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!
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@Heather225
Such an amazing post. This made me feel so good about being on 7Cups.
According to me, service leadership is about being selfless and about giving importance to the needs of those who are taking up your service and also those who are working under you or with you. It also involves creating a sense of comfort and peace among all the people of the community.
One example that I have come across is how listener coaches are so supportive and encouraging. I felt my listener coach trusted me more than I trusted myself and help me pass my AL1 test when I had failed 2 times previously. I just loved that kind of positivity that I had experienced.
I can be a better servant to the community by trying to be a good listener and a good leader with loads of empathy and support.
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 this idea of service leadership is important because a.) you want to always set an example for other people, encouraging them to step out and be of service to others and b.) an important quality for leaders is this sense of community and equality, even though they are more trained or they may be the one people turn to, that doesn't make them better of "the boss" and leaders should humble themselves because it is an honor, not a necessity, to be one.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
I can become a better servant by participating more in sharing circles, and group support chats to demonstrate my willingness to help others and to be there for them no matter what.
@BeautifulMasterpiece
Got tips on working better in a group setting on here?
@BeautifulMasterpiece
hank you for sharing your this with us! I wish you all good on your journey here and I appreciate all your efforts to serve the community
1: The idea of service leadership is amazing as the people who are a volunteer who work there way up to entor is honoring. It makes you feel that you doing something well. I reflect on this as a mentor as reminded after doing a mock chat that is helping someone else out and improving the quality of peer support we give
2: Service leadership that I saw on the platform is forum mentors making the area of the community more active and also makes it feel home like. For example what I been thinking recently is the college and student section as it reminds people that they are not allowed in what they do when there in college. It makes them feel less alone I been finding as well.
3: A way that I could be a better serveant to the community is focusing more on a project than being spread out. This would be helpful as I think about becoming a quality mentor leader down the road when I find that niche. But curently just working on finding that niche some time down the road.
@Heather225
Service leadership to me is contributing your whole to your task. It's about the quality of the task you're delivering.
One example of service leadership I've seen and really love is listeners supporting listeners. It really warns my heart to see how listeners are not only there for members and supporting them but they also go hand in hand with other listeners, being there for them wherever possible. I count that as service leadership as well.
I can become a better servant to the 7 Cups community by pushing my limits and investing more time on 1-1 support than I currently am.
@Affliction1
Do you think you go farther down a path of being a mentor with people for example, becoming a quality mentor?
@Asherwolfice
Yeah, I've thought about it :) In fact, that was the first role which really appealed to me but I'm taking it slow and discovering which role fits me best.
What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
I think it enables everyone to contribute and give back to the community, and set a good example for others
Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
Members interacting with others in chat rooms, and being welcoming and supportive
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
Do what I can to help out and work with others to create a positive and healthy atmosphere
@Dinoprincess12 It sounds great! A healthy and safe environment is crucial to build a supportive community.
@Dinoprincess12 those are really good ideas.
I especially like that you recognize how members can demonstrate leadership by helping other members. Great point!
@Dinoprincess12
Precise answer!
@Dinoprincess12
I loved your answers, Dino! Creating a positive atmosphere is important, and I loved that you mentioned it! :)
Creating a positive environment is soooo important here on 7 cups! Keep up the great work!@Dinoprincess12
I like how you did the member example . @Dinoprincess12
@Dino12 A healthy environment is one of the most important qualities for good working of the community.
Hey I love seeing members interacting in chat rooms too! I haven't been in chatrooms much these days but I always remember how kind they were!
Really loved your idea of service leadership. I think it actually brings out the best of what 7 cups has to offer.
@Heather225
Service leadership to me is using the experience that I've gained so far to support and guide others.
When I first became a listener, I remember that I used to find listening more challenging than I do now, something that newcomers may get through as well. To become better we need both support and guidance as active listening and emotional support may be tricky and not the easiest to adapt in the first place. I would like to be an example for others and help them in their listening journey as I have been helped as well.
There's something that I believe is tricky for all of us and I continue to work on to better serve the community. Sometimes out of good intentions, we try to help someone with kind and uplifting words, which is great and generally helps, but we forget to give them time and space to express themselves and actually listen to them. Sometimes just being present helps a lot and answering after listening to someone's words makes us more effective into the point and increases trust. Don't forget to listen. Even if what you listen to may sound crazy. It's someone's truth. And it may mean the world to them. A truth that needs just to be heard and that nobody else listens to. We can never know what someone is getting through no matter how impossible it may sound. I hope to become a good leader and continue evolving.
