The Right Call— Episode 1

The #1 Mistake Nearly Every Christian Leader Makes About Servant Leadership

Most Christian leaders believe servant leadership means putting people first.
It sounds biblical. It feels faithful.
And it is quietly exhausting leaders, stalling organizations, and diluting the mission.

In this opening episode of The Right Call, Jeff Cockrell challenges one of the most common—and costly—assumptions about servant leadership. Drawing on leadership research, organizational data, and real-world experience, he reframes servant leadership as Jesus actually modeled it:

Serving the mission first so the mission can truly serve the people.

This episode establishes the foundation for the series by separating servanthood from sentimentality and explaining why many sincere, well-intentioned leaders feel burned out, frustrated, and ineffective—despite doing everything they were taught was “Christ-like.”

🔹 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

The #1 mistake nearly all Christian leaders make about servant leadership
Why modern servant leadership sounds biblical but didn’t originate in Scripture
The secular roots of servant leadership (Greenleaf, Hesse, and the post-authority impulse)
How people-first leadership unintentionally creates:
- Leader burnout
- Dependency instead of development
- Bottlenecks and mission drift
What leadership research reveals about empathy without authority
Why Jesus served the mission, not people-first—and why that distinction matters
A Navy leadership story that clarifies the difference between:
- Serving
- Indulging
- Leading

🔹 Who This Episode Is For

Christian business leaders with real responsibility
Executives, owners, and managers carrying pressure and consequences
Leaders who value faith and results
Anyone who senses something is “off” with how servant leadership is commonly practiced

🔹 What’s Next

In Episode 2, we begin rebuilding servant leadership the way Jesus actually practiced it—starting with Clarity:

The mission
The assignment
Who sent you
What faithfulness truly requires

If this episode challenged or clarified your thinking, subscribe to The Right Call and share it with another leader who may be carrying more than they should.

Lead faithfully. Serve the mission. Make the right call.

The Right Call: Wisdom Simply Applied

Episodes

The #1 Mistake Nearly Every Christian Leader Makes About Servant Leadership

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