Larry’s issues began to impact his job. The impact was great enough that the Board of Directors had set a date for his evaluation. A member of the Board, the CEO of a very large NGO, met with Larry as a friend to talk. The CEO offered to help in any way he could because Larry was key in the overall operation. The CEO agreed to a “confidential exchange.” Larry, fearful for the loss of his job, shared without reservation.

The night of the board meeting, no help was offered to Larry and he was fired. The CEO had met with the Board of Directors earlier and revealed ALL that Larry shared with him. Was the CEO a servant leader as he claimed? Who was he serving?

Leaders come in all shapes and sizes. Even leaders that enjoy the “servant leader” label often fall short of understanding it. Grasping the concept is of utmost importance.

The following words of a CEO who heads a large manager training school, James Manktelow, describe his view:

“The theory of ‘Servant Leadership’ is a risky one… it is likely to lead to an approach that is too passive, probably overly consensual, and most likely ineffective.” ¹

This CEO is stating here and further in his essay that a servant leader is passive, lacks vision, without accountability, overly consensual, and serves upwards (employees serve the boss, the boss serves the Board).

The person considered the greatest servant leader of all time is Jesus. He is one who serves, then leads – rather than leads, then serves. This Jewish carpenter, by His recorded words, His convincing life and death, was qualified to say, “For even the Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mk 10:45) ²

If Jesus came to serve, how well did He do? To reach across cultures and social status in Jesus’ day, He must have responded to local needs in an appropriate way. Then and now, people in all walks of life respond to Him, resulting in a global impact. Jesus crosses all lines politically and socially without regard to His own comfort zone.

The authentic sacred documents on the life of Jesus reveal the essence of what is “real” servant leadership. As you piece together these statements, you will discover some profound contemporary and applicable leadership wisdom. Jesus encouraged, set boundaries, cast vision, instructed, challenged, and communicated openly.

It is interesting that Jesus, considered the role-model for servant leadership, is guilty of none of the descriptors mentioned by James Manktelow. Here are just a few examples:

Was Jesus passive? He walked into the temple – a place of worship for the community – found many conducting business, buying and selling animals and exchanging money. Jesus became aggressive and physically removed the offenders. In yet another story, Jesus confronted His followers harshly for their areas of disbelief.

Did He lack vision? Jesus taught His close followers to go into areas of the country and share the message of love and forgiveness. He taught people how to forgive and how to live a life that contributed to the life of the community.

Did He serve only upwards? Jesus washed His disciples’ feet.

Were decisions always consensual? On one occasion, Jesus’ followers hastily removed children from around Him. He overruled His followers. “…Jesus was irate and let them know it: ‘Don’t push these children away. Don’t ever get between them and me.’” (Mark 10:14, The Message)

We, as serious servant leaders, must focus on people groups or individuals, rather than focus on organizations or accomplishing tasks. Jesus created a balance for servant leaders that shows us that tasks are accomplished as a result of who we are: servants – not just leaders.

When Jesus said, “I come to…” To what? To fulfill a purpose, a destiny – I come to live out who I am created to be. Jesus also said, “… As the Father has sent me, I am sending you…” (Jn 20:21) If Jesus came to fulfill a destiny of service, how much more are we to “… come to…” fulfill a destiny of service, sent by Jesus as the Father sent Him. Any less focus limits the individual, which limits the organization. As an individual develops and fulfills his purpose as a servant, both the individual and the organization benefit. The importance of completing tasks is obvious. We must grow. We must produce. However, task versus relationship-focused leadership styles should not be looked at as either/or but, rather, a holistic result of the individual fulfilling his role as servant.

When an organization or individual loses focus on the concern for their people or customers, everyone suffers. The religious community is not immune to this subtle slide of thinking. When having a bigger church, larger budget, bigger mission, outweighs a genuine love and concern for people, a large public display is created, but it becomes a hollow lifeless center.

When the Somali pirates took over Captain Richard Phillips’ ship, he made a quick decision. He told his crew to stay in their rooms and lock the door. He put himself in harm’s way and became a hostage. Saving and protecting his crew was his first thought. A genuine servant leader.

In contrast, how many leaders in the recent world economic crisis sold those they were to serve for self-promoting gain? Judas comes to mind.

Jack, now a retired sales manager, was challenged to adopt a country. Jack did and began to study its history and culture. He traveled there and met people from all levels of society. He served those he met by providing business contacts, educational opportunities, and even developing a hot lunch program in a public school for the poorest students. Relationships grew over the years into key political and business positions. Jack, serving his friends, led to positive changes even in the government.

A very humble Asian servant leader in a developed country wanted to help his people. He discovered in his high government position, several others with the same heartbeat. They began to meet to decide how they could better serve their families, their government, and the people they represented. Positive changes in the government took place as they reached out to their own and less developed countries in unique ways. Servant leadership at its best.

Yee, a street kid with limited education, discovered he was important as a person. He found out his life had meaning – he was not a mistake. He became interested in a high, no-roads-in mountain village. He acquired further schooling, went to the village and developed a school. After a basic educational program, the kids wanted more. They were winning honors. Yee convinced the provincial educational leaders to allow the students to attend the next higher level of education. A residence was developed in the main city for the students. Yee and his work are now regarded as a model for other isolated mountain villages. A servant leader, who, with much personal sacrifice, influenced change for thousands of young people.

A businessman, a politician, a street kid – all servant leaders. At some place in our journey we discover that being a leader is not the point. Rather, the point is being a servant. Greenleaf wrote this:

“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?”³

Dr Roy Thompson and his wife Bonita reside in Bangkok, Thailand. Roy’s ministry involves working with business and government leaders in Southeast Asia creating a safe place to talk about Jesus. Bonita, with a Thai partner, ministers to women wanting to leave the sex trade. The residential center is known as “Home of New Beginnings.” The Thompsons have a daughter who directs a violence prevention program in one of the inner cities in California.

Notes
1 Manktelow, James. “Servant Leadership.” Mind Tools. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_93.htm(Accessed April 2009).

2 All references to Jesus’ life are found in the first four books of the New Testament in the Holy Bible.

3 Greenleaf, Robert. Servant Leadership. Ramsey: Paulist Press, 1977.

The New International Version of the Bible has been referenced unless otherwise stated.