Which type of leadership do you like being under? The slave master leaves you feeling tired and beaten. The servant leader leaves you feeling like you are ready to go for the long haul.
My husband worked in a department that was extremely stressful. You had to have perfect quality rating. On top of meeting a hourly quota that didn't allow for time to research what the problem was. Management just cracked the whip. There was about 5 people in that department that knew how to do the work if there was a problem, my husband included.
The managers just sat in the office not really knowing the job and would come to him if they had a problem. When supervisors were hired they were not from within the group but outside and didn't have any experience with what that department did.
My husband was not the only one that left that department. There was a mass exodus of coworkers that either left the company or moved to a different department. This is because of the poor leadership. Leadership that treats it's employees as servants.
The leadership example that Jesus set for us it tha of servant leadership. He explains it as this:
"And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:24-28 ESV)
A beautiful example of being a servant leader is my pastor's wife, Heather Oxley. She has done everything from serving the volunteers at a thank you dinner to cleaning windows. Recently our church held the memorial service for a 18 year old girl who just graduated from high school. On that day Heather was out in the Texas heat and humidity in a silk dress directing parking. What a way to serve a hurting family.
It is a lot easier to follow someone like Heather and serve than someone barking out commands. The thing about a servant leader is that they draw people into to serving. Serving becomes like an infection and it spreads. The leaders that treat those under them as slaves will find themselves on a sinking ship with no one to bail out the water except themselves.
My husband worked in a department that was extremely stressful. You had to have perfect quality rating. On top of meeting a hourly quota that didn't allow for time to research what the problem was. Management just cracked the whip. There was about 5 people in that department that knew how to do the work if there was a problem, my husband included.
The managers just sat in the office not really knowing the job and would come to him if they had a problem. When supervisors were hired they were not from within the group but outside and didn't have any experience with what that department did.
My husband was not the only one that left that department. There was a mass exodus of coworkers that either left the company or moved to a different department. This is because of the poor leadership. Leadership that treats it's employees as servants.
The leadership example that Jesus set for us it tha of servant leadership. He explains it as this:
"And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:24-28 ESV)
A beautiful example of being a servant leader is my pastor's wife, Heather Oxley. She has done everything from serving the volunteers at a thank you dinner to cleaning windows. Recently our church held the memorial service for a 18 year old girl who just graduated from high school. On that day Heather was out in the Texas heat and humidity in a silk dress directing parking. What a way to serve a hurting family.
It is a lot easier to follow someone like Heather and serve than someone barking out commands. The thing about a servant leader is that they draw people into to serving. Serving becomes like an infection and it spreads. The leaders that treat those under them as slaves will find themselves on a sinking ship with no one to bail out the water except themselves.