Leading by being led - A qualitative study of the relationship between authority and servant leadership
Year: 2019
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This thesis aims to contribute to the discussion on the role of authority in servant leadership, by answering the following research question: How do pastors perceive their servant leadership and how does this relate to authority? The methodology of this study is based on a qualitative study, following an interpretive approach. The empirical material of this study consists of 10 interviews. All interviewees are pastors within Equmeniakyrkan, a Christian Protestant denomination in Sweden. The theoretical background of this study consists of literature about authority and servant leadership. It shows that within servant leadership, authority is often shared with followers. However, different views on this matter exist, for example that servant leadership is an alternative to authority or that authority should be eliminated. Hence, the role of authority in servant leadership is not clearly defined. Our research shows that pastors can be seen as servant leaders, and that authority in this context is shared. Our empirical material indicates that those subjected to servant leadership can influence leaders by using different types of authority. Hereby, this thesis agrees with the literature on servant leadership that argues that authority is shared, but it contrasts the literature saying that servant leadership is an alternative to authority or that it should be eliminated. Furthermore, this thesis displays how the presence of authority results in servant leadership being more complex than often described in the servant leadership literature.
Authors: Tabitha Sonneveld, Cecilia Stensdotter
Language: English
Subfield: Religious studies
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2954805914