eLanka

Wednesday, 1 Oct 2025
  • Home
  • Read History
  • Articles
    • eLanka Journalists
  • Events
  • Useful links
    • Obituaries
    • Seeking to Contact
    • eLanka Newsletters
    • eLanka Testimonials
    • Sri Lanka Newspapers
    • Sri Lanka TV LIVE
    • Sri Lanka Radio
    • eLanka Recepies
  • Gallery
  • Contact
Newsletter
  • eLanka Weddings
  • Property
  • eLanka Shop
  • Business Directory
eLankaeLanka
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • Home
  • Read History
  • Articles
    • eLanka Journalists
  • Events
  • Useful links
    • Obituaries
    • Seeking to Contact
    • eLanka Newsletters
    • eLanka Testimonials
    • Sri Lanka Newspapers
    • Sri Lanka TV LIVE
    • Sri Lanka Radio
    • eLanka Recepies
  • Gallery
  • Contact
Follow US
© 2005 – 2025 eLanka Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Home » Blog » Articles » Servant Leadership – New wine in Old Wine-skin – By Oscar E.V. Fernando
ArticlesOscar Fernando

Servant Leadership – New wine in Old Wine-skin – By Oscar E.V. Fernando

eLanka admin
Last updated: September 6, 2019 8:41 am
By
eLanka admin
ByeLanka admin
Follow:
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE




Servant Leadership – New wine in Old Wine-skin –
By Oscar E.V. Fernando

leadership

Oscar FernandoServant Leadership (SL) is a term, coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in his essay on SL first published in 1970, on propounding a corporate management technique: it says the leader should be affectionately considerate to his subordinate-who in turn will cause a ripple effect.

Much waters have flown under the bridge since the Dickensian cruelty to children in the then newly opened factories with the industrial revolution.

Following are highlights of the SL theory;

More Read

indfulness & The Middle Path
Existential Crisis, Mindfulness & The Middle Path | Dr. Asoka Bandarage
Sri Lanka rue missed opportunities in World Cup opener against India. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports Editor).
loving memory Lionel Seneviratne
  • A leader should be a person that workers can relate to
  • priority is to serve rather than to command
    to ensure success and power to the employee.
  • to appreciate that a servant can become a leader only if the leader is first a servant to his subordinate.
  • Such behavior of a leader must result in workers becoming healthier and wiser with self-improvement and eventually possessing the traits of Servant Leaders themselves.

Several other authors have expanded on the theory and said the 10 characteristics of SL are;

  • Listening,
  • Empathy,
  • healing,
  • awareness,
  • persuasion,
  • conceptualization,
  • foresight, stewardship,
  • commitment to the growth of others, and building a community
  • Servant Leaders are individuals of character who put people first and are skilled communicators, compassionate collaborators, use foresight, be system thinkers and exercise moral authority.

Teachings on the concept of kindness and love towards one’s subordinates were prevalent in ancient society too, though sometimes accompanied in practice by evident severe cruelty to servants and slaves.

Ancient texts have passages akin to SL by philosophers like Lao Tzu and Confucius of early China.

In the Old Testament Bible, as old as the hills there are passages about the intrinsic love within human beings. It also foretells the coming of a Messiah to save mankind who though created in love had turned cruel over the years due to variously disputed reasons. 

Does it not reveal how long this very natural norm of love and affection had been lost sight of with the struggle for higher profit in business- thoughts that have been lying buried under the rubble of modernist thinking?

One such teaching that comes down the ages from the Old Testament in the Bible is the command to: Love God; Neighbor; Self.

The Messiah, foretold in the Old Testament, also preached the same love specifically by word of mouth and lived it practically in his life and death.

Here is a passages bearing on Servant Leadership in the New Testament Bible centuries before 1970:

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them – not so with you – instead whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.”

Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many-showing this servility by washing the feet of his disciples! 

This voice of nearly 2,000 years ago still vibrates from the present Leader of this group Pope Francis, who says: “Lead from the heart and then from the head. Lead to serve. Leaders’ power does not reside in being right but in being real. Bring hope, equality and opportunity to those who have little.”

People long for leaders who put the interests of others ahead of their own, who are willing to do what is right above what is easy or politically expedient, and who are not afraid to lay their reputation on the line for a cause and a vision that is vastly bigger than themselves.

Now after years of denial, a new theory has to be propounded and further research has to be done to revive it?

