On this journey through the IPS Leadership Academy, one thing that has stood out to me is how important it is that we as public servants, but especially as leaders in service, consider that we are not only responsible for property, resources and finances, but also in helping to develop those who follow in our footsteps.

Stewardship, especially in the workplace, is defined as taking careful, responsible care of an organization’s resources, people and long-term future instead of just focusing on short-term gain.

In leadership, stewardship is taking that a step further and viewing our role as a temporary caretaker of our people, resources and the culture of an organization and remembering that there’s more to that than just a job. 

It was important for us to spend this journey through the academy visiting the UT campuses throughout the state. It helped us develop an understanding of how we fit into the larger framework of the University of Tennessee as a whole, not just as an individual person or group within the agency. Each step along the way, we heard from people, just like us, that someone saw promise in and worked to develop that person into who they are now.

I did a deep dive at what it means to be good stewards and came up with these key points that will help us remember how to proceed further down this journey in leadership. First, it requires us to be faithful, being sure to stick to the tasks, but also keeping our values in place. Second, we should be trustworthy and honest with integrity while handling what essentially belongs to others. Third, we need to remain diligent, working hard instead of becoming complacent. Fourth, we need to remain humble, putting our egos and pride aside so that we can recognize one’s gifts and resources as they are meant to serve others. And finally, the fifth one, which I really like, is remembering to be intentional. If we think that these things are going to happen organically, we are sadly mistaken. We need to use our team’s talents with a clear and purposeful plan.

One thing that stood out to me when preparing this article was the importance of remembering that we are entrusted to guide our team responsibly, prioritizing both their personal and professional development. I think we sometimes forget this, or at least I do. I naturally tend to jump, being task-oriented, putting one foot after the other to complete the job at hand, forgetting that those can be teachable moments. But, if we pause, we’ll remember that if we do this properly, we will ensure that the health and sustainability of the organization will be left in good hands long after we’ve gone.

I found this quote from my favorite president, Ronald Reagan, where he talked of being “given temporary custody of an institution” which spoke of the true meaning of not only public service but of stewardship as well. Of course, he was referring to becoming President of the United States when he said this, but it can and should be something that we all remember. Being good stewards in leadership means remembering that our work belongs to our people. True leadership means leaving our people, our teams, and our organization stronger than we found them.