honor your contributions, no matter where or how they manifest.
In this vein, my hope is that you will remember 3 key things:
1. Self-care - always! Make sure self-care is baked into your volunteer work here
2. Dont take on more than you are able. If you dont have the bandwidth to do something, you owe it to yourself and the community to say no. It is 100% okay to say no. (And if you are asking someone to help you with a project, please do not get upset if someone has to say no.)
3. Remember that 7 Cups is an ecosystem. Every single contribution matters! Â
If youd like to be in a service leadership role, my advice would be:
1. Pay attention to how others are contributing
2. Figure out what gets you excited in the community!
3. Once you have an idea of what gets you excited, dive in! You dont need to have a mentor badge to help out, get involved & start learning.
4. If youre not sure how to get involved, you can chat with a mentor or sign up for listener coaching.
5. Once you feel comfortable with your area of attention, apply for the appropriate mentor track.
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Questions: What do you think of the idea of service leadership? Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
Activity: Please reply to 3 of your peers  in this thread with encouraging or supportive words!
After fulfilling the requirements of this post, please check out the next post here! You must take part in the brainstorming/activities given in all of these posts to successfully complete the program.
This post is brought to you by the Leadership Development Program Team, find out more information about the program here.
@Heather225
1) What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
I really love the idea that people who have a badge aren't considered "better" or "more important" than people who don't have it. If what matters is helping people or being of benefit, and if there are many different ways of helping that are all necessary, then from that point of view everyone's potentially doing something important or fulfilling some niche. What leaders are doing is not fundamentally different from what non-leaders are doing.
2) Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
@EvelyneRose's Quality Gazebo. 
Basically a section of the site whose purpose is to receive feedback from the community and coordinate responses to any problems, concerns, or areas for improvement.
3) How can you become a better "servant" to our community?
For a period of several years, I had mostly negative experiences and hostile attitudes in relation to 7 Cups:
- Seeking listeners in General Request as a Member and being unable to find anyone who didn't multiply/aggravate whatever negative feelings I already had
- Seeking support and validation as a Listener and being unable to find resources or people that I felt were able to connect with what i was specifically experiencing
- Feeling disenchanted, dissatisfied, alienated, and lonely with respect to the general community
- Feeling skeptical and resentful toward site leaders
When I see other users who feel or experience the types of things I did, I feel a sort of solidarity or kinship with them... and a sharp/painful/desperate desire to not let them be abandoned, rejected, minimized, or cast off to the fringes.
My hope is that no matter how much love, warmth, acceptance, validation, belongingness, satisfaction, or meaning I might now experience on this site, I won't forget what it felt like to be in the opposite situation and I won't turn a blind eye to people similar to my past self.
@QuietMagic
I think it's great that you are using your experience to move forward and help others who are in a similar boat on this site. I'm sorry that happened to you and I'm glad things have gotten better for you!
@shiningDay80 Thanks 
it's really sweet of you to say that--and it's also really kind that you're reading and commenting on people's posts in this thread. (I remember that was something Glen mentioned in one of the first discussion threads, to try to respond to at least 3 posts... but I know that's kind of fallen off and people aren't really doing that anymore, including me.)
@QuietMagic
Admirable! We can t thank you enough.
I agree with you🥀
@Heather225
What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
I think its amazing and is the best kind of leadership. I love the idea of sharing power, putting the needs of others first and helping people develop and perform as highly as possible. It would create more space and oppurtunites of right people and talents to come up and would serve as an inspiration to people.
Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
There are many, many areas in 7cups where you see service leadership. But one area that i would like to focus right now are listeners who are involved in the quality domain- the mentors, the listener coaches. They became wonderful listeners in 7cups and is helping others become a good listener too by sharing their knowledge, resources, tips and suggestions, its great.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
By reaching out and give back to the community. I reach out to new listeners or members in need whenever i find them, and help them as much i can. I might not be able to solve their problem (finding certain forum links, trainings, guides or sub community posts) sometimes but what matters to me is that i tried my best. I can also take up roles or participate in the activities.
@positivePumpkin22
I agree 100% that the quality domain is a great example of service leadership.
@positivePumpkin22
I can't agree more to this. Excellent answer!
@Heather225
1- I think the idea of service leadership is very important because it makes sure that the entire community benefits and not just one person. It ensures that peoples needs are met and that we work to help each other.
2- One example I've seen on 7 Cups would be the mentors or listener coaches who donate some of their time to new listeners or listeners who need some support in order to become a better listener. This helps the listener feel more confident in themselves and supported and also helps the community by creating better quality listeners.
3- I can become a better 'servant' to the community by taking more 1-1 chats which is something that I am trying to do, however I focus more on my forum supporter role and participating in member group chats as this seems to be my strength and I feel more confident in these roles.
@bookworm274 I can appreciate focusing on an area of strength. Yay for everything you're already doing!
@bookworm274 I agree with your first point! I would like to add on and say that service leadership is an important component of teamwork here at 7 Cups <3.
