Taking the Form of a Servant
“It is exhausting. I get phone calls at all hours of the night. The employees don’t want to think for themselves. They want me to fix everything.” I was at a Thanksgiving gathering of expatriates. This was the response from an exhausted leader when I asked him how his business was going. This is a common theme I have heard from other Christians in my context: exhaustion and exacerbation that have developed from philanthropic motives. To attain a visa in our Islamic host country, one generally tries to meet a practical need through a business venture or non-profit work. Those of us here for the sake of the Gospel share a desire to see lasting change, both spiritually and practically, in the communities we serve. These believers would relate to the altruistic nature of servant leadership. How can we be servant leaders to those who do not want to be empowered?
Peter Northouse’s book Leadership: Theory & Practice addresses servant leadership. In the book, Northouse looks at multiple leadership theories, aspects of leadership, and practical applications. Given my context in Africa and my desire to grow in my journey of being a servant leader, I decided to explore what Northouse addresses concerning servant leadership. I will also look at how that applies to my leadership context. Northouse introduces servant leadership with this statement:
“Servant leadership is a paradox—an approach to leadership that runs counter to common sense. Our everyday images of leadership do not coincide with leaders being servants. Leaders influence, and servants follow. How can leadership be both service and influence? How can a person be a leader and a servant at the same time?”[1]
Servant leadership is unique from other leadership styles in that its primary goal is putting followers first. Northouse explains that servant leadership is considered a “moral” type of leadership, along with authentic and ethical leadership.[2] The difference is that servant leaders strive for the greater good and growth of all those involved by serving them, with “altruism” as a central theme.[3] The founder of servant leadership theory, Robert Greenleaf, contrasts a servant leader with someone who serves first rather than leads first.[4]
Northouse presents a servant leadership model with three categories for servant leadership. Firstly, the pre-existing factors may affect leadership progression: “context and culture, leader attributes, and follower receptivity.”[5] In my host country, the culture is accustomed to top-down leadership. The country’s recent history of slavery, colonization, and tribal conflicts all contribute to this hierarchy. The majority religion discourages questioning it and rather blindly trusts the head religious leaders. These cultural factors strongly affect follower receptivity to servant leadership traits, which are countercultural. Northouse asserts that cultures with high power distance are resistant to servant leadership styles.[6]
What are some of the behaviors of servant leadership? Northouse lists these seven attributes as the next section of the model:
-
- Conceptualizing
- Emotional healing
- Putting followers first
- Helping followers grow and succeed
- Behaving ethically
- Empowering
- Creating value for the community[7]
Most Christian workers in my context would agree on the value and need to display these servant leadership traits. The actual application is difficult. In The Undefended Leader, Simon Walker discusses these challenges,
“A significant percentage of people in social leadership, motivated by his vision of servant leadership, may fail to find [the love and grace needed to serve others as] resources within themselves and instead run dry. So, they resort to constructing other kinds of collusion that secure them other emotional rewards for their work. The danger in this is that not only will they end up exhausted and bitter, but their followers will end up hurt.”[8]
Walker goes on to address the need for Christians to run to the Living Water found through Christ Jesus.[9] When we can find our sustenance and strength in Christ, it is only then that we can display these traits of servants first.
The last aspect of the servant leadership model in Leadership: Theory & Practice is the outcomes. These are listed as “follower performance and growth, organizational performance, and societal impact.”[10] As seen in the conversation above, a question commonly asked in my context is, “How do we empower and help those who do not want to be empowered?” Perhaps a different question is, as we grow and serve as leaders, are others also developing? Greenleaf gives a profound test to see if servant leadership is being effective:
“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? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society; will they benefit, or, at least, will they not be further deprived?”[11]
According to Greenleaf, as we serve others, even the forgotten and outcasts of society will benefit. That makes me think about Jesus, the ultimate Servant Leader. He spent time with the least in society.[12] He humbled himself and came to earth to serve.[13] As I continue to serve in my context, Northouse warns that servant leadership may not be effective when those being served “are not open to being guided, supported, and empowered.”[14] It may be challenging, but in my personal experience, servant leadership can be effective in my context. It takes time, trust, prayer, and, most importantly, humility, like that of Jesus, our Servant Leader and the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
[1] Peter Guy Northouse, Leadership: Theory & Practice, 9th ed. (Los Angeles, CA: SAGE, 2022), 253.
[2] Ibid, 253.
[3] Ibid, 253.
[4] Robert K. Greenleaf, The Servant as Leader, Kindle ed. (Westfield, IN: Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, 1973).
[5] Northouse, Leadership: Theory & Practice, 259.
[6] Ibid, 260.
[7] Ibid, 259.
[8] Simon P Walker, Leading Out of Who You Are: Discovering the Secret of Undefended Leadership, The Undefended Leader Trilogy, Book 1 (Carlisle, UK: Piquant Editions Ltd, 208AD), 147-148.
[9] Ibid, 168.
[10]Northouse, Leadership: Theory & Practice, 259.
[11] Greenleaf, The Servant as Leader.
[12] See Matthew 9:10-17, Mark 2:15-22, and Luke 5:29-39.
[13] Mark 10:45.
[14] Northouse, Leadership: Theory & Practice, 268.
About the Author
Kari
Kari is a passionate follower of Jesus. Her journey with Him currently has her living in the Sahara in North Africa. With over a decade of experience as a family nurse practitioner and living cross-culturally, she enjoys being a champion for others. She combines her cross-cultural experience, her health care profession, and her skills in coaching to encourage holistic health and growth. She desires to see each person she encounters walk in fullness of joy, fulfilling their God-designed purpose. “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Romans 12:12 ESV18 responses to “Taking the Form of a Servant”
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Hi Kari, Thank you for sharing your thoughts on Servant Leadership. I can relate to your journey, as we both appreciate its transformative potential, especially in our context here in the desert. As strong advocates for Servant Leadership, we recognize the benefits it offers, though it certainly comes with its challenges. Beyond the struggles of followers not fully grasping or desiring empowerment, what have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve encountered in your efforts to embody Servant Leadership?
