Priceless Perspectives 2.1: Rehumanizing Leadership — Where Service Begins
Leadership growth isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some leaders learn through practical workplace insight. Others through story. Some through Scripture. Others through the executive lens. That’s why each weekly theme is explored through four different perspectives… so you can grow in the way that reaches your heart, your mind, and your leadership practice.
This Week’s Theme: Rehumanizing Leadership
A little over a year ago, we launched Priceless Perspectives with a simple belief: every person you will ever lead is priceless. Our first issue took us to Washington, D.C., during a time of political division and uncertainty. Fast-forward one year, and Americans have just gone to the polls for another midterm election, the political divide remains, and our message feels just as important today as it did then. So we're beginning our journey again, revisiting the leadership lessons we've explored with fresh insights, new research, deeper stories, and new opportunities to grow. And for those joining us for the first time, welcome! It's a wonderful time to begin.
To explore this week's theme, choose the lens that connects with you most or experience all four for a full, 360-degree perspective:
◆ Leadership Lens: When Leadership Loses Its Humanity
◆ Adventures of Noah Hart: Planting Seeds Across the Nation
◆ The Shepherd's Voice: The Leader Who Picked Up a Towel
◆ The Boardroom Brief: The Business Case for Rehumanizing Leadership
Because every leader eventually learns:
Leadership isn't about how many people serve us. It's about how many people are better because we chose to serve them.
And always remember… people are priceless!
◆ Leadership Lens
When Leadership Loses Its Humanity
Washington, D.C., is more than our nation's capital. In many ways, it's a reflection of how we think about leadership, and following another midterm election, that reflection is worth examining. Some Americans are celebrating, others are disappointed, and many are simply tired of the division, arguments, and finger-pointing. Regardless of where we stand politically, however, there's something we should all expect from those entrusted with leadership: remember whom you're supposed to serve. And that expectation shouldn't stop in Washington. It applies to every organization, workplace, school, and community in America.
When Power Replaces Purpose
Somewhere along the way, leadership can become too closely associated with position, authority, recognition, and winning. We celebrate the executive who delivers impressive results, the politician who wins an election, and the manager who earns the next promotion. Success certainly matters, but problems begin when winning becomes more important than serving, being right becomes more important than understanding, or results become more important than the people helping us achieve them. That's when leadership begins to lose its humanity.
I've spent much of my career developing leaders, and one lesson has stayed with me: people rarely remember every goal we achieved or project we completed. They remember how we treated them. Whether we listened, believed in them, helped them grow, or stood beside them when things got difficult.
Leadership is not simply measured by what we accomplish, but also by what happens to people because of how we lead.
Service Is Not Weakness
Servant leadership challenges the traditional understanding of power. It's not about being soft, avoiding accountability, or making everyone happy. It's about recognizing that leadership is a responsibility, not simply a position. It takes courage to listen to someone who disagrees with us, humility to admit when we're wrong, and genuine care to put the needs of others ahead of our desire for recognition. Some of the strongest leaders I've known weren't the loudest people in the room. They were the ones who made others feel heard, valued, capable, and willing to contribute.
Practicing Rehumanizing Leadership This Week
As we begin this second journey, consider three questions:
Who am I really serving? Am I making decisions primarily for myself or for the people entrusted to my care?
How am I measuring success? Am I looking only at results, or also at the relationships, trust, and culture I'm building?
Am I leading from love or fear? Are my decisions shaped by care and courage, or by control and self-protection?
The Leadership Ripple
Elections determine who holds office. They don't determine who demonstrates leadership. That's a choice each of us makes every day, regardless of our title, position, or influence. Servant leadership isn't about taking sides. It's about taking responsibility for how we treat others and the difference we make in their lives. The world doesn't simply need more people in leadership positions. It needs more leaders who remember that people are priceless!
Explore More Priceless Perspectives
Explore the lessons and stories that started our journey (October 2025-2026)
Rediscover these timeless themes with new insights, updated research, and four unique perspectives. (November 2026-2027)
◆ The Adventures of Noah Hart
Planting Seeds Across the Nation
Noah Hart wanted to become a great leader. He just wasn't sure where to begin.
That changed one afternoon in Washington, D.C., when he met Scott following a leadership conference.
Noah approached him holding a copy of Priceless! See People Differently. Lead People Better.
"Once I finish your book, I'll know how to become a servant leader, right?"
Scott smiled. "Well, it's a start. But the book isn't the destination. It's just the seed."
"The seed?"
"Come on. Let's take a walk."
They found a bench near the Capitol.
"Everyone here talks about leadership," Noah observed. "But sometimes it feels like people care more about winning than serving."
"That's not just a Washington problem," Scott replied.
"So how do I become a better leader?"
"There's a learning model called 70–20–10," Scott explained. "Think of it this way. About 10% comes from formal learning, like that book you're holding. Another 20% comes from mentors and coaches. And 70% comes from experience, actually getting out there and practicing what you've learned."
Noah grinned. "So reading your book isn't enough?"
"Afraid not!"
Scott handed him one of his signature black smiley-face T-shirts.
"And remember to lead with joy along the way."
Later, they visited a community garden where volunteers were working together.
Scott handed Noah a seed from an American Beauty rose, the official flower of Washington, D.C.
"Roses need care and attention to grow," Scott explained. "So do people. And sometimes the smallest acts of service can grow into something far greater than we ever imagined."
Noah knelt down, planted the seed, and covered it with soil.
Suddenly, golden light shimmered around the garden. A small wooden sign appeared beside the seed.
Seed Planted (Washington, D.C.): True leadership begins when we choose to serve others.
"Whoa!" Noah exclaimed. "How did that happen?"
Before Scott could answer, a tiny glowing firefly appeared above the sign.
"Excellent question!" the firefly announced.
Noah nearly fell backward. "A TALKING FIREFLY?"
"Name's Luman. Leadership mentor, occasional philosopher, excellent traveling companion."
Scott laughed. "Well, Noah, looks like you've found your 20%!"
Luman hovered proudly. "And I don't even charge consulting fees."
Noah laughed. "So what's the 70%?"
Scott gestured toward the road ahead.
"That's your journey. Fifty states, fifty seeds, and lessons from everyday people who lead through service."
Noah opened his journal and recorded his first lesson.
Then he looked at Luman.
"Ready?"
"Born ready," Luman replied. "Although technically, I hatched."
And just like that, The Adventures of Noah Hart began.
Next stop: Georgia, where Noah and Luman discover the power of listening.
Explore More Priceless Perspectives
Explore the lessons and stories that started our journey (October 2025-2026)
Rediscover these timeless themes with new insights, updated research, and four unique perspectives. (November 2026-2027)
◆ The Shepherd's Voice
The Leader Who Picked Up a Towel
Theme Verse: “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” — Mark 10:43 (NIV)
Rehumanizing Leadership in Scripture
There's a moment in John 13 that beautifully captures the heart of servant leadership. Jesus was gathered with His disciples when He rose from the table, wrapped a towel around Himself, and began washing their feet. The One they called Teacher and Lord chose to perform the work of a servant. He didn't use His authority to demand recognition or elevate Himself above others. Instead, He demonstrated humility, love, and a willingness to serve those entrusted to His care.
It's a remarkable example of leadership, especially when we consider how differently the world often defines greatness. We tend to associate leadership with influence, accomplishment, recognition, and authority. Yet Jesus demonstrated that genuine greatness is found in how we use that influence to serve others.
The greatest leaders don't see people as beneath them. They see people as worthy of their care.
Rehumanizing Leadership in a Christian Workplace
For Christian leaders, this example carries a particular responsibility. Genesis 1:27 reminds us that every person is created in God's image. Not just those who agree with us, perform well, share our beliefs, or make our lives easier. Every person has inherent worth because of the One who created them.
That truth should influence how we lead. We can establish high expectations, hold people accountable, make difficult decisions, and pursue excellent results while still treating every individual with dignity, patience, and love. In fact, those moments when leadership becomes most difficult may be the very moments when our faith has the greatest opportunity to shine.
The question isn't simply, "Did I accomplish what needed to be done?" but also, "Did my leadership reflect the heart of Christ in how I treated others?"
A Leader's Prayer for Rehumanizing Leadership
Dear Lord,
Thank You for the privilege of leading and influencing others.
Help me see every person through Your eyes, recognizing the value and dignity You have placed within them.
Give me humility to listen, courage to speak truth with love, and wisdom to serve even when doing so requires personal sacrifice.
Keep me from allowing pride, position, or the pursuit of results to overshadow the people You have entrusted to my care.
