Servant Leadership is something that is missing in most families and businesses, it has become a very selfish world out there. It is time for selflessness to regain the forefront. When trying to lead through servant leadership, there are several principles that must be kept in mind in order to be most effective.

1. Become others oriented in your leadership. Learn to make decisions based on the needs of those you lead, rather than the goals of the organization and or/your personal ambitions.

2. Identify the needs of your followers and develop strategies to insure those needs are being adequately met.

3. Be gentle with the people, especially those who’s repeated failing tend to frustrate you.

4. Accept the awesome responsibility of spiritual oversight over others.

5. Build strong, warm and caring relationships with your followers. Get to know them by name and nature.

Jesus set the example for this type of leadership and the principles that go with it. He especially did this when He cared for the needs of the people even when the disciples did not want to. When Jesus was going to Galilee from Judea, He and His disciples could go through Samaria or go around. The disciples wanted to go around, but Jesus new it was imperative to go through Samaria because there was a women there who needed His help (John 4). Jesus was and is the Good Shepherd.

So how does this look as we are living our lives and leading in our families and business? The answer is when we are leading in our families or are building a business we don’t become so dogmatic that our way is the highway and we lose the ability to be teachable. We work with people, so every interaction is an opportunity to serve by example and in doing so we create a culture of servant leadership were others are put first before the bottom line.

Servant Leadership modeled by Jesus is imperative in the life of the Christian world today. Jesus left an example of how Christians are to be. The Apostle Paul wrote imitate me as I am imitating Christ. Although, the shepherding aspect is very important, it is also important that individual Christians begin be servant leaders, putting others before themselves, being a servant. A servant willingly serves and that is what Christianity is all about. It is not about selfishness and pride; it is about serving one another in love because Christ loves us.