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
What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
I think that the idea of servant is a great definition of what a leader can be and this definition opens up the idea that the leader is for the people, rather than what we usually assume what leaders are.
Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
I think the roles here at 7 cups are moulded from the concept of service leadership. I think the role of a Mentor would be a really good example as they serve the mentees and help them become better servant leaders in the role they are in.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
I think by knowing more about the role and responsibilities the leadership role entails in and sharpening our skills to accommodate and manage those responsibilities is a good way to become a better servant to our community.
@blissfulForest7074
These are really good answers
@Heather225
What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
I love the idea. Although it requires the leader to have real passion and strong belief in the mission. It is quite rare but wonderful.
Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
Every Leader here at 7cups are an example of service leadership. 7cups would not be here without them. I would take this opportunity to appreciate each and every one of them.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
By being setting a specific time each day to come back to 7cups. 😊
@StarrrGirl20
Lovely answer👍😊
@StarrrGirl20 I agree. Dedicating a particular time would also show our commitment to the community so we can work together
@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?
The idea of service leadership is to build good relationships with teammates, lead with integrity, and provide good insight. The role of a mentor is a good example of a servant leader because their job is to guide and lead those who work with them to become better at their role.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
By enrolling in leadership courses, taking on a leadership role, and actually performing my role well.
@Helpingheart23
I agree 100% with your view of service leadership, the integrity and relationship within the team is needed for a warm community to thrive as well. Excellent job answering this discussion question and goodluck in your leadership roles :)
@SirenOfSerenity That sounds great
@Helpingheart23 awesome! those are great things to do to help become a better "servant"
Great Ideas!
@Heather225
What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
I love the concept of service leadership. learning day by day from whatever you see and you hear and so , sharing all those to others. wohoo cant get any better.
Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
leaders do a lot more here. I like the way which they deal with safety and knowledge and of course the learning point.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
I think by getting a bit more involvement in community make me to become a better servant.
@niceworldmnd these are such great answers. I too think that getting more involved in the community would help make us do a better job.
@Here4good74 Me too!
@niceworldmnd yes I agree. More involvement within the community also helps us grow and better ourselves everyday
@niceworldmnd
I really like the example of learning day-by-day!
@niceworldmnd I love your answers
@Heather225What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
I think service leadership is the capability to do the service required within professionalism, consistency, and full consciousness.
Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
These in the listener Chatroom who answer questions, guide newbie listeners.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?By taking self-care seriously, in order to give better outcomes. We cannot give outcomes if we have no inputs.
@Here4good74
I really like the 3 key capabilities you highlighted in service leadership, those are incredibly important as well as your mention of self care. Great job!
@Here4good74
Those three things professionalism consistency and conscientious are definitely necessities to good leadership no matter how knowledgeable and warm hearted you may be in character. If there’s bo professionalism then there’s no level of respect that people will trust you on if no consistency then people won’t understand what to expect or what they’re expected to do and if no conscientious of the person then people will feel pushed aside.
@Here4good74
i really agree with what u said about the listener chat rooms
@Here4good74 awesome! self-care is very important
@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?
Service leadership, for me, refers to offering the best of your qualities, the innate goodness that is entwined into your heart, and helping someone else, or rather evolving with others to better serve this community as a compassionate and shining listener.
Being on the community, and especially the listener support room, I've come across some truly great personalities who have shown the utmost sense of empathy and practiced the very essence of this community's beliefs.
To be a better servant to this community, I can surely take some notes from my superiors and all the wonderful peers here. I feel as if this is a place I belong to, therefore, giving me a sense of satisfaction.
@KimByeongIn
Hello fellow trainee and Listener :) you did very well expressing your views, especially when you described service leadership as "offering the best of your qualities, the innate goodness that is entwined into your heart, and helping someone else, or rather evolving with others to better serve this community". Very well put!
@KimByeongIn
Taking notes of what supervisors and mentors do is a really smart way to learn and apply those skills yourself to people who need it. I also agree that a lot of leadership is witnessed in group chats when people discuss and moderate things for everyone to feel included and safe.
@KimByeongIn
well said keep up the good work.
@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?
-When reviewing the Wikipedia like provided, it included a quote from its founder, Robert K. Greenleaf, about what a Servant Leader should be focused on.