This commandment of love is what rings throughout in the New Testament Bible. Curiously; this is also what is highlighted by modern writers and singers such as Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Eckert Tolle, Greenleaf, Jim Reeves, the singer and many others who by eloquent and modern emphasis on love have written and sung for the immense benefit of our present day society!

More Read

What it takes to make Prime Minister Modi’s call to buy domestic goods feasible? - By N.S.Venkataraman
What it takes to make Prime Minister Modi’s call to buy domestic goods feasible? – By N.S.Venkataraman
Royal College Queensland 2025 – From Royal Thomian Glory to School Cricket Champions
Stories Behind Names of Places in Sri Lanka THALAGODA – By Nimal Sedera

Do we not see that the theory of Servant Leadership conforms to the earlier and the later independent teachings of religious leaders and the Ancient Church, and that it is new wine in an old wine skin – now commercially packaged appealingly for the benefit of society!?



TAGGED:Deepak ChopraEckert TolleforesightGreenleafJim ReevesLao TzuServant LeadershipstewardshipWayne Dyer
Share This Article
Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Photos from the 5th Anniversary Celbration - OFF THE BEATEN TRACK – CDF Patient Transport Annual Ball 2019 Photos from the 5th Anniversary Celebration – OFF THE BEATEN TRACK – CDF Patient Transport Annual Ball 2019
Next Article Sri Lanka MICE Road Show in Sydney – Australia Sri Lanka MICE Road Show in Sydney – Australia
FacebookLike
YoutubeSubscribe
LinkedInFollow
Most Read
10 Pictures With Fascinating Stories Behind Them!

“A PICTURE SPEAKS A 1000 WORDS” – By Des Kelly

Look past your thoughts so you may drink the pure nectar of this moment

A Life Hack for when we’re Burnt Out & Broken Down – By Uma Panch

Narration of the History of our Proud Ancestral (Orang Jawa) Heritage. by Noor R. Rahim

eLanka Weddings

eLanka Marriage Proposals

Noel News

Noel News

Noel News

Noel News- By Noel Whittaker

EILEEN MARY SIBELLE DE SILVA (nee DISSANAYAKE) – 29 September 1922 – 6 April 2018 – A Woman of Value an Appreciation written by Mohini Gunasekera

K.K.S. Cement Factory

Dr.Harold Gunatillake’s 90th Birthday party

Sri Lanka's women's cricket squad in Melbourne

Cricket: Sri Lanka’s women’s squad in Melbourne

- Advertisement -
Ad image
Related News
Lytton Chandra (LC) de Silva
Articles Obituaries

Lytton Chandra (LC) de Silva

Articles

Qld Sri Lankan Newsletter – Dæhæna – September 2025

Brisbane Heat launches Shaheen's Fan Bay to celebrate Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first BBL stint
Articles

Brisbane Heat launches Shaheen’s Fan Bay to celebrate Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first BBL stint

IN LOVING MEMORY OF BEULAH ERIN WAHAB
Articles Obituaries

IN LOVING MEMORY OF BEULAH ERIN WAHAB

Trump Netanyahu Gaza peace plan , US peace plan for Gaza 2025 , Trump Gaza ceasefire proposal , Netanyahu Hamas peace agreement , Middle East peace negotiations , Gaza humanitarian aid initiative , Israel Palestine two-state solution talks
Articles Dr Harold Gunatillake

Trump and Netanyahu Announce New US Peace Plan for Gaza – By Dr Harold Gunatillake

  • Quick Links:
  • Articles
  • DESMOND KELLY
  • Dr Harold Gunatillake
  • English Videos
  • Sri Lanka
  • Sinhala Videos
  • eLanka Newsletters
  • Obituaries
  • Tamil Videos
  • Dr. Harold Gunatillake
  • Sunil Thenabadu
  • Sinhala Movies
  • Trevine Rodrigo
  • Michael Roberts
  • Tamil Movies

eLanka

Your Trusted Source for News & Community Stories: Stay connected with reliable updates, inspiring features, and breaking news. From politics and technology to culture, lifestyle, and events, eLanka brings you stories that matter — keeping you informed, engaged, and connected 24/7.
Kerrie road, Oatlands , NSW 2117 , Australia.
Email : info@eLanka.com.au / rasangivjes@gmail.com.
WhatsApp : +61402905275 / +94775882546

(c) 2005 – 2025 eLanka Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved.