Most Important Servant Leadership Practices

Bill Bradley (2011) once said, “Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better” (p.114). Styles of leadership vary from person to person. Servant leadership requires very unique and dedicated people. Servant leadership consist of a type of leader that has a main focus on helping others. As other leadership practices consist of the team serving the leader, servant leaders serve their people. A person’s call to be a servant leader is to better others and help find their purpose in life.

God gives each individual their own unique characteristics and talents. God then wants each person to use those characteristics and talents to find their calling/vocation. When a person discovers their true calling or vocation, everything they do

People expect a leader to know all the answers and do no wrong, but in reality no individual is perfect. Although there are five leadership practices that will help a servant leader be the best they can be. The first practice is model the way. Model the way is described as leaders setting the example by keeping their value intact with their actions (Kouzes & Posner, 2004, p.12). As a servant leader the individual’s values tend to be centered around helping others. If the leader is preaching to people about putting others first, the leader must express these actions also. By modeling the way, a servant leader is representing their beliefs by their everyday actions. Personally, I never no one who is watching, so I try to model the way in every situation. Verbally expressing my Christian values are important, but upholding my Christian values in my actions means the most to me. When reading the Bible, I come across numerous verses that represent modeling the way. For example, Peter 2:12 states, “Continue to live such upright lives among the gentiles that, when they slander you as practicers of evil, they may see your good actions and glorify God when he visits them.” I think this verse represents model the way by reflecting on people seeing others perform good actions. People will not remember what people say, but what they

My type is ENFP; extravert, intuitive, feeler, and perceiver. My extravert preference contributes to my call as a servant leader the most. I enjoy being around others and working with others. As a servant leader, I feel having people skills is necessary because our main goal is to help people. Being intuitive allows me to think of the big picture and to be innovated. I am always thinking of future possibilities and using my imagination. Being a servant leader will force me to think of different ways I can make a difference. One of the most valuable characteristics of a servant leader is being caring to others. As having a feeling preference, I always put others before myself and hate to hurt people’s feelings. Most of the time I appreciate my thoughtfulness for other people, but there are times I let my feeling get in the way. My feeling preference makes it hard to give criticism and accept criticism. The perceiving part of my type reflects on my life style. I like to do spontaneous things and am open to anything. I never have set schedules because I like to be open to any possibilities. As a servant leader, I think be flexible and adventurous I a great quality to have. I am ready to respond to whatever may come up. I think each of my preferences will affect my call as a servant leader because it makes up who I am. Any type or preference someone may have; I believe anyone can be a servant leader. Each