About Biblical Leadership

There are various leadership philosophies that one might employ as an individual or as a member of the executive team in an organization. One should not embrace autocracy and haughtiness in order to be a good leader. We will talk about how to apply the principles of servant leadership to issues in ministry like leadership development, programming, decision-making, motivation, and communication. We will also talk about how to integrate and implement biblical servant leadership in one's own personal leadership development. My leadership style is servant leadership. It is the type of leadership style that Jesus practiced in the Bible, and it defines a leader as one who is a servant first and has the urge to serve first then to lead. A servant leader always has the priority to attend to other people's needs and to focus on the growth and well-being of the people they serve ("What is Servant Leadership? - Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership", 2016). Unlike other forms of leadership where an individual in charge acquires everything and is above everyone, servant leadership requires a leader to share power and to ensure the needs of the people he serves are all met.

Servant leadership reminds the leaders that they are not entitled to their authorities, and they did not earn it. Through servant leadership, the people led are empowered to accomplish great things. Additionally, it shows that the leaders are accountable to God who has given them authority (Burkhart, 2015). Servant leaders are depicted as people who have been transformed by Christ and have the attitudes that Jesus had. They also have a sense of purpose and direction that comes from God, and they listen to everyone and not only the people who are influential like them (Krejcir, 2017).

Servant leaders do not seek power and influence to use it for their own good, and neither do they use their authority to overpower those around them. Moreover, they are concerned about the poor and allow their followers to make their own decisions without using coercion and threats of punishment. They also influence their followers and persuade them as they recognize that they have limited authority (Perman, 2015). Apart from that, a servant leader encourages the input of the people he serves and asks for feedback from them ("Servant Leadership", 2017). A servant leader is also keen on sharing the credit of the results of those contributions.

In addition to those qualities, a servant leader is also expected to be empathetic. This means they should make every effort to understand others and empathize with them (Podsada, 2017). Servant leaders should not reject anyone regardless of their behaviors because everyone has unique and distinctive characteristics. By being empathetic, a good servant leader puts aside their viewpoint and tries to fit in the shoes or put themselves in the situations of others. They also inquire the opinions of others when making decisions and acknowledge those views even if they do not agree with them.

Good listenership is also a trait that servant leaders should have. By listening keenly to others, a servant leader identifies the will of the people he leads and helps them in fulfilling them. Listening also helps the leader to grow as he reflects a lot. Employees always want to not only be heard by their leaders but also to be listened to because they want attention and support. It is therefore prudent for a servant leader to listen to the people he is leading. By listening, servant leaders cultivate a genuine relationship between them and the people they are leading, and they can build on loyalty and transparency.

Another trait of servant leadership is stewardship. This is the ability of a servant leader to have the best interest of the people he leads at heart and not to see his position as a leeway to rising in status. A servant leader should steward the people he leads to achieving their missions and goals. For servant leaders to be good stewards, they have to have a ‘we' perspective and not ‘I' perspective. They also have to have in mind their long-term success and understand their core values and base their work and decisions with those values. It is also essential for a servant leader to be a steward to influence the people they are leading into adopting a positive attitude.

Core Values

The core values of a servant leader demonstrate both their internal and external characters. The first value of a servant leader is leadership (Five Core Values, 2017). This is the ability of that leader to guide others and to ensure their visions or purposes are fulfilled. It is also the ability to influence others socially, set a direction for them, and maximizes their efforts. For one to have the leadership virtue does not mean they have status and seniority in position. Leadership does not also mean that one is a manager but that one can lead.

Moreover, servant leaders normally observe servanthood. One is considered a servant leader if he is a servant first. This means one has to have the urge to serve the people he is leading and to put the needs of those people before his needs. Servanthood also requires one to be unselfish and to have an obligation to serve rather than to be served. A servant leader embraces servanthood and considers himself under submission to God first and to the people that he serves.

