DMIN726
Essay Two
Dr.
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Introduction 1
Thesis 2
Background 2
Biblical Concept of Leadership as a Way to Serve People 3
Theories of Leadership and How to Serve the People. 6
Trait Theory 6
Behavioral Theory 7
Contingency Theory 9
Power and Influence Theories 9
Levels of Leadership 10
Position 10
Permission 11
Production 11
People Development Level 12
Pinnacle 13
Conclusion 14
Bibliography 15
Appendix: Practical Application Report 19
Introduction
In a variety of professions, it has been said that “to lead is to serve.” This is certainly true of the ministry, in which ministers are expected to both lead, and serve their congregation. There are a variety of leadership models that provide frameworks for strong, helpful, caring, and healthy forms of leadership among members of the ministry, as it relates to the way they operate within their congregation, and with regard to their professional duties. This includes servant leadership, authentic leadership, a biblical basic leadership among other models. The “Servant-first” perception by Robert Greenleaf clears the air for an exploration of how vision, or acting as a visionary, enhances servant leadership. Even more attractive is how John C. Maxwell describes leadership. To him, true leadership is one that benefits the followers, not enriches the leader. Therefore, regardless of the position or title given to an individual, great and visionary leaders always embrace the attitude of service to other people. Variously, according to Mark Miller and Kenneth Blanchard, leaders must be unique in how they serve the people most effectively and efficiently. Furthermore, the same concern of servitude in leadership is coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in his work The Servant as a Leader: Essay, originally published in 1970. Of note from his essay, visionary leadership begins as a “servant first.” It originates from a natural feeling that the individual wants to serve; then the human conscious brings in the inspiration to lead. This gives the difference between the “normal” leader, and the servant leader as the focus of this paper. Therefore, a big division exists between a “servant-first” leader and the “leader-first” leader. The paper will apply practices of servant leadership, biblical leadership, and the primary concept of leadership levels, in order to explore what the primary features of a leader are, how leadership is related to service, and what it means to be a servant leader in the ministry.
Thesis
Following the great inspiration from Robert Greenleaf and John C. Maxwell, this paper will focus on the thesis that “A variety of leadership models ultimately encourage leaders to act as servants.
Background
According to Professor Warren G. Bennis, a leader is an individual who does the right thing at the right time to improve his team of followers. In support, Robert Greenleaf argues that a servant leader is always focused on the growth and well-being of communities and environments to which they belong. The same is echoed in Max De Pree’s argument that servant leaders are excellent at setting goals and then getting into people to work and achieve those goals. In essence, visionary leadership involves setting a clear set of goals and then actively working within the community to help accomplish those goals.The community does not work for the leaders; servant leaders work for the people. Therefore, servant leaders understand how to serve. They offer accountability and direction to complete crucial projects required by the team.
Despite the fact that ministers, who act as “servants of God,” are often dismissed and disrespected by those who are not immediate members of their congregation, their calling is to serve all of those in their surrounding community. More specifically, in the ministry, being a servant of God means that the leader serves both the less abled and more abled with equal measures and sets a good foundation for society. They are closer to the people and spend time removing roadblocks and laying pavement towards the followers’ success. Through his leadership and mentorship arguments, John C. Maxwell explores how people (the team) do not care about the knowledge the leader has but about the “care” the leader has for them. As such, it is essential that members of a congregation, or residents within the community that the minister serves, believe that a local minister cares about and will serve their needs. This belief is, in fact, more important than the minister’s bible knowledge, or ability to teach. Based on these philosophical arguments, this paper will argue that leadership in ministry is serving the people.
Biblical Concept of Leadership
Luke 22:26 states that: “the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.” As such, the biblical concept of leadership demands that a leader be willing to serve, but in serving the people can “rule.” The use of the verb “rule” is significant, because it depicts exercising control over an area, and its people. Just as a king rules over his country, a minister must rule over his congregation, and parish area. Mathew 20:26–28 echoes the message as it explores the simplest route to becoming a trusted leader, stating that anyone who wants to be a leader must be a servant first. Robert Greenleaf concurs in his servant-first argument. In addition, an individual who wants to be at the top (as the leader) must act as a slave.In the previously stated verse from Matthew, Jesus entreats ministry leaders to possess a similar attitude to his, an attitude of service to the people. These two biblical verses may be considered as the foundation for missionary or Christian leadership. How Jesus describes a leader is directly opposite from how the world perceives leaders, where leaders build a pyramid, climb on top and let the people serve them. According to Biblical concept, real or visionary leaders are those who serve the people.
