I recently attended an American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) conference (an association of associations - yes, there really is such a thing!), where the theme was “give/get.” While at first this theme may seem overly simple, throughout the conference give/get expanded to, “When people give a little, they get a whole lot more in return.” That is the underlying spirit of trade associations, professional societies and charities. Anne Frank famously summed up this truth this way, “No one has ever become poor by giving.” While this simple math makes sense, I have found that the best leaders among us are those who wholeheartedly embrace this spirit of service, not as a means to personal gain, but a way that seeks to meet other’s needs first and collectively builds something truly great.
To further support this idea, Matt Tenney, author of the book Serve to Be Great and a presenter at ASAE’s Game Changer sessions, cited numerous examples of companies that have embodied servant leadership and flourished – Southwest and Zappos to name a few. But perhaps the most moving example was a leading tech company out of New York called Next Jump, which actively cultivates a culture of caring as a means of being great. Amidst a number of innovative initiatives that seek to put others first, Next Jump has implemented the Avenger Award. This $30,000 prize and week holiday on a private island goes not to the best sales person or the best developer but to the person voted by their peers as the most helpful, selfless person in the company. Tenney attended their 2013 awards ceremony and expected to see some jealousy as a result of a peer being honored. Instead, he saw 300 people standing and applauding with tears in their eyes as the recipient came to the stage to receive the award. We all recognize and appreciate a servant leader when we see one.
Servant leadership is a core value amongst CompTIA membership. Our 200-plus servant leaders regularly give of their time, energy and efforts as a means of giving back to an industry that has given them so much. Because of what they do, CompTIA is able to make a big difference where it is needed most. While I could cite numerous examples from our membership, John Tippett, VP and general manager at Aisle 8, recipient of CompTIA’s 2016 Member of the Year award, wonderfully embodies this spirit. John received the award as a result of his selfless efforts guiding one of our largest communities. After observing John in action for many years, I saw first-hand how his others-first approach was so effective in building a strong impactful community. When asked what he did to win this award, John often responds, “I honestly didn’t set out to become Member of the Year, perhaps that was my secret.” Exactly.
As CompTIA Member Communities begin their leadership election process for 2017, I’d encourage all who embody this spirit of others first to step out as a servant leader. Whether it’s helping new business grow, creating a more secure tech world, working on initiatives that lift the whole industry or building diversity in the tech workforce, there is much to do and we need you. More importantly, as an industry, we need each other. I encourage anyone interested in becoming a CompTIA volunteer leader in 2017 to speak with me, member community staff, or current community leaders and find your opportunity to serve. Give and you get so much more. Give to build something great!
