God Sustains: Leading with Love and Servant Leadership for Kingdom Impact

In a world often driven by ambition and worldly success, William Collins, Interim CEO of Surge Institute, offers a refreshing and profoundly impactful perspective on leadership. His journey, rooted deeply in faith, exemplifies how leading with love and embracing servant leadership can not only transform organizations but also foster profound personal and spiritual growth. Collins's insights provide a powerful blueprint for leaders, entrepreneurs, and growth-minded individuals seeking to align their professional endeavors with their deepest values.

The Problem: A Disconnect Between Values and Practice

Many leaders find themselves grappling with a disconnect between their personal values and the demands of the corporate or organizational world. The pursuit of success often leads to decisions that prioritize profit over people, efficiency over empathy, and personal gain over collective well-being. This can result in burnout, moral compromise, and a sense of unfulfillment, despite outward achievements. Collins, having navigated the corporate sector, recognized this void and sought a path where his work could genuinely impact lives.

Deep Insights: Love as a Strategy, Service as a Foundation

Collins articulates two foundational leadership principles derived directly from his faith:

• Lead with Love: Drawing inspiration from 1 Corinthians 16:14, "Let all that you do be done in love," Collins emphasizes that love is not merely an emotion but a strategic approach to leadership. This means fostering empathy, understanding individual stories, building relationships, and resolving conflicts through a lens of care and dignity. For Collins, every decision must be approached with the most humane and compassionate consideration for those affected. This human-centered approach minimizes pain and ensures that individuals feel valued even in challenging circumstances.
• Servant Leadership: Collins's transition from the corporate world to education and then to non-profit leadership was driven by a desire for work that truly impacted people. He views leadership as elevating those around him, not as a position of self-importance. "It's not about me. I am not at the center. My prayer is always, 'God, put me in the background. Put yourself in the foreground.'" This posture of service ensures that the ultimate goal is the upliftment and empowerment of others, reflecting a divine purpose in every interaction.

Practical Solutions: Aligning Time, Talent, and Treasure with Kingdom Building

Collins's commitment to these principles extends beyond his professional role into his personal life, particularly in how he allocates his time, talent, and treasure. Following a significant health scare, he made a conscious decision to prioritize "Kingdom building work" over conventional career advancement. He stepped away from several board positions to dedicate his free time to his church's executive board, marriage ministry, and other faith-based initiatives. This radical realignment, though counter to worldly ambition, brought immense blessings.

"Only what you do for Christ will last," a saying from his grandmother, became a guiding principle. This intentional focus on spiritual work led to profound personal and marital blessings, demonstrating that when we make space for God, He shows up in extraordinary ways.

Real-World Applications: The Surge Institute's Mission

Collins's leadership principles are vividly demonstrated in his work at the Surge Institute. Surge addresses the critical need for Black and Brown leaders in senior decision-making roles within the education ecosystem. The Surge Fellowship, a nine-month leadership accelerator, focuses on the "intersection of head, heart, and spirit":

• Head: Equipping fellows with executive skills (financial planning, critical thinking, negotiation).
• Heart: Building a strong community among leaders from diverse educational backgrounds, fostering vulnerability and shared learning.
• Spirit: Countering internalized oppression by building self-worth and providing executive coaching to help leaders unpack challenges and embrace their inherent value.

This holistic approach ensures that leaders are not only skilled but also deeply rooted in their identity and purpose, ready to make impactful decisions that reflect care and dignity for the communities they serve.

A Powerful Call to Action for Young Leaders

For young individuals aspiring to integrate faith with business, Collins offers invaluable advice:

• Expect Challenges, Trust in Victory: "Weapons will form, but they will not prosper." Understand that obstacles are inevitable, but faith provides the assurance of ultimate triumph.
• Persevere in Doing Good: Citing Galatians 6:9, "Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not give up." Collins encourages young leaders to remain steadfast in their values, even when faced with worldly pressures to conform. He emphasizes that one does not need to compromise their faith to achieve success; rather, their actions and integrity will speak volumes.

Collins's journey is a testament to the transformative power of faith-driven leadership. By prioritizing love, service, and Kingdom building, he not only achieves professional excellence but also experiences a life of profound purpose and abundant blessings. His story challenges us all to examine our own leadership principles and consider how we can more fully align our work with a higher calling, creating a lasting impact that truly changes lives.

Reflection Questions

• How can you intentionally incorporate love and empathy as a strategy in your daily leadership?
• In what ways can you adopt a posture of servant leadership, prioritizing the elevation of others?
• What areas of your life (time, talent, treasure) can you realign to better serve a "Kingdom building" purpose?
• How can you encourage young leaders to stand firm in their faith and values amidst worldly pressures?

Next Steps

Reflect on these principles and identify one actionable step you can take this week to integrate love and servant leadership more deeply into your professional or personal life. Share your insights with a trusted mentor or colleague to foster accountability and growth.