A Review of John
J. Sullivan’s
Servant First!
Leadership for the New Millennium
By J. Thomas
Whetstone, D.Phil.
Pessimism is
the prevailing mindset at the beginning of the new millennium among discontented
intellectuals, the media, and those who seek a utopia on earth (Johnson, 2003).
We can do nothing in the face of economic stagnation, business corruption,
global warming, and international terrorism, according to pessimists. But there
is a viable alternative: the optimism of those who can adopt the leadership
example set by Jesus Christ to serve others.
John
Sullivan's book, Servant First! Leadership for the New Millennium, sets
forth this optimistic alternative in a lucid and practical manner. Drawing from
scholarship on management and leadership, especially Deming's (1982) total
quality management and Greenleaf's (1991) servant leadership, his own diverse
experience, and biblical examples, Sullivan develops a practical model for
Christian leadership.
Servant leadership differs
from trait, behavioral, situational, and contingency leadership approaches by to
its focus on human persons and relationships. This normative paradigm involves
recognition of the leader and the followers as spiritual as well as material
creatures, ones worthy of dignity and respect unconditionally, not merely for
their instrumental contributions. As Robert K. Greenleaf and his followers
(e.g., Spears, 1995) note, a genuine servant leader puts the needs and desires
of her followers before her own needs. Her preferred methods are use of
persuasion and example rather than command and control or manipulation. She
measures success by manifest growth in the people served and the positive
effects on overall society.
Critics,
such as Craig Johnson (2001), argue that servant leaders can be unrealistically
naďve, too passive and too tolerant of followers, pursue the wrong ends, and
ineffective in some situational contexts, such as prison administration.
Even admitted advantages of servant leadership, including its altruism,
simplicity, and self-awareness, can be viewed as weakened through naivety.
According to Norman Bowie (2000), a servant leader can be too subject to
manipulation by followers.
John Sullivan, while not
directly refuting such criticism, presents a strong positive case for servant
leadership, describing and explaining how the biblical Christ led and mentored
his disciples. Sullivan’s book indeed demonstrates that proper servant
leadership need not be limited by the above objections. Moreover, Sullivan
argues that the leadership model exemplified by Christ is not beyond ordinary
human capability, but it may be studied and applied effectively within a variety
of contemporary organizations.
Sullivan identifies
character traits, competencies, and leadership types exemplified by Christ as
leader. He describes how Christ built a values-driven organization based on
principles honoring the dignity and worth of each imperfect individual. Drawing
on his military experience and management education, Sullivan offers a
five-phased strategy for preparing, deploying, and growing an organization.
Especially helpful are the suggested questions that the contemporary leader can
address at each phase. Examples, often blending the methods of Deming with
biblical accounts, explain specific tactics that have been used successfully to
implement the strategy in military, educational, and business situations. The
concluding example, that of Chris Heuertz, Executive Director of Word Made
Flesh, shows how servant leadership has been used in organizing and implementing
a program for serving the poor in many of the most underdeveloped regions of the
world.
Sullivan does not argue ideologically, but seeks
to persuade the reader by using numerous examples that a person who adopts the
nature of a servant leader, applying the principles and behaviors exemplified by
Christ, can lead well. His book thus presents a positive alternative for
anyone interested in moving away from the naysayers toward a culture of
personal, corporate, and societal optimism. Sullivan explains how it has
worked well and can continue to do so. His book is recommended reading for
anyone searching for an optimistic and practical stimulus for more effective
leadership.
References:
Bowie, Norman: 2000. “Business Ethics, Philosophy,
and the Next 25 Years”. Business Ethics Quarterly. 10(1), 7-20.
Deming, W. Edwards: 1982. Out of Crisis.
Cambridge, MA: Center for Advanced Engineering Study, M.I.T.
Greenleaf, Robert K.: 1991. Servant Leadership.
NY: Paulist Press.
Johnson, Craig E.: 2001. Meeting the Ethical
Challenges of Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Johnson, Paul: 2003. “An ‘Ism’ for All Seasons”.
National Review (October 13), 17-18.
Spears, Larry (Ed.): 1995. Reflections on
Leadership: How Robert K. Greenleaf’s Theory of Servant-leadership Influenced
Today’s Top Management. NY: John Wiley & Sons.
