Course 2: Becoming a 7 Cups Leader - (Discussion #2) Service Leadership at 7 Cups

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 love the idea of service leadership. It sounds so much better than traditional leadership as that would usually lead to one person having all the power to themselves, which seems counter-productive. By utilising service leadership, and sharing power with your peers, you show that you trust each other. It is also beneficial in the sense that it can help everybody grow at the same time. 7Cups makes use of service leadership through their mentor/teen star roles. For example, while there is a sort of “hierarchy” with Mentors, Mentor Leaders and Ambassadors, everybody in these roles can still contribute in the same way. Take Quality Mentors, for instance; a Mentor Leader in the Quality track is usually someone who leads a specific project or team, and the Quality Mentors will be members of that team. Both the Quality Mentor and Mentor Leader are able to contribute in the same way, though, regardless of what badge they have. The power is shared equally between the Mentor and Mentor Leader, but the Mentor Leader just has an extra badge to show their experience.

How can you become a better "servant'' to our community? I can better serve the 7Cups community by ensuring the areas I am involved are areas I am passionate about, areas I have been trained in, and areas that solves a problem or meets one of 7Cups goals. This ties in to what was learnt in the first discussion of Personal Leadership 101.

I like this. I can take this course over and over. Each time that I take this course, I learn something new and I get more perspective and insight. It allows me to grow in an upward spiral. It allows others to grow in the same way as well. I am glad that I have subscribed to these threads. And I am happy to see how much this program has grown since its initial launch. Thank you to all of those that have contributed to this wonderful progress. I like it when people keep things updated. We can always post more than once in these threads, like I am doing here, but we need to make sure to keep the posts relative to the topic. Thanks.

What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
Service leadership is defined as when someone has the heart to serve, has the courage to engage, and answers the call to lead. I think the idea of service leadership is pretty great because it would be fulfilling work for those involved and help better the community overall.

Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
An example of service leadership I’ve seen on 7 Cups would be when people take on new roles that suit them to better serve others. A more specific personal example would be that I took on the role of being a moderator because I want to be able to better help out in de-escalation in rooms. I would continue to help out in de-escalating situations whether or not I have the badge and access to mod tools.

How can you become a better "servant'' to our community?
I can become a better “servant” to our community by always striving to improve in everything I do, which would mean asking for feedback and adjusting based upon it. As well as understanding when to step away from leadership roles for a self-care break so I don’t end up burning out and affecting the team’s overall performance.

What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
Servant leadership is a great idea for community services where serving people is the primary goal. I think it reinforces what we are here to do whatever role we may be serving. Servant leadership is a big reason why 7cups has thrived here.

Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
I think Mentors are a great example of service leadership in which a leader is here to help a listener.

How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
I think one of the most important yet very underappreciated aspect of this community is Self Awareness. I think if we as a community don’t feel up to the task, then the result intended won’t be achieved. I think it’s a difficult struggle between balancing helping someone and helping myself. But I will try to achieve it better and continue my progress as a servant leader.
Another area I think I can serve is commitment to the growth of people and taking more long term roles in regards to that.

What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
I think it's very important in order for 7 cups to be a good community and good support system for members and even listeners!

Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
Listeners on 7 cups demonstrate a high level of service leadership because of their ability to lead conversations, help members feel welcome, and curate a safe space.

How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
I can make sure I put my best foot forward which means that I have to take care of myself and not get burnt out.

I think service leadership allows for a more nurturing and supportive environment. It helps makes us all feel like our ideas and effort matter. It motivates us to want to continue to do more!

An example that comes to mind right away of service leadership is how involved everyone is, no matter who or what their role is. Everyone comes off as supportive and invested in you just as much as the next person. Together we are all working together into making 7 Cups what it is and can be!

@Heather225
What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
The idea of service leadership sounds very essential, practical and nice to me. A service leader is someone who doesn't just exercise his power from the top of the hierarchical order but also gets gets actively involved in the work required for his decisions. Someone who puts the needs of others first, and treats them as equals with a lot of support, kindness and empathy. This definitely gets the job done in a more efficient way, with a lot of positivity, and is very essential if we are to follow the motto of 'High Expectations and High Warmth'.

Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
Out of the many examples I've seen here, I'd like to highlight 'Quality Mentorship'. The mentors I've had are very kind, thoughtful, considerate, empathetic and selfless too. I love how they set aside time for you so you can learn more about listening, or any other role here. I've personally learnt so much from them and I'll always be indebted to that. I think they're a very good example of service leaders here.

How can you become a better 'servant' to our community?
I can be a better servant to our community by being the best version of my listener-self to better listen to my lovely members and support them as much as I can. I'd also love to serve the community by getting into leadership roles here and do my job just right and enjoy it at the same time .

@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 love the idea of service leadership because it is something that I am passionate about. I just like creating things and making anything possible to help others in any way. An example of servant leadership that I have seen on 7 Cups is moderators and mentors; they are just giving their time to help others as much as they can. When I first came to 7 Cups I was a little lost and I would struggle with several things, but I always had mentors by my side that were there to help whenever I needed them. The same thing goes for all the people in the listener support rooms. I think I could become a better servant to our community by engaging in different leadership roles in which I get to do more for others while also listening to some.

Service leadership is an idea that is not only excellent in its approach but also personally satisfying and promoting individual growth by giving them a sense of shared responsibility.

I have seen many forms of service leadership on 7cups. Some of them are peer supports and quality mentors. I mentioned them because in my initial days on 7cups I received a lot of necessary support from them regarding difficult chats, resource navigation, and general support. They have not only helped me grow as a listener here but also, to grow as a professional and individual.

Becoming a better ‘servant’ to the community is for me is about developing my skill set, being able to collaborate with others in a positive manner, being able to devote time to the community, and being reliable. I have enrolled in this course and in the internship with the same purpose. I was at many roles on 7cups earlier but felt I need a long break. That break gave me a chance to reflect on my actions here, to look for a purpose, and to realize that I would really love to stay active as a listener here. So, I would try to give it my best.

@Heather225

What do you think of the idea of service leadership?

Being in a role higher than others feels good, I won’t lie about that. It feels good in a sense that we are helping others and making sure others' needs are first before ours(even though ours is just as important). Our listeners are the backbone of 7 Cups and they put a lot of hard work in during their free time. It is nice to share the power with others to ensure that our community strives. As a service leadership position it is our job to honor the contributions our listeners/members/mods/PS/CS, etc. put in each day. Every single person matters and as a whole we can make 7 Cups a better, supportive place.

Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?

Our chat support and peer supporter members are one of many ways the service leadership team has been evident. To begin, just like everyone else they are volunteering their time. They take the time out to work with the listeners to ensure our listeners feel supported during rough chats and/or provided with what to do during a chat when stuck. If our listeners aren’t doing well then the quality members receive during chats will diminish. Every single service leadership position is important but especially our PS/CS.

How can you become a better "servant' to our community?

I think it is important to look back after a chat(s) to see how things went. Do you think you could have improved? Is there a better approach to take in the future on this subject? These are all questions I ask myself after a chat. It’s important that I do because it helps me see if I am on top of my game or not. Seeking feedback is not a bad thing - it only helps you improve. I also follow through with each of the responsibilities for each role on 7 Cups that I have. Sometimes I also take a self care break to ensure I’m able to continue being the best listener I can be.