Therefore, servanthood is the real leadership in ministries. The better an individual serves, the more the Lord our God raises the leader to better measures of leadership. In addition, in acting as a ministerial leader, leadership is not about getting followers to serve the interest of the church and the leader, but the leader serving the interests of the church and its followers. As Jesus said, any leader who wants to become great and have a great following must learn to serve the world. For example, in today’s ministry work, we have preachers who have a large following due to their ability to serve the world by paving the way for their followers’ spiritual development.
Different scriptures in the Bible clearly show why better leaders serve the people rather than the reverse. According to Ephesians 2:10, we were all created to serve and help other people. As leaders serve the congregation in church, their needs are also met. During creation, God planned a servitude life for every individual. Therefore, leaders who are not serving the followers are missing a greater purpose. In evidence of this biblical model for leadership, or as the primary example of what a biblical leader should look like, Jesus spent his entire life on earth serving the people. The same should be reflected by leaders in the ministry through whom God speaks to his people. The church leadership hierarchy, which can be seen in Figure 1 below, clearly demonstrates the service based priority of biblical leaders, or leader within the church. By focusing on high-need groups, like seniors and youth, and by working to serve the larger community through outreach, ministers are more capable of providing meaningful service, according to the biblical model presented herein.
Figure 1: Church leadership hierarchy.
Most leaders in churches today refer to themselves as “servants of God.” But does calling oneself a servant of God qualify one as a real or a visionary leader. Colossians 3:23–24 sheds more light on this question. From the verse, leaders serve God by serving the followers or the team. Serving the people in the church gives the leaders a positive livelihood that best gives them keternal life. Therefore, to serve God in the ministry implies serving the people and showing them the direction towards achieving their goals in life.This argument is supported by Mathew 24:40, which explains that whatever the leaders of the church do, God takes it as a service to his kingdom. Therefore, based on biblical understanding, leadership in the church and the ministry is serving the people, which is a primary responsibility of those serving the Lord. Leaders are the servants of the people in the ministry and, therefore, their core responsibility is serving the congregation.
Theories of Leadership and How to Serve the People.
The servant leadership practices and philosophy are reflected in various contexts and applied in different arguments. This section will explore the four main categories of leadership theories (trait, behavioral, contingency, and power and influence theories) in supporting the thesis, “Leadership is the art of serving the people.”
Trait Theory
Trait theory argues that visionary and effective leaders have some inborn personality characteristics or traits that make them leaders. Some of these traits include empathy, good decision-making skills, likeability, integrity, assertiveness, and desire to influence others; these traits are very crucial in serving others. Following this argument, trait theories support Robert Greenleaf’s perception of the servant-first feature of a visionary or an effective leader.
The theory also supports Ken Blanchard’s and John C. Maxwell’s argument that visionary leaders must be knowledgeable. This can be confirmed from the traits and skills a leader is thought to have. For example, a leader must be socially skilled, which implies that the leader must be able to relate to the society in the best way possible for him or her to develop the community. Variously, a ministry leader must be persuasive, organized, and creative so as to direct, guide, and serve the people well. More importantly, he or she must be creative enough to diplomatically fit all followers in the train. In essence, leaders must be very skillful to serve the people in the right manner. An unskilled individual may therefore not be considered a leader; servitude traits and skills make a visionary leader.
Behavioral Theory
Behavioral theories use behavioral measures to differentiate a visionary leader and a normal individual posing as a leader.They explore where a leader involves his team or group of followers in decision making while encouraging support and acceptance. According to Kurt Lewin, there are three main behavioral categories of leaders. The same classification can be seen in churches or the ministry today.
