Paper Example on Servant Leadership

Abstract

"Leading from the front" is a term often used in leadership and management, usually to show how a leader should act wisely to influence his or her employees or followers to take the same path (Blanchard & Miller, 2014). Usually when somebody mentions a servant, one would imagine the lowest ranking individual in any setting. However, some leaders lead by serving, and though it is rarely put in practice, it has been lauded as one of the purest and most ideal forms of leadership. The best example of servant leadership is the life and times of Jesus Christ. Jesus taught us that power is determined by what somebody gives rather than what they take (Wilkes, 1998). Jesus gave his life to save the world. He carried not only his cross, but everybody's as well.

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Discussion

Jesus washed his disciples' feet in an unprecedented manner. Simon Peter tried to refuse because supposedly Jesus was their master and hence had no business in petty matters like washing the feet of his followers. However, there was a lesson to be learned. Jesus set a precedence for the disciples for how they should live together even after he was gone. He explained his actions to the disciples after washing their feet, "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet." (John 13: 1-17) The term "servant leadership" was first coined by Robert Greenleaf in 1970 in an essay. Greenleaf based his views and theories in the essay "The Servant as a Leader" from what he had understood from a short story he read in the 1960s. The short novel was "Journey to the West" by Hermann Hesse.

From the 1970s up to date, Servant Leadership has become more popular by the day. There are distinct characteristics which a leader must have to be regarded as a servant leader. First and foremost, a servant leader must be a very good listener (Greenleaf, 2002). A servant leader is sympathetic to what the speaker says. In the Bible, the wisdom of King Solomon was unrivaled. In one instance, two prostitutes came to him with one live baby, each one of them claiming to be the mother. Both of them lived in one house, and both had recently given birth. One mother, careless in her sleep, smothered her baby and then proceeded to exchange her baby with the other woman's child (2nd Kings 3:16-28).

Solomon listened to both their versions of the story and came to a judgment. He ordered the baby to be split into two and both women to be given half a baby. The real mother cried out and pleaded that it was better if the baby was given to the other woman. Just like that King Solomon knew who the birth mother was and she was given her baby unharmed. In governing people, a leader must have time to listen to his or her subjects or employees and sort out their issues. It seems that having a good ear is a prerequisite to being a wise leader and manager.

A servant-leader must use persuasion over coercion or authority to get people towards achieving a particular set of goals. What this means is that he or she should be a good talker. A servant leader uses stories and conversations to teach not only essential qualities but also change other people's lives (Rinehart, 1998). In The Bible, Jesus used parables in many occasions to get his point across. The parable of the ten minas (Luke 19:11-13) is a good example of a parable showing delegation of authority. In the parable, a man goes to a distant country and trusts his servants with his money and land to cultivate and bring more value out of it.

A good servant-leader should be trusting. He should give people room to explore their talents and be productive without supervision. In a company or organization, a servant leader should trust his employees for them to bring out the best of themselves. A delegation of authority is important especially for creative business ventures where just a simple modification to a product or service may translate to a lot (Hybels, 2009). More importantly, research has found out that employees with the more creative room are more satisfied with their work. They have high morale and more productive to the organization on the whole.

Conclusion

The Bible is not called The Good Book for nothing. Regarding servant-leadership, there are countless examples of the concept in actual practice. From the exploits of King David to the life and times of Jesus Christ to Paul and the apostles, servant-leadership is a unique style of leadership and management. There are some qualities of a servant-leader which help cultivate the spirit of leading by serving throughout the organization (Spears, 1996). It is therefore important for players in leadership roles to understand that a servant leader should always be first among equals. Leaders are to use there position to persuade their employees into working towards organization's goals. It is never good for leaders to use authorization rules to get work done.

References

Blanchard, K. H. & Miller, M. (2014). The secret: What great leaders know and do (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. ISBN: 9781626561984.

Christiano, R. (Producer). (2002). Time changer [Motion Picture]. United States: Five & Two Pictures.

Greenleaf, R. K. (2002). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness (25th-anniversary edition). Mahwah, NJ: Paulis Press. ISBN: 9780809105540.

Hybels, B. (2009). Courageous leadership. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. ISBN: 97803140495956.

Rinehart, S. T. (1998). Upside down: The paradox of servant leadership. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress. ISBN: 9781576830796.

Spears, Larry. Leadership & Organization Development Journal. Bradford Vol. 17, Iss. 7,(1996): 33-35.

Wilkes, C. G. (1998). Jesus on leadership: Timeless wisdom on servant leadership. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. ISBN: 9780842318631.