Servant Leadership:Personal

and Professional Self Care

Healthy Congregations
Annual Retreat 2005
April 8-9, 2005
Rock Spring Ranch
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Do not ask the Lord to guide

your footsteps if you are not
willing to move your feet.
Author Unknown

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Agenda
Soul Leadership
What Robert Greenleaf Forgot to Tell

You About Servant Leadership

Introduction to Mental/Emotional,
Spiritual, Social & Physical Self Care

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Soul Leadership
What is Servant-Leadership?
Ten Characteristics of a Servant-Leader

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The Best Test of Servant

Leadership
Do those served grow as
persons; do they, while being
served, become healthier,
wiser, freer, more
autonomous, more likely
themselves to become
servants? And what is the
effect on the least privileged
in society; will they benefit, or
at least not be further
deprived?
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Ten Characteristics of a
Servant-Leader
Listening
Encompasses getting in touch with
ones own inner voice
Coupled with reflection, listening is
essential to the growth & well-being of
the servant-leader
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Ten Characteristics of a
Servant-Leader

Empathy

Acceptance & recognition of others

for their unique & special spirits, even
when certain behavior or
performance is unacceptable

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Ten Characteristics of a
Servant-Leader
Healing

Recognition of the opportunity to help

make whole those around you
the potential for healing ones self &
ones relationships from emotional
hurts

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Ten Characteristics of a
Servant-Leader
Awareness
Arises from a grounded vision of who we
are in Gods eyes: children, heirs, those
worth an ultimate price
Understanding of issues involving ethics,
power, & values
The ability to view most situations from a
more integrated, holistic position
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Ten Characteristics of a
Servant-Leader
Persuasion

The ability to build consensus in a

group
The ability to convince others, rather
than coerce compliance

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Ten Characteristics of a
Servant-Leader
Conceptuatlization

The ability to dream great dreams & to

think beyond the day-to-day realities

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Ten Characteristics of a
Servant-Leader
Foresight

Vision that looks deeper than the

surface
vision that sees beyond current
appearances
Learning from the lessons of the past,
the realities of the present, and the
likely consequence of the future
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Ten Characteristics of a
Servant-Leader
Stewardship
The call not to selfishly use natural
resources, but to shepherd & care for our
natural world
Recognition that the gifts given to the
members of the body of Christ were given
not for personal use, but rather to fulfill a
role within the body
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Ten Characteristics of a
Servant-Leader
Commitment to the growth of people\

Belief in the intrinsic value of each

individual
A sense of responsibility to nurture
others
Following Jesus example of
empowering others to grow & succeed
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Ten Characteristics of a
Servant-Leader
Building Community

Willingness to show the way to others

Demonstrating the leaders unlimited
liability for the group

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What Robert Greenleaf

Forgot to Tell You

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What Robert Greenleaf

Forgot to Tell You:
Leadership demands skills & the ability

to express those skills so that those who

are led grow & prosper
The leaders ability to serve others is

totally dependent on their ability to

function fully & to be healthy
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What Robert Greenleaf

Forgot to Tell You
The four facets of health are the

responsibility of the individual, but cannot

be managed totally by the individual

If you do not prioritize self-care

(servanthood for your body, mind &

spirit) it is unfair to ask others to
prioritize your well-being
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What Robert Greenleaf

Forgot to Tell You
The successful servant-leader leads the

way to a better self!

The successful servant-leader models

self-care for those s/he leads

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What Robert Greenleaf

Forgot to Tell You
Servant

Leader

Servant of Self (Temple of God)

Servant of Others (Congregation, Family,

Friends
& Community at Large)
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Exercise: Step 1
Place your pen or pencil in your non-

dominant hand
When I say Go, write as many words
to The Lords Prayer as you can
When I say Stop, finish the word you
are writing and put down your pen or
pencil.
Count the number of complete words
you wrote & report out
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Exercise: Step 2
Place your pen or pencil in your

dominant hand
When I say Go, write as many words
to The Lords Prayer as you can
When I say Stop, finish the word you
are writing and put down your pen or
pencil.
Count the number of complete words
you wrote & report out
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Lesson: What you are

able to give is
dependent on what
you have to give
You can get work done when
you are not healthy, but both
the quality and quantity of
the work suffer.

