Robert Greenleaf: The Concept Of Servant Leadership

Research Paper

Michelle Anne Reese

GEN322

July 25, 2016

Reba Ezell

Research Paper

When I think about what the Lord has called me to do, two terms come to mind servant and leader. So, I will focus this research on the concept of servant leadership. I will discuss what the term servant leadership means, how servant leadership was introduced (both in secular and religious circles), and how this concept applies to my calling as a Christian.

Servant leadership suggests that a leader’s main goal is to serve others. It has been used in the business world as a means to increase engagement between employees and aid in lack of ethics among those in the business community. Berger states, “Unfortunately, theory construction and evaluation have not been emphasized as the result of the rush to define and measure servant leadership” (2014, p. 149). He explains that in order to advance servant leadership into regular practice we must develop strong theory. In other words, we cannot just rely on a list of qualities, a person might possess, as our model of servant leadership. Northouse (2010) states, “servant leadership research must progress as a theory and move beyond being merely prescriptive, descriptive, and anecdotal” (Berger, 2014, p. 148).

“Greenleaf (2002, p.2) strongly argues that “leadership was bestowed upon a person who was by nature a servant” (Choi, 2014, p.8). He believed that in order for a person to become a servant leader he must first be a servant. Greenleaf’s concept of servant leadership was inspired by Hermann Hesse’s Journey to the East; where the qualities of listening, acceptance, empathy, foresight, awareness, persuasion, conceptualizing, healing, and serving can all be seen through the character of Leo, who is the servant later revealed as the leader (Choi, 2014,