@Heather225
What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
The ideal service in leadership is to be there as the leader of my team. To answer any questions that a Member has, Help those who are needing to move forward in the team. A leader treats all on the team as an equal part becaused We each need one another to make our team grow.
Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
One example would be how a Leader from a team I am on will write me to make sure I am doin g good, answer any questions and point out something I may have done wrong.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
To collaberate with my team and see what ideas We have to make the community grow.
I will mentor any on my team who may need some help.
@pamharley003
very much right when saying "We each need one another to make our team grow"
What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
Being a servant leader is a big part of who I am outside of 7cups. So, I think its a really amazing thing to be able to integrate here. I've worked in public service a lot these past few years, whether its working at a grocery, a food establishment, or learning how to be an EMT. One thing we always talk about is how we can be a leader for others in the community.
Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
One big example that sticks out to me is the volunteer and helping out aspects of leadership and service. These two play hand in hand with the other. Someone I've seen grow in their listener journey alongside me, he was never interested in gaining the roles or getting the title, so he never tried for badges. And still to this day, has no badges like that. He's still very much a leader in the rooms whether to other listeners or to members. Not that having badges or anything is a bad thing. But his self-less ness and just want to help spoke to me, identified him as a leader.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
I want to better serve others and learn how I can best do that. Through feedback and working with others in the areas I focus in. Whether this is through mentorship, forums, or really any aspect of the site. I want to keep working to try my best. And hear from everyone else what I can keep doing better, for them and for me.
@AstronomySkies That's really cool that you have such a broad range of experiences to draw from.
That listener you're describing sounds amazing. It reminds me of a couple people I know in real life who are similar--just quietly doing good things, but comfortable not having people really know about it... almost as if the attention or accolades would be a distraction or side-quest that would get in the way of them doing what they want to do, which is help people.
@AstronomySkies
I loved your anecdote about your fellow listener. One of my role models when I first started out as a listener was a lot like the listener you described: focused not on roles/badges, but on supporting everyone that they meet. They may not be active on the site anymore, but I still look up to them as an example of what leadership looks like!
What do you think of the idea of service leadership? Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
I think that service leadership is super important to 7 Cups! It is something that only works if everybody is on board, which makes teamwork and making relationships with other leaders is super important. One example of service leadership is a leader putting time into general requests! They are serving others, while being a leader of the community.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
I could be a better "servant" by picking up some more general requests, and putting more time into member chatrooms :)
@cocoakrispies121
I think teamwork and building relationships is very important, too.
@cocoakrispies121
'They are serving others while being a leader of the community'. Nicely put, I couldn't say it better. Putting time on 7 cups is a good way to commitment.
@cocoakrispies121
I agree that taking more 1 on 1 chats can be an example of service leadership
@cocoakrispies121
A beautiful and honest reply
@Heather225
I loved this one!
What do you think of the idea of service leadership? Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
Service leadership is a great idea. Leading to serve the community better is such a good concept and view it. One could be forum & subcommunity leaders working together to make the subcommunity supportive place for everyone replying to posts, engaging in discussions, making posts.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
This course is one of the ways to improve myself and continuing to be consistent & learning from everyone getting the feedbacks.
@River
Riverrrrr! I love how you mentioned feedback here. As leaders, it is important to gain an understanding of how our efforts are benefitting the community, and also actively listen to concerns that are brought up, so we can better address any problems that arise as a part of how we are serving the community.
@River, I think forums and sub-coms are an asset to our community, they're very helpful and can bring us all together!
@River
Loved the how you can become a better leader response. So true
@Heather225
1.What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
I really think service leadership is the best way to have a positive ripple effect in the community. Empowering and helping others to help themselves so that they can do the same as leaders.
2.Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
The best example of service leadership for me is being a Listener Coach. Improving and coaching the skills of a listener to be better in listening.
3. How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
To be a better "servant': in our community is by learning, growing and empowering members/listeners for an optimistic and a positive outcome with growth.
@crystalclearnow I love your second answer's energy <3.
@smilingsnapples
Thank you!
Questions: What do you think of the idea of service leadership? Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
I think the idea of service leadership is something that is often overlooked in reality; this reality makes people who partake in it more admiring to my eyes. An example of service leadership that I have seen on 7 Cups is the steps listeners are willing to take to comfort their fellow listeners and make them feel in place.
One way I can think of becoming a better "servant" to our community is by committing a random act of kindness without the expectation of getting something in return. This can be in the form of many actions--one that comes to mind is taking a chat that another has had trouble with.
@smilingsnapples
u r rt apples. Its such an encouraging and pleasant feeling to see how listeners support their fellow listeners and newbies.
appreciate all ur support and efforts to build this community
I encourage you to do what you do🥀
@Heather225
What do you think of the idea of service leadership? Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
I think the idea of service leadership is absolutely incredible in all the ways.
The fact that a listener would go out of their way in volunteering to take on a leadership role to lead others and provide guidance is something very inspiring.
I think i can become a better servant to the community through providing as much help as i can in different roles that i took up while helping my fellow listeners in their listener journey.