While the opening phrases of the FFA motto focus on personal growth, the final line, “Living to Serve,” reminds us that the organization’s goal is serving the community; this is servant leadership. As FFA members, we disregard titles and positions to focus on serving and supporting others’ growth.
Servant leaders lead from within the people, not above them. This means FFA officers shouldn’t delegate tasks, but work with members to achieve goals. Successful Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs) don’t just involve earning money or teaching skills but also provide opportunities to serve local communities. This commitment to service helps transform individual projects into programs with lasting community impact.
Simple Ways To Live Out Servant Leadership
You don’t need a chapter office or a major grant to be a servant leader. The most profound acts are often the simplest. Here are a few easy ways every FFA member can start living to serve today:
- Be a mentor: Look for a member who seems quiet or overwhelmed. Sit with them at the next meeting and encourage them to try an SAE or career development event or attend a leadership development event. Or, you can simply ask about their interests. Investing your time in someone’s success is a powerful form of service. You never know what someone is going through, so giving others a little bit of your time and energy can mean the world to them.
- Help out when no one is watching: True servant leadership often happens when no one is looking. Staying late to help your advisor clean up or taking the initiative to organize and refill supplies reduces the mental load of others.
- Listen to needs, not just ideas: When brainstorming chapter events, start with “what does our community/members need?” instead of “what sounds fun?” This keeps projects grounded and ensures real-world needs are being met through the work of FFA members.
- Give credit generously: When a project succeeds, a servant leader shines the spotlight on the team’s efforts, not their own. Give others a shoutout when they do well or their hard work pays off. Thanking people for their work behind the scenes can make stressful events worth it to them.
“Living to Serve” is an ongoing commitment. By embracing the principles of servant leadership, FFA members honor the motto, strengthen the organization, and prepare themselves to be the compassionate, effective leaders agriculture and the world desperately need.
