As Super Tuesday approaches I have been asked a number of times which presidential candidates I think are authentic servant leaders.

I try to never engage directly in political discussions on social media because mixing politics and social media results in little more than an echo chamber in which too many people are only interested in shouting at the other side rather than considering and understanding other perspectives.

However, my response in general is that the characteristics of a presidential candidate who is an authentic servant leader are the same characteristics as a city council member who is an authentic servant leader, which are the same characteristics as an authentic servant leader who is serving in any other role.

With that as a context… here is a pretty good list of characteristics to gauge whether a presidential candidate, a city council member or anyone else is authentically walking the talk of servant leadership… and is an even better way for me to constantly self-evaluate whether I am staying true to those same values:

• Does the leader approach those with whom they disagree with the heart of a peacemaker?
• Does the leader show mercy to others even when they are political opponents?
• Does the leader have a meek and humble spirit that recognizes that their position could be wrong and the other perspective could be right?
• Does the leader hunger to live righteously?
• Does the leader constantly engage in honest self-reflection necessary to keep the motivations of their heart pure?
• Does the leader know the pain of hurt and loss and understand the importance of being both comforting and being comforted?
• Has the leader experienced being abused for doing the right thing and yet consistently reacts to being insulted and falsely accused with a joyful spirit despite it all?

How are you doing in your efforts to authentically walk the talk of authentic servant leadership?

Written by:
Ron Holifield
CEO, Strategic Government Resources
governmentresource.com

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