Servant Leadership 1
Servant Leadership
Dole Smith
Liberty University
CJUS 610: Leadership, Ethics, and Policing
Dr. Tuppince
10/13/2023
Author Note
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Cristy Smith
Email: cmsmith72@liberty.edu
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Abstract
Servant leadership is a type of leadership that puts emphasis on the well-being of others before
themselves. Characteristics that makeup servant leadership include serving their followers
instead of the followers serving the leader. This type of leadership differs from a traditional style
of leadership because it focuses more on the empowerment of its members and the well-being of
its teams. The traditional leadership style is what is mainly seen in law enforcement
organizations but servant leadership breaks this hierarchy down and brings a new perspective.
The fundamental aspect of the servant leadership style is to put others first and oneself last which
allows these types of leaders to be agents of growth throughout the agencies. These types of
leaders acknowledge and meet the needs of the followers and in turn, they develop self-discipline
and commitment towards ethical practices and their daily tasks on the job. Servant leadership
done in the right way can be influential in developing followers' own leadership qualities and
motivating them to go above and beyond for the company organization. Law enforcement
officers under a servant leadership style become more motivated to protect and serve the
community they work for.
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Introduction
Servant leadership is not a concept known and understood by many due to the traditional
leadership style of placing more of an emphasis on gaining and accumulating power, authority,
and control over serving and supporting others. An individual being a servant-first leader is not
what the majority might think. It is not about being passive, indecisive, or weak, but about
emphasizing the growth and empowerment of other individuals (Shonk, 2023). Servant
leadership can be characterized as leadership that prioritizes the overall well-being of others by
motivating their subordinates to be the best version of themselves (Keith, 2023). Even though
this style of leadership is unconventional, it is beneficial for organizations and businesses on the
road toward their goals of reaching success. Servant leadership should be intertwined within law
enforcement organizations because this leadership style is not concerned with individual power
but is empowered by the growth of others (Keith, 2023). A servant leader is someone who cares
deeply about others and it sets out to inspire and motivate others toward success.
Traits of a Good Leader
As we all know, there is no right way to effectively lead a team of different types of
individuals. There are many traits that are commonly associated with successful leaders and
managers that an individual stepping into a leadership role should consider. An ineffective
leadership style can have serious consequences on a company and organization. The statistics
show that 24 percent of employees are disengaged at work as a result of poor management
(Mcquade et al., 2021). This can lead to teams becoming less productive in an organization
which leads to less profit and more turnover.
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An individual's character traits influence their leadership style and their decisions,
thoughts, and behavior in different circumstances. Trait theories are the earliest research
approach to studying leaders, which also involves studying the characteristics of a person that
form their leadership capabilities (Setiawan & Irawanto, 2020). Some major characteristics that
are associated with an individual who is characterized as a servant leader include listening,
empathy, awareness, stewardship, foresight, and conceptualization (Setiawan et al., 2020).
Regardless of the leadership style chosen by an individual, leaders, especially good ones, share
similar traits that led them to the position they hold. All leaders, good or bad, can influence
others. Ethical leaders can maintain their integrity and don’t conform to the opinions of others
and other self-serving biases (Setiawan et al., 2020). The traits of a servant leader and the major
traits of a leader are similar in many ways but they still have their differences. Leaders generally
have great influence over other individuals but certain individual leaders may not have as much
of an effect as others. There is no exact, uniform list of traits that distinguish an individual who is
a leader and an individual who is a non-leader. Some common traits of a leader are an individual
who has popularity, self-confidence, intelligence, sociability, adaptability, decisiveness,
persistence, and many more (Setiawan et al., 2020). Traits of a servant leader that most scholars
can agree on include selflessness, empathetic listening, patience, persistence, and trustworthiness
(Setiawan et al., 2020).
The best example of a servant leader in the Bible is Jesus and through his many examples
of his selflessness. In Philippians 2:7-8 it states, “But made Himself of no reputation, and took
upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in
fashion as a man, He humbles himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross.” Jesus shows that a heightened sense of moral development is one of the most important
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traits that is associated with being a servant leader. Considering others over one’s self is one of
the traits that separates servant leaders from non-servant leaders.
