I have often described by management style as servant leadership. It sounded good, and it was something that I worked to try to live by. Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with several people who I felt were great Servant Leaders. As time goes by though, I look back on their leadership, and my own leadership and wonder if Servant Leadership, as I have defined it is really what my management style is.
I have defined Servant Leadership as the process of leading teams by serving them. That is, to emphasize the role of the team members, and to deemphasize the role of the leader. The idea of Servant Leadership is based on Jesus’s call to his disciples to service.
25Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28
Over the next days, I will share my study of Servant Leadership, and encourage all observations.