5 Attributes of Great Servant Leaders
5 Attributes of Great Servant Leaders
Great leaders are servants. Jesus the greatest leader ever, was the epitome of servant leadership. “He came not to be served, but to serve.” (Matthew 20:28) If you’re aspiring to be a great leader don’t
expect to be served instead make your goal to serve. Becoming a great “SERVANT LEADER” simply means there are more people you get to serve. The more people you serve the greater your leadership.
Great servant leaders are people of character and with an obvious call of God upon their life. They have several common characteristics including these 5 fundamental attributes-
They lead, they don’t drive. A servant leader is the opposite of a dictator. You drive cattle, but lead sheep. It’s all about guiding and persuading, not commanding. Servant leaders are all about leading people.
They invest in others. They make others great. They equip, train and develop people. They put the interest of others and the vision above their own. There’s a selfless quality about a servant leader. Someone who is thinking only, “How does this benefit me?” is not a servant leader. Servant leaders make others better by investing in them.
They empower others. Great servant leaders give other team members authority and responsibility. Servant leaders are not threatened by the success of others. Through empowerment they add value to others and acknowledges their talents and strengths. They release people to use their gifts for greater success. Servant leaders empower people.
They are encouragers. The trademark of a real servant leader is encouragement. The servant leader says, “Let’s go do it,” not, “You go do it.” They know how to motivate people and to maximize their potential. Great servant leaders inspire others.
They have a spirit of humility. The servant leader is comfortable with who they are and don’t wear a title as a way to show who’s in charge. They don’t think of themselves as better than everyone else, and they genuinely care for others. They are willing to participate in the process whatever the need may be, if it requires picking up trash, cleaning up, doing dishes or whatever. They set an example of service, the servant leader understands that it is not about the leader, but about others. Great servant leaders are humble.
Servant leaders realize they are part of team with a call to help create an environment and culture where normal people will do extraordinary things. Do you have what it takes to become a great servant leader?
The starting point is abiding in Christ. It is only by the grace of God and the power of His Spirit we can do anything. “He is the vine we are the branches apart from Him we can do nothing.” (John 15:1ff) I encourage you to seek Him diligently, pursuing Him daily and work at developing these 5 attributes of servant leadership.
“The greatest among you must be a servant.” Matthew 23:11 (NLT)