In my work with law students and others about discerning vocation, we talk a lot about servant leadership, and I’ve written about it here in the past (for example here).
In a Lent reflection for the University of St. Thomas community yesterday, Dr. Michael Naughton, interim director of UST’s Catholic Studies Program, wrote on this subject. Referencing Jesus’ command that “whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,” he shared the distinction between servant leaders and coercive managers drawn by Bob Wahlstedt, co-founder of Reell Precision Manufacturing, here in St. Paul, MN.
Wahlsted describes the discintion as follows:
Servant leaders have followers; Coercive managers have subordinates
Servant leaders encourage debate; Coercive managers inhibit debate
Servant leaders build consensus; Coercive managers make decisions
Servant leaders ask; Coercive managers order
Servant leaders grow people; Coercive managers utilize people
Servant leaders listen to understand; Coercive managers listen to prevail
Servant leaders share credit; Coercive managers take credit
Servant leaders say “we”; Coercive managers say “I”
It is a good checklist. Whether in the context of your work environment, your ministry or otherwise, you might reflect on what is the central tendency of your approach.
To modify the prayer Dr. Naughton ended his reflection with: O Lord, give us all servant hearts. Give us the grace that our work serve not ourselves alone, but also the common good. Amen.
Creo en Dios! 