Police Departments and Servant Leadership
A display of servant leadership in a police organization can be transformative and can
change the criminal justice system for the better through trust. Since law enforcement officers are
consistently under large amounts of stress, heavy demand, and obligation, it requires law
enforcement officers to exercise their moral judgment and consider making ethical
considerations on their job daily. On the other hand, law enforcement officer who is willing to do
anything to achieve their own selfish desires by all means necessary has corrupted not only
themselves but also the profession they represent (Blanchard & Broadwell, 2021). Therefore, it is
vital that law enforcement officers who are leaders in an organization, create a supportive,
respectful, trustworthy, loyal, and empathetic environment for their subordinates. This promotes
the well-being of the officers and the success of the organization which in turn helps officers
develop their own self-discipline and service motivation. Servant leaders are leaders who count
on the success of others’ needs and development being met (Lu et al., 2019). Organizations can
yield higher results, efficiently meet organizational goals, and enhance employee retention with a
leader who exhibits the servant leadership style (Lu et al., 2019). Employees with strong ethical
character traits and attributes are a vital part of developing a culture of success in an
organization. This is explained and emphasized all throughout Collin’s (2001) book, it is
important for leaders to hire the right people, form the right teams, and place individuals in the
right positions to be able to maximize not only the individual’s potential but the potential of the
company.
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Company and organizational members must exemplify the character the company or
organization wants to present but it is equally important that leaders show the same. Servant
leaders should embrace influence and authority to build up the individuals under them, which
can encourage their shared motivation and create innovative practices rather than using
techniques that create an atmosphere of coercion, fear, and other bad habits that can damage a
company. A great way to start implementing this is for leaders in the criminal justice field to
identify, influence, and motivate what drives an individual law enforcement officer to be in their
position. Identifying what drew an individual to be a police officer is a good step because a
leader can see and understand what type of law enforcement officer that individual will be (Van
Dierendonck & Patterson, 2018). This could be for the right reasons, such as passion, intrinsic
motivation, commitment, and the joy of seeing the well-being of others, or for negative reasons
such as authority over others, elements of control, and power (Van Dierendonck & Patterson,
2018).
A leader is put into a servant role can create an environment that is employee-centered
and conducive to higher levels of engagement and participation (Lu et al., 2019). Exhibiting a
servant leadership style can help increase law enforcement officers’ skills, confidence, and
empowerment, which can, in turn, highlight the importance of demonstrating ethical judgment in
decision-making and make for more effective leaders in the criminal justice system. In the Bible,
Mathew 20:26-28 states, “But it shall not be so among you: but whoever will be great among
you, let him be your minister; and whoever desires to be first among you let him be your servant:
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, a and give his life a
ransom for many.” Identifying and prioritizing the needs of others is a vital and fundamental part
of an individual who is a servant leader.
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Benefits and Pitfalls
A study done by Eva et al. (2019) states that a servant leadership style has many
similarities to a transformational style. They differ in the way that servant leadership emphasizes
their followers' well-being and development whereas transformational leaders emphasize
meeting the needs of their followers so that they can be motivated to reach the organizational
goals (Eva et al., 2019). A servant leadership style is a selfless approach to leadership. It is
motivated by a person being authentic and trustworthy. The first concern for servant leaders is
their followers, then the organization, and lastly themselves. In Philippians 2:3-4 states, “Do
nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above
yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the other.” A
servant leader is an admirable approach because it practices selflessness and puts the needs of
others above themselves.
There are limited disadvantages to the servant leadership approach in criminal justice
organizations when the technique is applied incorrectly. A disadvantage of servant leadership is
that some leaders can be passive and indecisive towards their followers (Kibbe, 2019). Also,
servant leadership has been linked to meekness and weakness (Kibbe, 2019). A leader such as
this can be perceived as having a lack of effective authority by their followers. This can be an
issue because servant leadership’s main proponent of its success is the mutual respect and trust
between a leader and their followers. In order for an ethical work environment, these elements
must be present (Kibbe, 2019). Another pitfall of servant leadership is it may be difficult to
actually implement this style of leadership. Meese and Ortmeier (2001) state that because law
enforcement agencies have grown accustomed to the more classic hierarchy and traditional form
of policing it may be difficult for these organizations to break away from. It is said that the
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greatest barrier to achieving accountability for police behavior is through police subculture
(Meese & Ortmeier, 2001).
