At the Heart of Servant Leadership - Character Before Competence

At the core of servant leadership lies the servant leader’s heart or, more precisely, their character, which ultimately carries greater significance than competence or enthusiasm. As van Breda cites the statement of Gordon MacDonald, “capacity and competence are like gliders. They can fly, but not indefinitely... [however] character will stand the test of time and hold up when the wind howls and the storm rages”.(1)

In other words, it is the character of the servant leader, not their knowledge or status, which enables them to endure through crisis and deal with challenges in “turbulent times”.(2) It is the heart of the servant leader that provides them with moral resilience that is deeply rooted in integrity, “encompassing truthfulness, trustworthiness, character, and convictions”.(3) Therefore, as van Breda correctly states, the servant leader leads out of “who they are in their essential character”.(4) It recalls what David prayed for: "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10).

The distinction the author draws between competence and character is both important and insightful. It is due to its impact on the servant themselves and those they serve. Having the character of a servant leader means that this role shapes who they are; in a very real sense, it constitutes their identity; it becomes part of the core of their being. They lead or do their job not because they are assigned a role or position, but because it flows naturally from within. Therefore, their actions tend to be authentic and genuine. They do not simply follow instructions or practically implement their expertise; they are capable of seeing and acting beyond that. They understand the deeper and more profound purpose of what they do. They believe in the meaningfulness and importance of their role, and that is what allows them to make a real difference in people’s lives.

For me, the difference between a competent leader and a servant leader is similar to the difference between someone who performs music and someone who is a musician. Last Saturday, we attended our son's drum recital at a local music school in Voitsberg, Austria. Around twenty children performed, doing their best to play the drums and xylorimba. Surely, I was delighted to see how good our son was technically and how seriously he approached that. On the way home, however, my wife and I passionately tried to convince Max Jr. to focus not so much on the technicality as on the emotion and putting his whole heart into what he was playing. A real musician does not simply follow the notes; he tries to make an impact on the listeners through their own interpretation of the piece - we tried to explain. For me, the character of a servant leader is the ability to see the core need of the person they serve, and to genuinely address it in a way that moves them to action and facilitates real change.

Servant leaders as educators, for example, do not merely adore the topic they teach, or enjoy the company of people they work with. They are profoundly into bringing those two together: namely taking meaningful content and making it comprehendible and applicable to people’s lives in a way that sparks growth and transformation. Servant leaders live through what they do; it is more than a job or a skill for them. While technical competence may be sufficient for some to remain content and satisfied, a true servant leader cannot be separated from their calling. This kind of leadership becomes indispensable to their identity; it is part of who they are. It is what drives them, not merely something they know or follow, but something that authentically moves them and brings a deep sense of fulfilment.

The impact of authentic servant leadership on the servant leader themselves, according to van Breda, is “ironically” freedom.(5) It is hard to disagree that this is, in a way, a paradox, since in ancient times, servanthood implied slavery. Yet, true servant leadership brings inner freedom. This makes sense, because the servant leader understands that they are not ultimately responsible for the outcome. They know where their role ends and where the work of the Holy Spirit begins. The burden of results, therefore, does not rest on their shoulders. As Paul writes in Galatians 5:13, “you were called to freedom… through love serve one another.” Unlike leaders in the business world, who often strive to develop the most effective methods and strategies to maximize their profit, the servant leaders take a different approach. They are more like a good doctor or surgeon: they do their work with expert knowledge, skill and care, fully invested in the well-being of the patient, but they also know it is God who ultimately heals the wound and restores the body.

This helps answer the question: “What is it about a servant leader that attracts followers?” Van Breda points out that there was something truly unique about the leadership approach of Jesus: "There was not an iota of intimidation about him, nothing in his background or lifestyle to threaten or manipulate followers with, nothing to coerce or bribe even the worst-off member of the human race to follow him for any of the wrong reasons".(6) What makes someone want to follow a leader who has no position, no prestige, and no authority to offer? Everything about Jesus’ life (e.g. his birthplace, appearance, socio-economic status, credentials, and followers) was ultimately unimpressive for the people of that time and cultural values. Van Breda correctly states that the only possible reason people chose to follow Jesus was out of trust and a deep longing for relationship with God.(7)

In today’s consumer-driven society, where everything seems to revolve around image, advertising, and self-promotion, sincerity, honesty, and authenticity have become scarce. Yet it is precisely these qualities, which were demonstrated in Jesus, that make servant leadership both powerful and deeply attractive. People followed the Servant Leader because they were seen, heard and valued.

References:

1. van Breda, Peter, “The Servant Leader as Coach Week”. DCL 723: Servant Leadership, Populi, Lecture script, 1. Accessed 2025-06-12. Gordon MacDonald, Building Below the Waterline: Shoring Up the Foundations of Leadership (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2011), 57. 2. van Breda, 1.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. van Breda, 3.
6. van Breda, 5.
7. Ibid.