Elysse, I think the biggest challenge in my servant leadership journal has been watching other believing workers become cynical and lose hope in change. With no hope, there is no effort put into even trying servant leadership tactics. Then, the opposite of Greenleaf’s litmus test happens—the poor in society are even more affected. As you know, this hopeless attitude of others can leave us alone and isolated in our purpose and hopeful expectations thatGodo brings the increase, not us!
Hi Kari, I like how you wove Simon Walker and Robert Greenleaf into your blog. One thing am curious about is that you say you are in a place where people may not want to be empowered. Understanding this present reflection, do you see any glimpses that the people in your context are, maybe quietly, cautiously learning from your lived example?
Thank you, Diane. YES! I have seen hopeful change. Sometimes I wonder if this “research” and mentality of resistance is really those of us coming in and losing heart rather than re-evaluating and trying new methods. My clinic staff was initially “resistant” to servant leadership methods. I think a big part is that it wasn’t in the DNA of the clinic. I prayerfully and gently kept pushing back. One day, I received a call from the head nurse. She told me about a government meeting that was called, leaving us short-staffed. I was ready to ask her what she thought we should do. Instead, she continued on telling me what she had arranged to take care of the problem and that she was calling “just to let [me] know.” She felt empowered, she acted on that, and her solution was FAR BETTER than any solution I would have come up with.
Kari,
This is a good example of others being empowered by servant leadership. Have you seen others follow in suit by serving others in their leadership? It really is a foreign concept to many people which is probably how the early Jews saw it when Jesus enacted it.
Hi Adam, I have seen little changes of people serving others beyond just want is expected in their religion. This is an area I hope will grow, but you’re absolutely right. Just as it was foreign for Jesus’ context it is here, too. We have to count the little victories!
Kari, in your article, you talk about the challenges of practicing servant leadership in cultures where people resist being empowered and guided. How do you balance the main principles of servant leadership with the cultural expectations for hierarchical leadership? Have you seen any effective strategies or examples that help slowly build acceptance for servant leadership in these situations?
Thanks for the good question, Chad. As a foreigner, I have a bit of a pass on being counter-cultural, so that is a helpful bonus! I have found to balance servant leadership with cultural expectations is to build trust. When there is trust, then you change and new strategies are much more easily accepted. A strategy that I find works well comes from a medical slogan: “See one, do one, teach one.” In my context 1 should probably be replaced with 100. It’s showing a new way, letting others try it as they are ready, not forcing a concept, then encouraging them to go out and teach or try something learned or new on their own.
Great article, thanks Kari.
Given the cultural resistance to servant leadership in your context, what specific strategies have you found effective in promoting servant leadership principles among followers who are accustomed to a top-down leadership style?
Hi Debbie, My response above to Chad is relevant to your question. Another thing I would add is the importance of showing people that they (the followers) have worth and value. Top-down approaches emphasize the necessity of the leader, not the follower. Learning peoples’ names, smiling, and greeting those of lower status in my host culture are huge ways to build trust and counter that top-down approach.
Kari,
I too appreciated your incorporating Simon Walker into your post. Edwin Friedman wrote “According to E. O. Wilson, author of Sociology, the three essential characteristics for an enduring society, whether it consists of ants or humans, are cooperation, cohesiveness, and altruism” (A Failure of Nerve, 62). As you discuss the idea of servant leadership in your current context, I wonder where do you see altruism from the country’s leadership?
Jeff, That is an excellent quote. My initial response was, “There isn’t.” But on further reflection, the government here is proactive in approving and even initiating efforts to help relieve poverty. One of the pillars of Islam is giving alms. Those in leadership are deliberate about giving food and money and providing for the underserved around them. In the time I have been here, there has been a significant increase in schools for those with special needs such as Down Syndrome and autism.
Hi Kari, thanks for your post!
As you were reading Northouse, have you considered any other leadership models that can pair well with servant leadership, especially considering your context where some are not ready to receive that type of leadership? Have you seen other examples of effective ministries with other leadership models in your context?
Hi Christy, My NPO is based on the fact that many ministries in my context have adopted a hierarchical approach because it is easier and met with less resistance. When its done well, servant leadership and transformational leadership both work in our context; it is just hard for leaders to push through the initial resistance and work it takes to have change happen.
Wow what a great post Kari. Thank you for sharing this. What are some ways you are going to the, “Living Water” as a servant leader, and how might you encourage others in your context to do the same?
Thank you, Ryan. That is a great question. Firstly, I hold very tightly to my weekly Sabbath and take moments of sabbath daily. I also spend regular time listening to prayer, taking the challenging “unpeaceful” parts of my life (often from my leadership) to the Lord. This helps me find Spirit-led direction in these areas. I also strongly encourage healthy boundaries with electronics, responding to texts and phone messages, etc. I always give myself space before committing to things. I encourage others through example, vocalizing my personal application, and coaching through their own challenges. It seems the Christians have the hardest time with this!
Hi Kari,
Besides servant leadership what other leadership styles appealed to you?
Hi Shela,
Transformational leadership has a lot of overlap with servant leadership but is more organizational and group-focused than on individual followers. This is a great method of leadership. Authentic leadership was a new one for me, but I love the concept. I think that a healthy balance between servant leadership and authentic leadership would allow for deep trust and connection between leaders and followers.