Servant Leadership - Believe in Others

The terms “servant” and “leader” seem to be antonyms, revealing the concept that a servant follows a leader in obedience and with submissiveness. A leader is out front calling the shots while a servant is in the shadows faithfully doing what he/she is told. Yet there is a philosophy of leadership that integrates these opposites into the idea of “servant leadership.” The whole thrust, here, revolves around the perspective of the leader – the perspective that paints the leader as one who puts the needs of others before his/her own needs. The servant leader literally serves those under his/her authority so that those being served might be successful and that a shared vision might be accomplished.

Jesus’ approach to leadership fits so well into this model. He is the leader with the towel around his waist washing the feet of his followers; the great shepherd who cares for his sheep and risks his own life for their protection; the One who “came to serve and not to be served.” What a great picture of humility and patience. Jesus, filled with perfection, power, authority and holiness, deals with his followers with grace, mercy and compassion. In the midst of our frailties and failures, Jesus serves us with forgiveness and faithfulness. Jesus then exhorts his disciples to lead with the same humble attitude of mind.

But how do we do it? How do we serve others? Jim Laub addressed the Servant Leadership Roundtable in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 2003 and 2004 outlining his model of servant leadership. Dr. Laub suggested 6 characteristics of servant leadership. My thoughts flow out of this model as I have adopted and adapted it to my ministry in education. The first characteristic proposed by Dr. Laub is that a servant leader Values People and he/she does that by believing in people, by serving others' needs and by receptive non-judgmental listening. In this posting I like to look at the first part of the first element of this first characteristic – Valuing People by Believing in Them.

I enjoy alliteration because it helps me organize and remember ideas, but you will have to forgive today because I have gone over the top with this mnemonic method. I have to blame it on my mom, who made me feel guilty, if I did not eat all my peas (P's) on my plate. Believing in People can take at least three forms: Perceiving, Praising and Projecting. Let’s look at this first form (Perceiving).

How important it is to have a proper perception of the people we serve. The servant leader believes in people by Perceiving Positive Potential.

I encourage each member of my teaching faculty to enter his/her classroom and sit in each desk in the room. As they sit in the first desk, I ask them to think about the student(s) that occupies that seat; see his/her face; think about his/her strengths and shortcomings; then project out 10 years and imagine all the positive things that he/she might do with life. Think about quiet Sam – what kind of thoughts run deep in his creative mind? What discovery awaits him as he become energized with the thrill of research and inquiry? Look and crazy Emily – her mature use of vocabulary and rhetoric don't seem to match her wardrobe, but will she one day impact her community with her words and boldly stand for truth and her convictions? Stare for a while in the face of Joshua for a moment – that young lad who is so hard to love; who rejects your expressions of concern; who appears to be so distant; who causes disruption on a daily basis. What are the boundaries of accomplishment for Joshua when he funnels his emotions, focuses his will, and centers his energy on a God-given passion? The biggest pain today has the greatest potential for gain in the future.

I encourage them to ask themselves, “Who is sitting in my classroom? A pastor, a senator, a doctor, a CEO, a mom, a mechanic, an engineer?” If I could see the future and tell the 3rd grade teacher that one of his/her students was going to change the world, could the teacher identify which student was going to touch the globe? No – so we need to practice projecting the positive potential in each person. As a great influence in the life of others, you may be the one that unleashes that potential toward the incredible.
Our earthly perspectives can be very wrong. It is often not the high school student that appears to be made of pure gold that accomplishes great things in college or on the job or in the church. Those pictured as the “Most Likely To Succeed” in the yearbook sometimes do not blossom as their peers projected. The popular, upper-crust of the high school graduating class often finds itself working for those considered geeks and nerds during their teenage years.

Growing up - did anyone believe in you as a student; as an athlete; as a person?

Taking this idea out of the classroom and applying to any organization and any team setting has significant value. Sit around the invisible table in your mind with your employees, colleagues and peers – all the way up and down the organizational chart. Look at each member of your organization. What gifts, abilities, and strengths do they bring to the plate? Project out 5 years and see their potential growth and the new responsibilities they have taken hold of; the new office; the new title; the new success. The goal of the servant leader is to help the potentials become a reality.


Laub, J.A. (2003). From paternalism to servant leadership: Expanding the Organizational Leadership Assessment (OLA) model. Paper presented at the 2003 meeting of the Servant Leadership Roundtable, Virginia Beach, VA.
Laub, J.A. (2004). Defining servant leadership: A recommended typology for servant leadership studies. Paper presented at the 2004 meeting of the Servant Leadership Roundtable, Virginia Beach, VA.