Introduction
Leadership is a prominent biblical subject illustrated in multiple episodes from the lives of Moses, David, Jesus, and Paul. Since contemporary leadership styles are usually ineffective, people strive for a boss who portrays some biblical leadership traits (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2011). Furthermore, authority is one of the organizational aspects that shape the organization as a whole. Howell (2003) points out that leadership is interconnected with the boss’s agenda. This implies that a person in a position of power with the right intent and the correct approach can create a favorable environment for the employees.
Jesus is a biblical character who approached a leading position from a servant model. Blanchard and Hodges (2005) portray Jesus as a perfect leader due to his caring, humble, and faithful role as a mentor, teacher, and guide. Servant leadership focuses on certain principles illustrated in Jesus’s actions, such as focusing on God’s will, submitting to God’s calling, serving, having ethical behavior, and building a solid relationship with the followers.
Biblical Servant Leadership. Definition
The servant leadership model has a connotation observed within multiple examples of biblical characters. A servant is not self-absorbed or egoistic because the focus is on giving rather than receiving. The followers of such leaders know that their primary needs will be met. Moreover, the biblical model is based on God’s guidance and call.
The idea that God is the one who is in the center makes this method unique in how it is exercised within organizations and institutions. According to Nouwen (1989), the image of a servant leader is that of a trustworthy person who aims to have a connection with the followers and serve them. Based on the biblical connotations and the sources that have analyzed the subject, servant leadership is a model in which God is the center, followed by the needs of the people.
Jesus as a Servant Leader
Jesus Christ was a leader who influenced his followers without relying on fear, self-importance, or unethical behavior. Instead, people loved Jesus for his desire to serve and exercise his faith through his teachings. Christ is portrayed as a power figure who would dress as a servant, act as an enslaved person, and lead people (John 13: 3-17). Such characteristics illustrate Jesus as a leader who would be out in the crowd rather than at the head of a table (Wilkes, 1998). The five main principles of a biblical servant leader are referred to in religious texts and illustrated in the way Jesus has externalized his traits and actions as an efficient leader.
Five Principles of Biblical Servant Leadership
As mentioned prior, biblical servant leadership originated from the principles and actions of biblical characters who guided followers. Moreover, this model is based on five main principles. Every principle also correlates with Jesus as a proficient leader who created relationships with his followers based on faith, trust, humbleness, and servitude. The five concepts include serving God’s will before the followers, submitting to God’s calling, providing service before serving personal needs, ethical behavior, and building solid relationships.
God’s Will
Basing actions on God’s will is the crucial premise in the servant leadership model. Phillips (1999) portrays David as an excellent leader due to David’s love for people and faith in God. While the two are interconnected, God is central to servant leadership. This means a leader should base their guidance on biblical teachings before anything else. This aspect is the main difference between biblical servant leadership and secular types. Moreover, with God as a central figure, the followers’ needs are secondary. Jesus is considered one of the primary exemplars of servant leaders because God’s will guided him through his spiritual and physical journey all along.
God’s Calling
God’s calling is a concept that is primarily important for spiritual leaders. Submitting to a higher calling is one of the central premises within the realm of spiritual leadership. This notion illustrates a person’s desire to commit to the activities designed to spread God’s teachings and build a following as a result of the calling. Moses is an excellent example since his life did not belong to him but was in the hands of a higher power (Cohen, 2007). This illustrates how a leader should submit to God’s grand design when exercising leadership through humanity (Morris, 2006). Furthermore, one of the consequences of God’s holy calling was his giving people grace and forgiveness in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the epiphany of God’s calling, which correlates with one of servant leadership premises.
Service Over Self-Interest
As the definition implies, servant leadership focuses on serving over receiving. Moreover, leaders who choose this model for guidance tend to focus on the followers/employees before attending to their own needs. This creates an environment where individuals know their leader is focused on their desires and needs. Agosto (2005) points out that a servant leader’s priority is meeting people’s needs. Service to others means a lack of pride, and David is an example of how a man with a heart free of pride can be a successful leader (Yandian, 1995). Moreover, the most humble and serving biblical character is Jesus. Jesus was a leader who took advantage of his position for the sole purpose of guiding and helping his followers.
Ethical Behavior
Since servant leadership has a solid biblical connotation, shaping actions according to ethical behavior is necessary to achieve an effective and beneficial leadership model. A leader is an example that followers/employees use when making decisions, setting goals, and overcoming obstacles. As Jesus is the perfect biblical leader, his behavior never portrays unethical decisions or actions. Jesus Christ was an exemplar of humbleness and servitude and a leader who always illustrated that excellent intentions and ethics are more important than individual gains.