May my leadership reflect the example of Jesus, who came not to be served, but to serve.
Amen.
One Faith-Forward Mini-Challenge
This week, find one opportunity to serve someone without expecting recognition in return. It might be encouraging a struggling colleague, helping a neighbor, or listening patiently to someone whose perspective differs from yours. Ask yourself, "How can I reflect Christ's love through the way I lead this person today?" Sometimes the most powerful demonstration of faith isn't found in what we say about leadership, but in how we quietly live it.
Explore More Priceless Perspectives
Explore the lessons and stories that started our journey (October 2025-2026)
Rediscover these timeless themes with new insights, updated research, and four unique perspectives. (November 2026-2027)
◆ The Boardroom Brief
The Business Case for Rehumanizing Leadership
There's an interesting parallel between Washington and the corporate boardroom. In both places, leaders make difficult decisions, manage competing priorities, face pressure to deliver results, and depend on the trust of those they serve. And in both places, leadership can lose its effectiveness when achieving objectives becomes disconnected from how people are treated along the way.
When the Numbers Tell a Human Story
Just last week, Gallup released new findings that should get the attention of every executive team in America. In the third quarter of 2026, U.S. employee engagement fell to 29%, its lowest level since 2011. But two additional findings tell an even more revealing story.
46% of employees strongly agreed they knew what was expected of them at work.
37% strongly agreed their supervisor or someone at work cared about them as a person.
Think about that. Fewer than four in ten employees strongly agree that someone at work cares about them as a person.
These findings arrive at a time when organizations have more technology, sophisticated management systems, leadership programs, and AI-powered tools than ever before. Yet two fundamental human needs continue to demand attention: clarity and connection.
Are We Solving the Right Problem?
When engagement declines, organizations often respond with another program, survey, platform, or training initiative. Those investments can be valuable, but tools alone cannot replace the daily experience of effective leadership.
An organization can have an inspiring mission statement while employees feel unheard. It can invest in development while rewarding managers who sacrifice relationships for short-term results. And it can promote people-first values while tolerating leadership behaviors that communicate something entirely different.
The Service-Profit Chain reminds us that employee experience, customer experience, and organizational performance are interconnected. How organizations treat their people influences how those people engage with their work and serve others.
People-first leadership isn't performance-second leadership. It's recognizing that how we achieve results matters as much as the results themselves.
The Executive Leadership Test
For boards and executive teams, the challenge is to move beyond what the organization says it values and examine what its systems and leaders consistently demonstrate.
Consider these questions:
Are leaders rewarded only for results, or also for how those results are achieved?
Do employees experience the dignity, respect, and care described in our organizational values?
Are managers equipped and supported to build trust, establish clarity, and develop their people?
As AI reshapes work, are we using technology to strengthen human connection or simply increase expectations for productivity?
Bottom Line
Rehumanizing leadership isn't another initiative to add to an already crowded organizational agenda. It's a fundamental shift in how leaders understand their responsibility to the people who make performance possible. The strongest organizations don't choose between people and results. They build cultures where accountability, clarity, trust, dignity, and service reinforce one another. Technology will continue evolving, markets will keep changing, and new challenges will emerge, but the need for leaders who genuinely value people will remain.
Because behind every business result is a human story, and behind every thriving culture are leaders who remember that people are priceless!
Explore More Priceless Perspectives
Explore the lessons and stories that started our journey (October 2025-2026)
Rediscover these timeless themes with new insights, updated research, and four unique perspectives. (November 2026-2027)
Join the Priceless Leadership Movement
A year ago, we began this series with a simple message about bringing humanity back to leadership. Today, after another election and another year of change, that message feels just as important. Whether you're leading an organization, a team, a community, or simply influencing those around you, the opportunity remains the same: see the person before the position, choose service over status, and use whatever influence you have to help others flourish.
If this issue encouraged you, share it with someone who believes leadership should be about people. And if your organization wants to develop people-first leaders, strengthen culture, and build workplaces where people and performance can flourish together, we'd love to walk alongside you.
Learn more at: nationalald.com
Start a conversation: Book a 30-minute exploration call
Email: scott@nationalald.com
Because leadership isn't simply about the position we hold, but the difference we make in the lives of others.
See people differently. Lead people better.
And always remember… people are priceless!
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