SERVANT LEADERSHIP

Leadership is an integral part of any society, be it religious, political or social. The yearning of the society is for a servant leader, one that will lead them to their anticipated paradise. In every sociopolitical system people have different reasons for seeking leadership positions. Some seek it to acquire wealth, and some to serve the people. This paper will focus on what makes a true leader, but let us first x-ray some words.

LEADER

A leader is a person who influences the actions and opinions of other people who may be referred to as followers. In a group or organization a leader is the head who takes responsibility of guiding and directing others on what to do. This means that to be a leader one should have an idea on what should be done and how to do it. A leader therefore is one who has and shares a vision that they believe in and influences others to participate in achieving it. According to the Scripture in Genesis 1. 26 and 28, human beings are created to have dominion over other living creatures. To have dominion is to rule, to lead and to govern. Based on this we may deduce that we are “born to lead”, lending credence to the adage that leaders are born and not made. Since we are created to be leaders, it means the act of leadership is inherent in us, though must be cultivated. We have to develop the leadership potential in us. No wonder a rationalist (philosopher), Rene Descartes believes that at birth one possesses certain knowledge called “innate ideas”. This assertion was challenged by the English empiricist, John Locke, who believed that the human mind was a “tabula-rasa”, that is, a blank slate. Despite this pro and cons arguments by philosophers, it is an accepted fact that human beings are created with inherent potentials to lead.

FOLLOWER

The concept of followership must not be undermined if the concept of leadership is to be discussed to the fullest. A follower is somebody who is subordinate to a leader. They obey a leader’s instructions, accept their authority, and follow their advice. A follower is also one who recognizes their responsibility to comply with the directives of their leader as best a supporter or devotee would. For one to be a good leader one must first be a good follower.

TRAINING

According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, training is the act of teaching a person or an animal the skills of a particular job or activity. It is also the act of preparing oneself or someone else for a particular activity. Leadership training, therefore, is the act of educating or preparing oneself  or someone else to assume leadership position.

SERVANT LEADER

A servant is a person who works for other people, companies or organizations. A servant leader is one who is always willing to work for the good of their followers. Servant leadership is the ultimate in true leadership. It is the greatest leadership principle taught by the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 20. 20 – 28.

ATTRIBUTES OF A SERVANT LEADER

These include

Self worth: This is the value a leader places on himself or herself. It is not the value others place on them. Leaders do not spend their time trying to please others, because they do not depend on people to tell them what they are worth. They already know that the essence of leadership is to give other people value. The Scripture says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he”.

Purpose: This may be described as the aim, intention or function of a thing, that is, what is intended to be achieved. Purpose is the first quality that distinguishes leaders from followers. Every human being was created for a purpose. When that purpose is discovered, a leader is born. Leaders must identify their assignment. The purpose of a product is with the manufacturer, not with the product. John 4. 34;  Luke 4. 18 – 21.

Passion: This is a very strong feeling of likeness for something. It is the driving force of leadership. It sustains the focus of a leader. It is a deep desire, a deep craving and a deep commitment that pushes one to pursue a cause and not give up until it is achieved. A passionate leader must be self motivated. John 4. 34.

Initiative: This is the ability to decide and act on your own without waiting for somebody to tell you what to do. This means that a leader must always stand in front, see first and act first. Servant leaders do not wait for others to do what they should do. Apart from being initiators and self-starters, servant leaders are also innovative.

Team work: In his book, “Developing the Leaders around you”, John C. Maxwell said, “the greatest leadership principle is that those closest to the leader will determine the success level of that leader”. Servant leaders should know they do not have it all, therefore they are team players. That is why they must work with a team and give credit to the team. Even Jesus used a team of apostles to accomplish His vision, Luke 6. 12 – 13. God is also a team player, that is, He works with others to achieve His goals, even when He is a Master of perfection and a paragon of circumspection.

Discipline: This is also called self control. It is a method of training one’s mind and body, putting them under godly control. Good leaders must be able to discipline themselves, as this will help them build discipline in their followers with ease.

Sacrifice: This is the act of giving up something important or valuable to you in order to get or do something that is more important. A servant leader must learn to forego certain things, even if just to build their followers. Sacrifice is an important attribute of a servant leader. Martin Luther King Junior  said,  “No sacrifice, no gain”.

Genuine love for the people: True leadership is about building people. People do not want to know who you are or how much you know. They want to know how much you care. True leaders genuinely love and care for the people they are leading and this is shown in their passion to build them up. They are sensitive to people’s needs and work to meet those needs. They are described as transformational leaders because people grow and become better under them. According to John C. Maxwell, such leaders “create and inspire new leaders by instilling faith in their leadership abilities and helping them develop those leadership skills they don’t know they possess”.

Integrity and Accountability: Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, while accountability is the ability to take responsibility for one’s decisions and actions. This means that a servant leader must be honest and truthful. They must be people of their word. They may not say a thing and do another. They must be accountable to God first, then to themselves, their superiors, and to those they are leading.

In conclusion, true leaders know that the path of service is the path to greatness. A servant leader therefore must identify their mission  and be committed to it in serving the people in order to make them better. A servant leader must be able to mentor potential leaders. It is in this light that we conclude with the words of John C. Maxwell: “There is no success without a successor”.