By AARule62.com – Lighten up kid!

In the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous, we’ve got a different take on leadership. It’s not about power, prestige, or being in charge, it’s about being useful. Real leadership in recovery is built on action, responsibility, and spiritual principles.

“Our Leaders Are But Trusted Servants”

AA’s Twelve Concepts for World Service lay the foundation:

“Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.”

In recovery, leadership means stepping up, not standing over others. It’s about trust, not control. Service, not ego.

Servant leadership looks like making coffee, setting up chairs, answering a newcomer’s call at midnight, and taking a commitment no one else wants. There’s no applause for this kind of leadership, just the satisfaction of staying sober and helping the next person.

Leadership Without Ownership? Not a Chance.

If you’ve been around long enough, you know that real leadership starts with owning your own recovery. Like retired Navy SEAL Jocko Willink says:

“Leaders must own everything in their world. There is no one else to blame.”

That’s Extreme Ownership, and it fits recovery like a glove.

We practice this through Step Ten: taking personal inventory and promptly admitting when we’re wrong. You can’t guide others if you’re still dodging accountability in your own life.

Living by Values – Even When It’s Hard

Leadership in recovery also means living your values out loud. It’s easy to talk about honesty, integrity, and service until doing the right thing gets uncomfortable.

• Speaking truth when staying silent would be easier?
• Setting a boundary that will upset someone?
• Doing the next right thing when nobody’s watching?

That’s where courage comes in. Not Hollywood courage – recovery courage. The kind that puts spiritual principles before personal comfort.

Sponsorship Is Leadership

If you’re a sponsor, you’re a leader, whether you like it or not. People are watching how you live, not just what you say. That’s why your integrity matters. Your consistency matters. And your willingness to grow? That’s leadership too.

We’re not aiming for perfection, we’re aiming for spiritual fitness and practical wisdom.

Final Thoughts: Lead By Learning

Leadership in AA isn’t about being loud or flashy. It’s about being faithful. You show up. You tell the truth. You serve others. And you keep the focus on the Steps, not the personalities.

Want to become a stronger leader in your recovery in life? I’ve put together a no-BS list of books that helped me bring AA principles into real-world leadership situations.

Check it out here → Recommended Reading List
No fluff. Just what works.