Transforming Lives Through Servant Leadership
Transforming Lives Through Servant Leadership
Dennis M. Reilly | 2019
Abstract
Transforming lives through servant leadership is not just a theory, it is real-life. It is happening every day at multiple locations throughout the world. Servant leadership is more than another leadership theory or model, it is a movement! Servant leadership is a movement that can and should be at the apex of bringing healing to those in need.Today, more than ever in history, leaders need to engage themselves with people. They must lead by example.Today’s leaders must emphasize the good of their followers over their own self-interest. That is why there has not been a time more critical for leaders and followers to seriously consider the advantages of being and becoming a servant leader.
Leaders typically have two primary responsibilities, concern for tasks and concern for people. Servant leaders focus on people, those they serve. Greenleaf credits Jesus of Nazareth for teaching the importance of leaders having aservant’s heart. Jesus said, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” Patterson defined servant leaders as, “those who serve with a focus on the followers, whereby the followers are the primary concern and the organizational concerns are peripheral. The servant leader constructs are virtues, defined as the good moral quality in a person, or the general quality of goodness, or moral excellence.”
Despite the various definitions, there is still little consensus about a clear definition of servant leadership. Regardless, a servant leader leads with principle and a set of the core values such as loving unconditionally; pursues, enters and grows in relationships with self, others and God.
A servant leader is humble and compassionate in all situations and worships God in all they do. As Christians are called to a life-long, on-going relationship with Jesus, they are also called to be servant leaders. This may sound too simplistic. But if one was to decern about how they are called to this relationship with God, then one could draw a logical conclusion that all Christians are called to be servant leaders. If not, who else is called to emulate Christ? What other leadership style can one possess that emulates Christ so profoundly as servant leadership? Some may say transformational. However, the transformational leader is consumed with the success of the organization over the individual, not so with the servant leader.
Before one begins the process of becoming a servant leader, they must first understand three important and most significant relationships; one with self, one with others, and one with God. Awareness, acceptance, and love of self, others, and love of God are intricately related. The challenge to rid one’s ‘fake self’ to live genuinely in one’s ‘new self’ strikes at the very heart of true spirituality. John (Jean) Calvin wrote, our wisdom essentially has two parts, the knowledge of God and the knowledge of self.
More than any other leadership style, servant leadership links both leaders and followers as it’s purpose is to transform followers into leaders. In essence, both the leader and the follower become ‘we.” This is what takes place in the transformation of men and women afflicted with addiction and life-controlling issues.