Servant Leadership: A Timeless Leadership Style

Kathleen Patterson wrote servant leadership is a “Servant leader that leads from a virtues perspective. It has three components, good habits, middle ground between the extremes of too much or too little, and a habit that is a firm and settled disposition toward choosing good.” Having virtues in leadership shows the connection between leading others and moral character. Leaders that can lead from a virtuous approach focus on what is good for their followers. There are seven components of servant leadership. Love. Love in leadership, specifically for the servant leader, is agapao love, moral love, doing the right things at the right times, and for the right reasons. Humility. Humility is a non-overestimination of our own merits. We are not the end all to what is happening. We do not have all the answers. Altruism. Altruism is the link between good motives and good behavior. It is helping just for the sake of helping. Trust. Trusting followers encourages them to step out, step up and go forward. When we encourage with trust we send a message to our followers that they can do it. Vision. Servant leaders have the ability to see followers for who they can become. Empowerment. Servant leaders share their power. They give their power away as if the person was going to take their position.Service. Servant leaders live a life all about service. “Servant leaders are the unsung heroes in leadership, and yet they are the very ones making a difference in the lives of so many.” Christian Leadership Alliance www.christianleadershipalliance.org/?page=servantasleader