Servant Leader

1. Topic: Servant Leader
2. Minimum of 750 words, no more than 1250 words
3. Font is Arial, with a point size 12
4. Use standard margins: 1 inch from the left, right, and bottom edges Do not justify right margins
5. Use double spacing
6. Utilize a graphic organizer of your choice
7. Follow the Army Writing Style and standard written English.
8. Use the five (5) paragraph format
9. Strong purpose statement

Servant Leader

ANSWER

Servant Leader

Leaders are individuals that command or lead a group of people, an organization, a church, or even a country. Leaders can influence the led groups to do things or take up decisions that they could not have taken without the extra influence. Through leadership, which describes this ability and action, leaders not only influence but also coach, motivate, develop shared visions, engage in decision-making, and ensure follower development, to mention a few. Leadership styles are diverse depending on individual personality, traits, behavior, and situations; however, in this paper, the focus lies on servant leadership, or better still, a servant leader. Robert Greenleaf developed the terms a servant leader and servant leadership in 1970, where he described servant leadership as an art where leaders’ servant-ship comes first, and administration or management comes second. Through this foundation, Greenleaf desired to change the authoritarian power centered form of leadership to include principles such as stewardship, empathy, listening, and foresight among leaders. This essay purposes to describe primary characteristics and principles of servant leaders and uses a Venn diagram to illustrate the similarities and differences of servant leaders as defined by Greenleaf in comparison with standard leaders, and biblical definition of servant leaders. It explains Dr. Martin Luther King JR. as a servant leader and recommends what leaders should do to become servant leaders.

Servant leaders possess serve-first mindsets that focus on the empowerment of their followers and power sharing. Instead of commanding and brandishing authority, they are stewards, humble, and in the hierarchy instead of coming on the top, they place themselves at the bottom-line. This creates a paradox, as people perceive leaders at the top of the regime; however, people see servant leaders as ‘servants’ or helpers first before as a leader or head person. The principles and attributes of servant leadership philosophy guide and facilitate this nature and scope of a servant leader. Servant leaders are active listeners to their followers, empathetic, have increased awareness that enables their excellent stewardship philosophy, and are foresighted through which shared visions are developed. Furthermore, servant leaders can persuade, convince, and influence their followers, which are essential aspects of effecting constructive change in an organization. In the military, leadership involves high value on duty, giving service, and making self-sacrifices, which align with servant leadership. This is because servant leaders in the military exist to serve the veterans and the people; an example of inverting the power hierarchy and pyramid upside down. Further, they set aside their ego, place the needs of their colleagues first in the quest to improve and accomplish organizational missions and goals. In organizations, servant leaders are exceptional as they highly create and sustain cohesion and adherence to corporate cultures, which results in increased performance, employee engagement, and productivity. Through servant leadership, the central control and authority, as in authoritative leadership are subdued, resulting in both benefits and adverse impacts. Negatively, the presence of servant leaders means the lack of central authority and firm decision-making process, making an organization susceptible to employee confusion, duplication of duties, ambiguity, poor performance, and maximized turnover rates.

Servant leaders in the contemporary world serve first and lead second, which is similar to a Biblical character: Jesus Christ. Biblical passages such as Matthew 22:39 and Acts 20:35 relate to servant leadership attributes of empathy, growth commitment, and awareness. Similarities established between the two is that servant leaders have similar identities, which is to serve others and see themselves as servants first. They have identical impacts, which are inspiring, empowering, transforming and helping others for higher purposes and have the right motivation, which is serving God through serving others. From these biblical passages, servant leaders serve with utmost love and respect without expecting anything in return. Jesus Christ is an example of a servant leader who served his followers, and through Christianity; we can see the firm belief in serving others. However, there exists two main difference between the modern perception of a servant leader and that described through Christianity. Primarily, contemporary servant leadership reduces and replaces faith with ethics as in Christianity; faith is a pillar of servant leadership. This difference transforms society through moral fortitude instead of through Christian faith. Secondly, in Christianity, Christ, the servant leader participates in the suffering of his followers by witnessing and sharing their pain and enduring criticism while being merciful to people that fail. In the modern world, servant leaders are passive participants in people’s suffering; hence, a worldly approach introduced that lacks the kind of humanity displayed by Jesus. In comparison with standard leadership, the only commonality is seen when leaders feel the need to serve others and later aspire to lead others. Primary differences displayed among standard leaders are, once acquiring the power; it drives their need to acquire material possessions. Moreover, only through ROI guarantee that standard leaders offer extra energy and concentrate on people and the community’s development.

Dr. Martin Luther is an example of a servant leader. This is because he developed and provided an inclusive vision that would enable people’s growth, listened to the cries and grievance of his followers, persuaded a change action, and promoted community building by healing the divisions perpetrated by racism (Black and White communities). These traits align with Greenleaf’s principles of servant leadership, including stewardship, empathy, listening, foresight, community building, commitment to people’s growth, persuasion, healing, and creating awareness. Looking back at American history and the racial divisions that engraved the lives of white and black people, Dr. King was at the forefront to ensure healing of these divisions, growth of the people, and building a society of justice, equality, diversity, and inclusivity. While struggling for change in the American history, Dr. King illustrated that the realization of positive change and fruit bearing occurs when we seek to serve others, find common grounds, and use power ethically to promote and champion for social justice, fairness, and equality. These illustrations conform to the modern definition of servant leadership, which views the art as a moral virtue exemplified within oneself and reflected in their actions.

In conclusion, servant leaders are mostly similar to the Christian version and Christ’s leadership style than to standard leaders. Key components that define servant leaders include serving first and leading coming after, empathizing with followers, ensuring people’s growth and community transformation, persuasion, and awareness. More importantly, servant leaders have the right motivation of serving others, identify as servants, and use appropriate, positive, and ethical ways to help others. They have a character of integrity and authenticity, and positively impact people and the community as a way of serving internal or higher purposes. People and leaders can become servant leaders through the development and acquisitions of skills such as being good listeners, practicing empathy, identifying means to support people, working to become change agents, giving more, persuasion, and committing to people’s growth and community building.