Authentic Leadership –Part 2

This is the second in a series of blog posts examining the subject of “Authentic Leadership.”

Part 1 was posted on June 6, 2016.

Abstract

What does it mean to be authentic? What does authentic leadership look like? What are the qualities and characteristics of an authentic leader? What deterrents are there to being authentic? Is authenticity a help or deterrent to strategic communication? What is the place of vulnerability and truthfulness in being authentic? To what leadership models should authentic leaders be compared? In this series of blog posts we will address these questions along with the postulation that authentic leadership must be measured universally against the servant leadership model exemplified by Jesus Christ, and individually against the specific gifts and purpose each individual has been endowed with by their Creator.

Authentic Leadership – Part 2

To What Models Should Authentic Leadership Be Compared?

We began this series last week by defining what it means to be authentic. We found that authenticity has to do with conforming to, copying, reproducing or having the same characteristics as an original. We continue this week suggesting that the best model of leadership to be emulated and conformed to is the selfless leadership exemplified by, arguably the greatest and most influential leader of all time, Christ Jesus.

First, Compare Against the Servant Leadership Model of Jesus Christ

⁵ Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷ but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross! (NIV Bible, Philippians 2:5-8).

To the men Jesus himself was mentoring for future leadership, he taught…

²⁵ …“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. ²⁶ But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. ²⁸ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (NLT Bible, Matthew 20:25-28).

Don Howell (2003) notes that, “Those who stand out in Scripture as leaders are designated, first of all, ‘servants of the Lord’” (p. 4). Christ exemplified leadership that brought righteousness through freedom, greatness through servanthood, and salvation through the courage of sacrifice. The apostle Paul admonished those who followed his leadership that they should in turn follow Christ's example: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (NIV Bible, 1 Corinthians 11:1).

Second, Compare Against the Gifts and Purpose for Which God has Created You

Secondly, authentic leadership must be compared against the specific gifts and purpose each individual has been endowed with by their Creator. Servant leadership means that one will not think more highly of themselves than they ought. The servant leader will realize the s/he is an equal member of an interdependent team.

⁴ Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. (NIV Bible, Romans 12:4-6).

Authenticity, in this vein, is when one is doing and being exactly what the Creator has created them to do and be. This is hopefully in concord with others who are doing the same. Nevertheless, regardless of others, an authentic leader will be true to who they have been destined by their Creator to be.

  

(to be continued)

_______________ 

NOTE: Please visit this blog site each week (a new blog is posted every Monday). This blog entry is part 2 of a series of blog posts examining the subject of Authentic Leadership. Part 1 was posted on 2017-07-10.

Next week: Part 3 - “What Deterrents Are There to Being Authentic?”

References:

Howell, D.N. (2003). Servant of the Servant. A biblical theology of leadership.

Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock Publishers.