Servant-Leadership

In 1970, noted American organizational expert, Robert K Greenleaf, coined and defined the term ‘servant leadership’ in his essay The Servant as Leader.

This visionary approach to leadership development has since been advanced by such renowned authors such as Steven Covey, Ken Blanchard, Peter Senge and others.

In that essay, Greenleaf describes servant leadership in this manner:

“The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead……The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?”

In these trying business and economic times, amidst corporate management debacles about ethics and responsibility, the principles Greenleaf talks about are a timely reminder on what true leadership can be, be it in the community, politics or business.

In Western literature and tradition, Jesus Christ was truly the epitome of a servant leader where he made servitude a central principle of Christianity.

Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Mark 10: 42-45 (NIV)

As Christians across the globe celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ today, I hope that His message will renew a sense of urgency and purpose for leaders to do what is right.

Happy Easter!