In ministry, autocratic leaders are those individuals who make decisions without consulting the followers. Based on behavioral perceptions, it the best option when making a quick decision within the ministry work. For example, a servant of God may decide to help a vulnerable member of the church with either spiritual or financial support without involving or informing the church congregation. This argument is wholly supported by John 12:26 which says, God sees the kind of leader one is by how faithful and willing one is to the followers of Christ. Therefore, serving one or a group of individuals without involving the team or the church is one kind of servitude that shows how faithful and willing the leader is to serve God.
In the ministry, we have democratic leaders who solicit ideas and input from other people before making a decision. According to Mark 8:35, such individuals make the life of the followers meaningful, building another set of visionary leaders within the same organization. Therefore, leaders in the ministry who involve other members in the decision are seen as excellent servants as they pave the way for the future generation. This category of leaders works similarly to laissez-faire leaders who allow the team to make and implement plans and projects. They build a motivated and developed society out of their effort to create community. Therefore, based on behavioral theories, leadership involves serving the people by involving them in every aspect of development to bring positivity to society.
Contingency Theory
Contingency theories look at situations that make an individual a real or a visionary leader. For example, a ministry leader may look at the best way of changing a situation is the church or the community. For instance, drug abuse in a community may be solved by having an outreach crusade or a conference aimed at mentoring the youth. Therefore, this theory argues that leaders are described as visionary leaders if they are able to identify a situation, apply creative skills to solve the problem and change the nature of the situation affecting the community. Through this commitment to the ministry, the leader, in changing the negative situation to a positive situation, confirms that leadership is actually the art of serving the population.
Power and Influence Theories
Power and influence theories of leadership look on how leaders apply their influence and power to reach goals. Leaders in a church may use their position and influence to lead people to a positive situation. For example, if a neighborhood near the church is littered, the leaders may act as ringleaders to have church followers collect trash and clean the environment. Being part of the process makes the leader serve the needy population directly and indirectly. Based on this theory, leadership is serving the people through the application of individual power and influence at the right time, to the right people, in the right way, and using the right people.
This analysis of leadership theories has confirmed the thesis that leadership is the art of serving people. The same applies to ministry leadership where ministers must put their effort into serving the people in the right way and using the right channels. Therefore, leadership in social spheres and social institutions is all about serving the people and changing their lives for the better.
Levels of Leadership
Leadership involves moving from one level to another and is closely related to how an individual relates to the people he or she is “working with” or “serving.” According to John Maxwell, there are five key levels of leadership: position, permission, production, people development, and pinnacle. These levels will be described below, and related to the principle of servant leadership.
Position
The first level, Position represents the entry level to leadership. Any person can be elected or appointed to the position, but inbuilt ability to navigate the process determines whether an individual will move to the next level. Therefore, this level places the foundation for ministry leaders to begin serving people. At this stage, leaders begin opening communication, connecting with the followers and growing them as they grow themselves. The leader’s ability to work with the people determines whether the leader will move to the next level, permission.
Permission
In permission, individuals may be following a minister not because of his or her ability to lead, but because of his ability to reconnect with people. In ministry, connection means bringing more flocks or follows into the church. The ability to meet and convince people to follow the leader is crucial in being a better servant. At this level, individuals will follow a leader they feel is caring, trusted, and willing to work with the people. Variously, they follow an individual they feel has the ability to change their current working environment for the better. Therefore, the art of serving begins at this level; those who succeed in saving, caring, and helping the people proceed to the next level, production.
Production
In production, visionary leaders are separated from “mere” individuals who have adopted leadership skills for personal gains. On to this level, good or visionary leaders are those who make things happen, they aim at results by developing the team. They help the team produce to make changes and impact the organization or society. Visionary leaders have self-discipline, producing skills, strong work ethics, and the organization required to change the community.
In the ministry, leaders must be ready to serve the people by changing their attitudes, building on their performance, and investing in their spiritual selves. They must help the followers change direction when the need arises. Additionally, visionary leaders must respect work ethics, serving the people for who they are and not for what they have to give. This level is an eye opener on how to differentiate normal leaders and visionary leaders.