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Mental/Emotional Health
A servant-leader who fails to take care

of their own mental/emotional needs is

stressed, unable to focus and prioritize
Mental/emotional health are necessary

to be creative & supportive of those you

lead.
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Spiritual Health
Personal spiritual health is critical in

keeping the individual grounded in the

faith that christened the servant-leader
into a leadership role.
It is the sustenance for the journey &

the refreshment for the soul that keeps

their calling alive.
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Social Health
We need deep roots & ongoing

encouragement to reach our full

potential.
Such depth arises from community

supporting us in our growth &

development, and from our supporting
others in kind.
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Physical Health
Lack of physical health due to poor

dietary habits, physical inactivity,

tobacco use or exposure, inadequate
sleep, &/or inadequate water
consumption leave us performing at less
than our potential.

It is like writing with our non-dominant

hand!

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Lesson: What you are able

to give is dependent on
what you have to give.

Total health incorporates all four facets of

health: mental/emotional, spiritual, social
and physical health.

If any one facet is lacking, the other three

facets will suffer as a result

Balance is key!
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Wheel of Health

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Questions to consider
What might be some beliefs that keep us

Christians from self-care?

Who do I want to engage in healthy self-

care?

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Questions to consider
Why should I be a model for self-care?
What benefit would there be to others if

I encouraged them to be leaders?

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Questions to consider
Do I encourage my own heart?
How could I do more to encourage

myself about self-care?

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No man is capable of selfimprovement if he sees no

other model but himself.
Conrado I. Generoso

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A Preview of
the Self-Care Workshop
Information, self-assessment,
reflection, & commitment

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Mental/Emotional
Self-Care
Stress Management
Relaxation and Time Off
Time Management

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Stress & Relaxation

Breathing
Meditation
Progressive relaxation
Guided imagery
Positive thought
Humor
Stretch
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The more familiar we are with

our inner terrain, the more
sure-footed our teaching our
living becomes.
Parker Palmer

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Spiritual Self-Care: Questions

for Reflection
Do I find spiritual nourishment in my

worship community?
Am I actively growing in my spiritual

journey?

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Social Self-Care: Questions for

Reflection
Do I balance my social/interpersonal

well being with my professional

responsibilities?
Do I have hobbies, interests &

responsibilities outside of my job?

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Physical Health:
Actual Causes of Death

Tobacco (19%)

Poor Diet/Lack of Exercise (14%)

Alcohol (5%)
Infectious Agents (4%)
Pollutants/Toxins (3%)
Firearms (2%)
Motor Vehicles (1%)
Illicit Drug use (1%)
McGinnis JM, Foege WH. Actual causes of death in the United States,

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JAMA 1993; 270:2207-12

Injury Risk

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Metabolic Syndrome:
The Life Continuum

Microvascular Disease

Cancer Risk
Macrovascular Disease

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Physical Health
Healthy Eating
Water
Active Living
Tobacco-Free Living
Sleep

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Effects of Environment
Challenging

Super-sized portions
Advertising/mis-information
Fast foods
Personal Situations

Supportive
Variety
Convenience
Information

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Stages of Change Model for

Individual-Level Change

Prochaska, J. O. and C. C. DiClemente (1986).

The transtheoretical approach.
Handbook of Eclectic Psychotherapy.

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Personal Mission Statement

What?
Values
Passions

Why?
To guide decisions
To direct activity
To help us sort out what deserves our
attention, time & effort
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Personal Health Covenant

Commitment to self care
Achievable
Small step
Moves you one level in stages of change
Active
Buddy system
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An Opportunity:
To Become a Trainer for Servant Leadership:

Personal & Professional Self Care:

Attend May 6, 2005, workshop in Wichita
Keep a self-care covenant
Participate in monitoring & support system
Attend follow-up training in Fall 2005
Accept assignments to co-facilitate training
in pilot congregations (at least one
congregation in 2 years)
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Servant Leadership: Personal

& Professional Self Care
Self-care by both clergy & laity is a
key component of the Healthy
Congregations in Action initiative.

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Shoot for the moon. Even if

you miss you will land among
the stars.
Les Brown

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Judy Johnston, MS, RD/LD

Research Instructor
Department of Preventive Medicine &
Public Health
University of Kansas School of Medicine
- Wichita
Phone: 316-293-1861
E-Mail: jjohnsto@kumc.edu

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