Servant leaders inspire people to be more productive.

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A leader is somebody who shows others the way to go. Many modern organizations know they can get people to accomplish more by servant leadership than any other way. Servant leaders listen and empathize with people. They heal rather than hurt. They persuade rather than bully people. Some people credit Robert Greenleaf as modern promoter of servant leadership, but Christians point to Jesus. More than once, He gave His disciples lessons in leadership. We find one vivid example in John 13, where we read: “Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.” When He was finished, He asked them, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” Anyone in authority might well lead as Jesus did—not by force, but with a humble servant attitude.