@SofiaT2000
Loved your response Sofia! Sometimes just being there with people is way enough than trying to solve their problems. I totally agree with that. You're doing a great job and I truly appreciate all the work you do here
@SofiaT2000
I loved the responses! Keep up the awesome work!
@cocoakrispies121 That's great to hear! You too!
@SofiaT2000
Couldn't have said it better myself! Fantastic response you clearly put thought into it 🙂
@Azalea98 Thank you so much! You do great Azalea! Keep it up!
@SofiaT2000
That's so inspiring! To just be there to listen; not judge, not say empty kind words but to understand their truth and really listen. Sounds like you learned alot in your journey! Cheers! Servant leadership truly is the best way to grow
@SofiaT2000
I really love your response and your points of view! <3
@SofiaT2000
Really a great response!
@SofiaT2000
I agree! Great response. I like the “dont forget to listen” part. Your explanation is wonderful! Well done
@SofiaT2000 I loved your response. I agree listening is truly a wonderful thing :) <3
@SofiaT2000
I appreciate all your bold points sofia and I am sure you are on the verse of becoming the best version of yourself. :)
Questions: What do you think of the idea of service leadership? I think there is more freedom and room for inspiration and innovation in service leadership. Authoritative leaders may be followed grudgingly. Service leaders bring out the joy in others.
Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups? I see how the quality mentors and leadership coaches help listeners in a selfless way to experience the joy of successful listening.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community? The most important starting place to serve the community is to shrink the part of ourselves that says "it is all about me" and realize and practice that "we are all in this together".
Activity: Please reply to 3 of your peers  in this thread with encouraging or supportive words!
@soulsings
Thank you for sharing this! It is nice to see how the community helps each others to grow selflessly.
@DreamTouch Thank you Dream! It means a lot to me ❤️
@soulsings
I loved the part where you talked about expanding on "we are all in this together."
@soulsings
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on Service Leadership. I have definitely seen you practising it while leading discussions =)
@soulsings
All answers are on-spot. Brilliant! ⭐︎ Love it.
Indeed we are all in this together ❤️
@soulsings
Great answers! Well done. 😊
@Heather225
What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
I like the idea of service leadership as it encourages empathy and works in a way that benefits everyone, and has a room for growth
Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
Mentoring could be a best example of service leadership, providing feedback, helping fellow listeners on their growth. Working together for growth of all members of the community shows us the concept of service leadership in 7cups.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
I can be a better servant through self commitment to the community and through active listening and empathy.
@DreamTouch I like the idea of self-commitment. Well said.
@DreamTouch
I love the response Dream! I espically love the note of self commitment. I think it realtes to Cups incredibly well!
@DreamTouch
I loved your answers, Dream! Especially the first one- I liked the way you defined service leadership! :)
@Heather225
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?
"Service leadership" is a concept I haven't heard of before, but it makes sense as I think I've been involved in this in the past. You are offering leadership for the sheer pleasure of doing so, not to receive a certain title or to take on more. I've seen leadership through the group chat moderators, and through peer and chat supporters. I've seen leadership through listeners who just care and want to help other listeners by providing feedback and empathy.
I can become a better "servant" by continuing to learn, to ask questions, and to share what I've experienced to other listeners, and to members who come for support. But to also look after myself and be respectful of what I can and can't handle.
@Skyglider
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Service Leadership. I agree that it's important to keep learning and asking questions, there's always something we can improve =)
You have some really great answers! Yes always so important to ask questions and share knowledge with others. 7 cups is a never ending learning journey! All the best!@Skyglider
@Skyglider
Hey it's great to know that you have such a solid plan to learn, ask questions, and share your experiences with others.
What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
I think the idea of service leadership is great as it keeps leaders focussed on how they can best serve the community. It is also motivating as they are constantly seeing the "why" for what they are doing, i.e. the people who come here seeking support.
Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
I often see it in people running discussions in the group support rooms. They are leading the discussions, but everything they ask and say is carefully considered so that it is helpful to the participants and lets the participants get involved in what's going on.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
I need to keep focussed on my reasons for doing the activities I do on the site. I am here to support people, and I need to make sure that my actions reflect that.
@Gozzil To constantly remind yourself of the reason you are doing something on this website is so important! That's a great way to refresh yourself before you get into giving to the community. Thanks for sharing these answers ~
@Gozzil
Those are some great answers, Gozzil! I loved the way you defined service leadership! :)