There are many benefits to a leader using the servant leadership style in their
organization. Servant leadership allows for followers to have more opportunities for personal
development (Kibbe, 2019). The freedom and autonomy this leadership style gives can lead an
individual to be motivated in their daily tasks. Additionally, servant leaders can create an
environment that can motivate service-oriented and self-efficient followers. As stated above, the
characteristics of a servant leader are not threading, discipline-oriented, or coercion-driven.
Rather, a servant leader is someone who can recognize, understand, and appreciate differences
between themselves and other individuals to push them toward their full potential. This
awareness can make their followers feel supported, valued, and motivated to serve not only the
company or organization but others as well (Kibbe, 2019). A leader whose approach is a servant
leadership style places emphasis on the well-being of its members which in turn leads to a more
successful and safe emotional environment creating employees that are committed to both the
leader and their organization or company (Kibbe, 2019). Lastly, a benefit of the servant
leadership style is the importance of trust between organizational members and their leader. An
organization or company whose foundation relies on the trust between leaders and their members
can result in shared organizational visions for serving others, a greater sense of community, and a
greater sense of empowerment (Kibbe, 2019). The servant leadership style is understood to have
a greater understanding of what a safe working environment can do for the company or
organization.
Implementation
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The servant leadership style requires a change in the traditional police subculture. For the
implementation of servant leadership to be successful, the entire organization must be on the
same page with the organization's goals and trust must be at the base of the organization for
everyone (Meese and Ortmeier, 2001). Since many individuals are uncomfortable with change, a
place like a police department that already has a subculture of brotherhood that is tight-knit will
take a long time for servant leadership to be fully implemented in the criminal justice system. A
change in leadership style might be a difficult and long process, but it is very beneficial to the
entire law enforcement system.
Beginning the process of implementing servant leadership in an organization requires a
clear plan, persistence, consistency, and dedication. It is not realistic to expect cultural changes to
occur overnight. Employees are expecting their leaders to have consistent and clear
communication skills and the installation of organizational visions. Another way to begin the
process is to hire additional individuals who are a great fit for the job and whose goals align with
the company or organization's goal. The right individuals in the right positions can help prioritize
for a greater good (Collins, 2001).
There are many barriers that can arise while implementing change in organizations and
companies. Throughout this process, leaders cannot abandon the mission they set to complete
because of these challenges. A leader’s position, especially in the criminal justice system, is not
an easy task. It is a task that requires valuing the individual members and their specific and
Individual contributions. In the Bible, 1 Timothy 3:1-4 states, “Here is a trustworthy saying:
Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above
reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must
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manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner
worthy of full respect.” In order to implement an organizational change within a structured
organization like a law enforcement agency, it is necessary to emphasize teamwork and
collaboration practices, model accountable action, and provide clear educational plans and
training for employees to reach their personal and professional goals while helping the
organization reach its goal. In Ephesians 4: 22-24 it states, “You were taught, with regard to your
former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be
made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true
righteousness and holiness.”
Conclusion
The strategy for leaders who are focused on the needs, capabilities, and well-being of
their followers is the servant leadership style. A leader who follows the servant leadership style
can effectively develop mutual respect, clear communication, and trust between themselves and
their followers (Meese & Ortmeier, 2001). A servant leader is not one who values individual
success and glorification but cares about the well-being of all their employees (Lu et al., 2019). It
is vital for leaders in the criminal justice field to consider the servant style of leadership and the
strong implications it can have on the criminal justice system. Implementation of this style of
leadership is not easy and can take several years but can be done with the cooperation of all
employees and leaders. Followers should be trustworthy and have trust in their leaders as well as
confidence that the leaders have their best interest and will guide them and the organization in
the right direction. Servant leadership is about selflessness, authenticity, and empathy for others
and it is never too late to initiate this change into any law enforcement profession.
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