Nicole Reardon
Does the concept of servant-leadership, which Jesus embodied, have a place in our corporate, secular world… can servant-leadership, in fact, help businesses thrive?
Unpack the issues
Diann Feldman is the Chairperson for the Greenleaf Centre for Servant Leadership in Australia and New Zealand. Since establishing the Australian centre in 1998, Di has been promoting Robert Greenleaf’s servant-leadership model to businesses and organisations throughout Australia. Previously involved in consultancy for corporate businesses, Di says she was overjoyed to discover Robert Greenleaf’s model, which resonates with her own faith.
“I am of a Christian faith and I found that Greenleaf’s model fitted perfectly with my whole concept of life. It revolves around the idea that within each individual there is a capacity to serve and, out of that capacity, we can make the conscious decision to expand that need to serve, through leadership. In the same way, Christ came to serve the world in order to save us – he came to serve and then extended that in order for us to live out our lives more effectively.”
She admits, however, that servant-leadership’ is a concept that many find difficult to grasp.
“The term ‘servant-leader’ is essentially a paradox,” says Di. “A servant-leader serves first from the desire to aid the greater good, with the knowledge that by serving others you actually help them grow and become more productive.”
“The desire to serve actually shapes how you lead and that contrasts greatly to those people who try to lead first and serve secondly. Those who try to serve first come to leadership from a very different place – they want to help people to grow – allowing them to explore the wonderful privilege of autonomy and freedom, ability to choose and ability to use their talent as opposed to those only focused on leadership who concentrate on the what their organisation needs to achieve… the ‘doing’ aspect.”
Tony Duncan, Minister at Pilgrim Uniting Church in Launceston, agrees with Diann. He argues that comprehending the concept requires a higher power.
“The terms ‘servant’ and ‘leadership’ appear, to most of us, mutually exclusive. They need some form of connection – and that connection comes from a divine power," says Tony.
“Jesus clearly illustrated this model of servant-leadership. He shows this when he becomes angry at his disciples when they fail to grasp the concept when they ask him who will receive the best place in heaven.”
However, Tony says Jesus wasn’t the first to display servant-leadership in the Bible.
“It goes all the way back into the Old Testament,” he explains. “Moses and David also modeled servant-leadership. They are not people who are perfect, but who in their humility are connected to their God, and that is where the strength for their leadership comes from.”
But can servant-leadership be modeled in our workforce today without depriving the business or organisation? Both Tony and Di believe so, arguing that by applying the concept of servant-leadership, places of work can become even more productive.
“This is true no matter if the organisation is a local church, not-for-profit organisation, government agency or a private enterprise," says Di.
There are a range of people who provide good examples of servant-leaders.
“Historically,” says Di, “You couldn’t look at Mother Theresa and not recognise that she is a servant-leader. If you look at Nelson Mandela, there are also many aspects in the way in which he has led that characterise the servant-leader.”
But there are figures closer to home, Tony and Di explain, who also illustrate what it is to be a servant-leader. “You’ve got people like Dr Fiona Woods, the cancer research professor, and Ian Kiernan,” says Tony.
“We also have people like Bob Anderson who heads up BHP Australia who has modeled his leadership practices on servant-leadership,” says Di.
“The beauty of this model is that anyone can display servant leadership, the whole organisation doesn’t have to be following it in order for you to make a major impact.”
People should be aware that once you become a servant-leader, you remain one.
“It permeates into your key relationships in life,” says Di, “even your family unit".
Jesus will always remain the best example of this though, as Tony says, “He showed the most radical approach to servant-leadership because he was both fully committed to serving God's will whilst at the same time being God on earth".
Unpack the issues
- Are you a servant-leader? Diann Feldman says to ask yourself the question: “From their experience with you, having been served by you as their leader, has that in some way shaped, formed or helped them to become healthier, wiser, more free and more likely to do the same for others?”
- The servant-leader by Diann Feldman
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