Empowerment
Empowerment of the team is another aspect that defines servant leadership. According to Blackaby & Blackaby (2011), spiritual leaders have to empower followers by moving them to God’s plan. The first step is giving people a sense of belonging and a greater goal. However, to be an efficient leader, it is essential to show people the way by empowering them with praise and kind words that motivate them to do better. To achieve heart orientation from followers, it is vital to empower those who follow to create a motivational environment and reassure people that their actions have a greater purpose, just as Jesus empowered Peter to build a church (Matthew 16:18-9). This is an example of how words of encouragement and reassurance can influence someone.
Transformational vs. Servant Leadership
The main aspects of the transformational leadership model are similar yet in contrast with those of a servant model. The four aspects of this leadership style are:
Thoughtfulness, intellectual provocation, encouragement, and idealized impact. Encouragement is persistent in both types of leadership, which is one of the similarities. Moreover, the premise of individualized thoughtfulness for transformational leadership correlates with serving others as both terms imply the attendance of the followers’ needs (Wilkes, 1998). The idealized impact may be similar to ethical behavior, which is the example that leaders show in order for the followers to have an understanding of the leaders’ traits. However, transformational leadership is not based on the figure of God as a central entity. Therefore, transformational leaders are not focused on submitting to God’s call and spreading God’s teachings and words through their organizations.
My Vocational Leadership: Incorporated Principles
The position of a retail manager requires certain leadership traits that are connected to specific principles that correlate with servant leadership. Incorporating these aspects of leadership will effectively improve relationships with employees, the work environment, organizational ethics, and the team’s motivation. Some of the principles are following God’s will, serving others, empowering other employees, and having strong ethical standards.
God’s Will
Being in a professional setting may be challenging when it comes to making decisions and creating favorable outcomes for other employees. According to Wilkes (1998), a servant leader is, first and foremost, a servant of God. This is why I strive to base decisions and actions on God’s will. It will improve my leadership skills and personal actions toward a favorable work environment in which God remains an influential figure before anything else.
Serving Others
As an individual who strives to follow servant leadership premises, serving others before attending to personal interests is essential. Barton (2008) mentions that a leader must take responsibility. Focusing on the employee’s needs is one of the responsibilities that I, as a servant leader, have to consider before considering self-interest. This is what makes a Christ-like leader respected and trusted by the team. Since employees know the leader addresses their needs, they are more likely to reciprocate it through good work ethics and positive outcomes.
Empowering
Empowering employees to follow God’s teaching while performing professional activities is one of the methods of creating effective servant leadership. Howell (2003) mentions the importance of leadership, which empowers others to be motivated and have excellent work ethics. Moreover, empowering others within the realm of retail will create strong professional relationships between the team members and me, building positive environments for individuals to be goal-oriented and ethical at the same time.
Ethics
Ethics and servant leadership correlate due to the intentions portrayed by the leaders and how said goals are achieved. Wilkes (1998) highlights humility as an essential trait that portrays good work ethics. Humility will allow me to have a closer leader-employee bond and minimize the distance that most team members may find difficult to overcome. As servant leaders aim to serve their people, adequate ethics will allow for the act of service to be wholly beneficial for the receiver within the professional environment.
Conclusion
The biblical servant leadership model is the only type of leadership that views power as a tool for serving others rather than a concept to be used in self-interest. Jesus is the perfect example of influence being used in the name of the greater good. As an exemplar of a biblical servant leader, Jesus followed such principles as following God’s will, submitting to God’s calling, serving others, having excellent ethics, and empowering his followers. Such aspects of servant leadership can be incorporated into my work ethic as a retail manager with great success. The consequences will be building strong bonds with other team members, having a positive work environment, and having God as a central figure in my professional life.
References
Agosto, E. (2005). Servant leadership: Jesus and Paul. Chalice Press.
Barton, R. (2008). Strengthening the soul of your leadership: Seeking God in the crucible of ministry. Intervarsity Press.
Blackaby, H. T., & Blackaby, R. (2011). Spiritual leadership: Moving people onto God’s agenda. B & H Publishing Group.
Blanchard, K., & Hodges, P. (2005). Lead like Jesus. W Publishing Group.
Cohen, N. J. (2007). Moses and the journey to leadership. Jewish Lights Publishing.
Howell, D. N. (2003). Servants of the servant: A biblical theology of leadership. Wipf & Stock Publishers.
Morris, G. K. (2006). In pursuit of leadership: Principles and practices from the life of Moses. Xulon Press.
Nouwen, H. J. M. (1989). In the name of Jesus. Crossroads Publishing.
Phillips, R. D. (1999). The heart of the executive: Lessons on leadership from the life of King David. Doubleday.
Wilkes, G. (1998). Jesus on leadership: Developing servant leaders. Tyndale.
Yandian, B. (1995). Leadership secrets of David the King. Harrison House Publishers.