The third value of servant leadership is decision making. This means that a servant leader has to learn to make final decisions and the decisions must be right and unbiased. Servant leaders always have to be prepared to make decisions all the time whether the decision is tough or minor and they have to make decision-making their responsibility and part of their daily expectations. While making decisions, servant leaders have to remember their choices should be of good will and not for their own gain but for the benefit of the people they are serving. The decisions have to be aligned toward achieving their goals.

Empowerment is also a value that a servant leader should have. This means that he can inspire others, and to help them to grow and succeed ("Five Core Values: Servant Leadership", 2017). When people are empowered, they feel they are entrusted to make decisions, and in turn, they feel a stronger sense of ownership and worth. Empowerment helps people to be more productive and to work towards achieving their goals. Through empowerment, a servant leader can build on the trust between them and the people they are leading, and they are able to promote the success of everyone by achieving goals.

Another value of a servant leader is selflessness. A servant leader should give without expecting glory or reward. By being selfless, a servant leader shares credit. If the people led by a servant leader succeed, it reflects positively on the leader. Apart from sharing credit, a leader also shows selflessness by engaging the people he leads in conversations and initiating those conversations. This indicates that the leader is mature and understands the need for open communication between him and the people. Selflessness is also shown through empowerment and humility.

Additionally, a servant leader is required to have the value of being visionary. This means that he can raise his expectations and that of the team. A visionary leader is inspirational to his people and is open-minded. Aside from that, if a servant leader is visionary, he is imaginative and thinks ahead on what is good for the people he leads. Being visionary also proves that a leader is bold, optimistic and collaborative. Having the value of being visionary indicates that a leader can see beyond the challenges that might be there and is determined to steer people towards achieving their goals.

Having initiative is also another value that a servant leader should have. This means that the leader recognizes what he needs to do and does not wait to be told to do it. Servant leaders should have the initiative to perform their duties because they are aware of the importance. They are self-driven. Leaders with initiative do not stand still and always do things the way they are supposed to be done. They also do more than what is required of them, and they share their ideas with the people they serve. Additionally, leaders with initiative think as team members and not as people in authority. Initiative in a leader also motivates the people they lead and therefore brings about productivity.

The final value that a servant leader should have is being energetic ("Five Core Values: Servant Leadership", 2017). When a leader is energetic, they show enthusiasm in doing their work. This makes it easy for them to create a rapport with their people. Being energetic also indicates that they can communicate well with their people through body language and eye contact. An energetic leader proves that he is passionate about his work and they influence their people to be passionate. By being energetic, a leader is also able to sell his ideas and to motivate others to buy their ideas.

Personality Profile

This consists of the personal attributes of a servant leader and some of the principles that a servant leader possesses. A servant leader should be willing to invest in people (Edmondson, 2016) and should be curious to know what unique quality every person has, to convince the person to put it to use. Aside from that, a servant leader should support his team by ensuring they have the skills, resources, knowledge, and support that they need to do their job. To support his team, a servant leader needs to meet the team members often and assisting them inareas where they face challenges.

Moreover, as an attribute of servant leaders, they are able to grow their team ("What is Servant Leadership? [5 Must-Have Principles]", 2017). A servant leader should encourage the personal and professional development of his people. This shows that he has the interest to achieve growth in the people. Leaders should also know the strengths and weaknesses of the people they lead and be able to use this information when assigning tasks. When the tasks have been performed, the leader should be interested in getting feedback from the people. A leader should also train and mentor his people to promote their growth and development.

Additionally, a servant leader should be one who let goes and listens. A good servant leader gives others a chance to lead too by listening to their ideas and implementing them. Servant leaders should not force people to use their ideas and policies only but should persuade people to use those ideas and should be willing also to be corrected. Lastly, a servant leader strives to build a community with the people he serves. Servant leaders should share the goals and mission of their activities with people and acknowledges every effort made by everyone team member.

