Initial question:
While servant leadership can be connected to biblical principles and Christianity, it is not exclusively tied to it. In what ways do the principles of servant leadership cross religious and cultural lines? Justify your opinions by providing specific examples.
Classmate response, Respond to this: Many think that servant leadership is part of one’s religious responsibilities, but it can be applied to other organizations especially in healthcare. Jesus set the example of being a servant leader numerous times as told in the Bible. He states in Matthew 20:26-28, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,” (The New Testament, 2011). If Jesus viewed himself as one to serve, then servant leadership would be for one to be a successful leader that you first have to serve the people that you oversee. This could be employees, patients, students, or even a congregation.
What does it mean to be a servant? You as a servant place the needs of others first. According to Greenleaf, “A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong.” I was browsing on a social media site and came across an article and the story it told was an example of servant leadership. A brief summary of the story is about a man went into a local fast food restaurant and his appearance would lead one to believe he was homeless. The man was looking for leftover food, the manager went to the man and told him that he would give him a full hot meal and the only thing that the manager asked in return is the man allow the manager to pray with him. So, in the middle of the restaurant they prayed and then the manager went and got him the food he had promised. This manager is a servant because he put the needs of this one man first and was not concerned with the monetary value and he did this for all to see.
Greenleaf, R.K., (2016). What is Servant Leadership? Retrieved from:
https://www.greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/
New York International Bible Society. (2011). The New Testament, New International Version.
New York