The focuses included: "Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?" To support and serve someone in becoming these things, the Leader must have these as well. The overall system ensures positive and progressive team work. This benefits the entire environment. A perfect example of Service Leadership on 7 Cups would be a Listener Coach. The coach most be completely attentive and of service to what assistance the Listener needs to improve or what resources they may need to grow in other areas of 7 Cups.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
- I will maintain my Leadership roles with a full cup and integrity at all times, so I can best serve the community.
@SirenOfSerenity
it really I’d important when leaders have that power to share this with those who otherwise don’t have the privilege of opportunity to contribute in the community and to see their value in our system.
@SirenOfSerenity Yes, listener coaches make our listening journeys a lot better. Even mentors/ teen stars help us become a better listener so that we can provide more to our members. They are truly a great service to us and also the community
@SirenOfSerenity
I am sure you keep on doing your roles to best of your ability. Keep up the good work.
@Heather225
What do you think of the idea of service leadership?
i think the idea of service leadership is proactive and versatile in the sense that it gives the person the opportunity to not only get the power and knowledge needed but to also give this back to the community and apply the knowledge the leader gains to solve our current challenges. Everything required teamwork to get big things done and everything required an array of roles to contribute to to get a whole system functioning and help a bigger space. For example a school can’t be effective with only the principle (in this case the leader) the principle can’t transport give food clean up counsel and teach hundreds of students at the same time not even for just one student alone. Nor can s community continue s certain path without the guidance from the leader. We need both ends to make ends meet.
Can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 Cups?
One example of service leadership I have seen on 7Cups is when community moderators check in the group chats and welcome everyone and answers all the questions recently asked by persons. They also acknowledge when other persons give good answers too and provide resources if needed. I have also seen leadership in group discussions when someone helps greet and remind people entering what the questions are.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
i can be a better servant to our community by offering help to people when I can and being better prepared with resources I can talk about or give to people. I can also see when I can take on chats since I do see when sometimes listeners can’t stay on and need someone to cover or if they need a specific type of listener.
@Mari228 I love how you were able to highlight that no role is insignificant <3 the entire system of 7Cups relies on each member of the community and that's what makes it powerful :) thank you for sharing your thoughts! <3
@Heather225 what do you think of the idea service leadership? can you list one example of service leadership you have seen on 7 cups?
I believe every leader should aim for the welfare of the community, help others develop and perform in a better way. A leader should be able to identify the strengths and bring out the best in them. They should be willing to come up with ideas for the betterment of the community. Service as a leader is very important as we have someone to look up to clarify our doubts and also help us to improve ourselves.
There are so many leaders here who are service leaders with us. As we all are volunteers here, we have a certain time we dedicate to cups. All the leaders/mentors I have come across usually give us a response within 24-72 hours which is perfect considering the personal life they have. There are so many leaders providing service to the community. Be it various rooms, the academy, forums, everything. Each domain 7 cups offers us, has service leaders willing to give in their best for the community to grow and with these service leaders we could reach heights one day.
How can you become a better servant to our community?
This community has a lot to offer us, and I believe we should offer it back. 7 cups is our home and we believe in the growth of the community. As volunteers we can dedicate the time we have left from our outside life to help this community grow. If I lead a domain of the community, I will try and make sure for it to function efficiently with my team members and also make this community a better place for everyone where we all can benefit from it
@yourbuddy30 as always, you are very articulate in your thoughts and I appreciate you so much for that <3
@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?
Service leadership is basically assisting in all parts of 7 cups beyond what you would do as a member, from listening to a member to managing the overall status and wellbeing of the community and site management and it's services, but more than that, it's about being responsible to people, let's face it, everyone here is here for a reason, they have a past that has affected them one way or another and we use that to aid our recovery or our experience to keep well, and pass that on to people who are in need of that help.
How can you become a better "servant' to our community?
Personally, I am an overthinker, and my heart is in a good place, no matter what pain or hurt I have underlying.
I understand that non-members need to do tasks, but if they haven't, I would be very encouraged to contact them to see if they need any support, I have been in the position in my life where I haven't been able to complete tasks and lost my job because of it, whereas, if my manager had spoken to me about why I hadn't completed tasks, I would of explained the mental torture I was experiencing as well as the physical pain and there may have been a different outcome.
I believe good leadership is all about supporting, loving and caring as we do when we listen to our members, and the aim of 7 cups is to boost the community, not just in numbers, but in attitude and support, and this is demonstrated quite widely by the number of positive vibes from the community, I haven't actually read one complaint.