How the Personality Profile Fits in the Mission Statement

My mission statement as a servant leader is to make serving others my priority and to promote a sense of community and the sharing of power in decision-making. The personality profile fits in the mission statement as it highlights that a leader should focus on improving the growth of others by developing their skills and assisting them where possible. It also emphasizes that a servant leader recognizes the effort of others, therefore, is willing to share power. In the personality profile, a servant leader strives to build a community with the people he serves just as is mentioned in the mission statement.

Spiritual gifts that I possess that should be utilized in my role as a leader

The first spiritual gift that I own is the gift of leadership. This gift provides one with the ability to lead, protect, assist, and care for others. The gift is people oriented and not task oriented and emphasizes the importance of caring for others and building relationships with others. This gift is given by the Holy Spirit to ensure leaders take care of God's people. The gift also makes people base their success on helping others grow and succeed. With this gift, I have a role to be a leader.

The second spiritual gift that I possess is the gift of wisdom. Wisdom is needed in leadership especially in decision-making. When a leader has wisdom, he can apply the knowledge that he has about life in making everyday decisions. A leader to counsel the people he serves can also use the gift of wisdom. This is important, as the leader needs to ensure that the people he serves are assisted in the challenges they face. Wisdom is also necessary as leaders use it in drawing their goals.

The third spiritual gift that I have is the gift of service. It is described as helping and aiding in love with the community. This gift is essential in leadership, as a leader should strive to serve others rather than to be served. With this gift, a leader is obliged to serve the needs of others and prioritizes to promote the wellbeing and growth of those they serve. Leaders who have the gift of service are committed to achieving the goals of those they serve, and they always involve those they serve in their decisions by inquiring their opinions and consent before carrying out various activities.

Another spiritual gift that I have is the gift of giving. A good leader should be generous and selfless. The spirit of giving enables one to give without expecting something in return. This is important in leadership, as a good leader needs to share credit with the people he serves. When someone has done something right, a good leader should acknowledge their efforts and give them credit. The gift of giving also enables a leader to empower the people he serves to see them succeed.

Lastly, I possess the spiritual gift of administration. This gift makes one a good leader as one can steer the people he serves towards achieving goals. With this gift, a leader is obliged to listen to the people he serves and help them in their areas of difficulty. The gift of administration also helps a leader to be able to make plans and supervise others in carrying out those plans. A leader who has the gift of administration is considered organized, and this is an important trait in leadership.



References

What is Servant Leadership? - Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. (2016). Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. Retrieved 30 November 2017, from https://www.greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/

Burkhart, A. (2015). A Biblical Mandate for Servant Leadership.Institute for Faith, Work & Economics. Retrieved 29 November 2017, from https://tifwe.org/a-biblical-mandate-for-servant-leadership/

Krejcir, R. (2017). Servant Leadership Principles.Churchleadership.org. Retrieved 29 November 2017, from http://www.churchleadership.org/apps/articles/?articleid=41928&columnid=4540

Perman, M. (2015). The 7 Characteristics of Servant Leadership - What's Best Next. What's Best Next? Retrieved 30 November 2017, from https://www.whatsbestnext.com/2015/05/the-7-characteristics-of-servant-leadership/

Servant Leadership. (2017). Trinity Western University. Retrieved 30 November 2017, from https://www.twu.ca/about/core-values/servant-leadership

Podsada, R. (2017). Cite a Website - Cite This For Me. Nine10.ca. Retrieved 29 November 2017, from https://www.nine10.ca/blog/10-characteristics-of-a-servant-leader/

Five core values. (2017).

Edmondson, R. (2016). 12 Leadership Principles of Jesus | Ron Edmondson. Ronedmondson.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017, from http://ronedmondson.com/2016/09/12-leadership-principles-of-jesus.html

Five Core Values: Servant Leadership. (2017). DBVisions. Retrieved 29 November 2017, from http://www.championsofcharacter.org/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205388600

What is Servant Leadership? [5 Must-Have Principles]. (2017). Status Guides. Retrieved 29 November 2017, from https://status.net/articles/servant-leadership/