Running head: DB POST 1 PART 1
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DB Post 1 Part 1
Holly Koob
Liberty University
BUSI 690-D07
Dr. Blossom
July 4, 2017
DB POST 1 PART 1
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DB Post 1 Part 1
How can a person become a successful leader by being humble?
Unfortunately, most people either have personally experienced or have someone close to
them who has experienced, a terrible boss. There are even entertaining movies about this exact
subject. But, for the person in the situation, it is not entertaining and most likely, that individual
does not look forward to going to work, does not engage in their daily work, and does not feel
great about it when there. However, the opposite is often true of good bosses or leaders as well.
Research tells us that managers and leaders are two very different roles that sometimes can be
within the same person, but not always. The two roles look differently at things like “attitudes
toward goals, conceptions of work and relations with others” ("Managers vs. leaders," 1977, p.
1). A leader is someone who others can look to for support and one who looks at a job that needs
to get done as an opportunity for others to excel. A leader tends to be more “others-focused”
while a manager tends to be more “self-focused”.
Successful leaders often “acknowledge limitations and mistakes, recognize followers'
strengths and contributions, and model teachability. Leaders can create an environment in which
followers can act without fear of negative ramifications and can fully engage in their work”
(Walters & Diab, 2016, p. 8). These are all characteristics of a humble leader that followers
willingly work with and for.
Why is it an important leadership trait to serve others first?
As a leader, ensuring that the needs of the followers are met first is so important for a
positive working environment. Recent research shows that when followers were surveyed on
“leader follower-focus, leader goal-orientation, and leader purposefulness”, the characteristics of
serving others first, were positively correlated to “follower job satisfaction, follower
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organizational commitment, follower person-organization fit, and follower perception of
leadership effectiveness” (Irving & Berndt, 2017, p. 3). When a leader displays the
characteristics of being a servant to the followers, the employees are much more likely to work
hard and enjoy their work than not. The perfect Bible verse is found in 1 Peter 5:3 that states,
“Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock” (ESV).
What is the importance of relying on Jesus’ will and ways as it relates to leadership?
The will of Jesus as a servant leader was perfectly displayed when he personally washed
the feet of the disciples. Though he is Lord, he performed this display of servant leadership and
then asked “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you
are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to
wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have
done to you” (John 13:12-15 ESV).
As in all things in life, Jesus serves as the perfect example for mankind that we should
strive to be just like. He lowered himself to washing their feet and we should lower ourselves to
our followers’ levels as well to allow them to feel the same way that the disciples did.
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References
Irving, J. A., & Berndt, J. (2017, June). Leader purposefulness within servant leadership:
Examining the effect of servant leadership, leader follower-focus, leader goal-orientation,
and leader purposefulness in a large U.S. healthcare organization. Administrative
Sciences, 7(2), 1-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/admsci7020010
Managers vs. leaders. (1977). Retrieved from http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?
url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=bth&AN=6025585&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Walters, K. N., & Diab, D. L. (2016, Summer). Humble leadership: Implications for
psychological safety and follower engagement. Journal of Leadership Studies, 10(2), 7-
18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jls.21434