People-Development Level
Ability to serve the people in the production stage pushes us to the people-development level that wholly emphasizes corporate and personal productivity. The level explores the leader’s ability to develop the team while developing him- or herself. The more developed the team of the followers, the higher the chances that the leader was serving the team in the right way.At this level. Leaders must transition from a mere producer to a developer of the people. This is because, the leader’s serving ability will be reflected by how well the people are developed and how positivity is recognized in the team.
Good and visionary leaders sacrifice their time, money, knowledge, and capacity to grow and develop the community. They are ready to serve the population regardless of the hurdles along the way. Most ministers in churches apply the 80–20 rule while serving the congregation. They give 80% of their energy to the people and direct 20% to themselves.The idea is supported by the Bible: Jesus describes leaders as individuals who serve themselves by serving the people. It, therefore, reflects that leaders may be considered as the visionary ifthey serve and dedicate their lives to serving the people. Leadership is, therefore, the art of serving the people.
Pinnacle
The pinnacle acts as the last stage in leadership levels, as described by Maxwell’s framework, describes leaders who reach this level due to high skills and natural leadership. This idea is also reflected in Robert Greenleaf’s servant-first argument. It means that a visionary leader must have an inborn aspect of leadership that is boosted by adding more skills and knowledge required to develop people. Leaders who have a servant-first capacity are able to make a legacy within the region or organization they serve.
The level of leadership that an individual obtains are determined by their ability to serve the people, change their way of life and develop the people towards a positive change. Ministers who are capable of navigating all the levels to the pinnacle stage have great followings and serve the people, not for their own good, but for the good of the people they serve. Service to the population is the key to converting a normal leader to a visionary leader. Servants of God, men and women of God or prophets have large congregations and followings due to their service to society and their creativity in building a positive lifestyle for their followers.
Conclusion
Based on the analysis, leadership in not getting people to serve you, but you (the leader) serving the people. It is a matter of serving the best interests of the people. Jesus said, if you wish to be “great,” you have to learn to be a servant for all. In the ministry, leaders were created to serve others (Ephesians 2:19). In other words, visionary leaders serve God by serving the flock (Colossians 3:23–24).
The biblical concepts, leadership styles, levels of leadership and philosophical guidance from different schools of thought, have shown how leadership entails serving the people and making the best out of the world. Leadership in the church should, therefore, serve the congregation for them to achieve the goal of serving God.The best leaders are those who have a servant-first attitude and who are dedicated to serving people. They understand that by serving God, they are serving the people, who bring positive change to the world. Therefore, I can confidently conclude that leadership in ministry is wholly the art of serving the people.
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Appendix: Practical Application Report
“Information is power.” Therefore, based on Robert Greenleaf’s perception of “servant-first” and John C. Maxwell’s arguments on who is a visionary leader, the essay will better our understanding of the best way to lead people by serving them. The research also exposed me to various traits of a visionary leader as described by different theories of leadership. In connection with Robert Greenleaf argument of servitude in leadership, I feel much buoyed by the trait theories of leadership which brings in the mentality that some personality traits push individuals to lead. Following this guidance, our outreach ministry will wholly depend on the practices and philosophies advocated by Peter Senge, M. Scott Peck, Larry Spears, Margaret Wheatley, Stephen Covey, Ken Blanchard, and Ann McGee-Cooper on servant leadership.
As a new ministry, we require a new set of visionary leaders determined to serve and care for the people. As echoed by Max De Pree, we need leaders who will be in a position to cut a clear path through life challenges by enabling the individuals to have shared dreams, goals, and thrust to live positively in life. As illustrated by Professor Warren Bennis, our new outreach organization requires a visionary leader who will set goals and implement them at the right time with the aim of developing the right people.
The essay also acts as an eye opener to us, that the community or the congregation will not work for the leaders, but the leaders will have to work for the people. Lastly, the guidance given by John C. Maxwell in his book, The Five Levels of Leadership, will be the reference point when evaluating our leadership styles and performance. Leadership is about serving, and our service to the people reflects our service to Christ.
