Evidence of Servant Leadership

In "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass", Douglass made the statement, "I should be false to the earliest sentiments of my soul, if I suppressed the opinion.  I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and incur my own abhorrence."  This quote sums up the fact that Douglass was an authentic person, he was true to himself and to others.

Douglass represents the vulnerable faction of servant leadership in that he was open with his fears and doubts and that he was honest with himself and to others.  When Douglass was describing an episode with Mr. Covey he explained, "He asked me if I wanted to persist in my resistance.  I told him I did, come what might; that he had used me like a brute for six months, and that I was determined to be used so no longer."  Douglass was willing to fight through his fears and stand up for himself, which is the mark of a vulnerable leader.

Douglass described his master as a hard-hearted individual who was never open to anything but his own ideas.  The book explained, "No words, no tears, no prayers, from his gory victim, seemed to move his iron heart from its bloody purpose.  The louder she screamed, the harder he whipped."  His master represents the opposite of being an accepting servant leader since he was cruel and mean no matter what his victims wanted.

Mr. Covey, although a cruel slave owner, portrayed the present component of servant leadership since he made himself available to his slaves and worked alongside them.  The book explains, "Mr. Covey was one of the few slaveholders who could and did work with his hands.  He was a hard-working man... His work went on in his absence almost as well as in his presence; and he had the faculty of making us feel that he was ever present with us."

When Douglass was describing his mistress, he explained, "She was a pious, warm, and tender-hearted woman.  There was no suffering for which she had not a tear.  She had bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and comfort for every mourner that came within her reach."  This quote makes it evident that his mistress was a useful individual who made sure that the needs of others were met.

When Douglass described his friend, Mr. Nathan Johnson, he stated, "I was hungry, and he gave me meat; I was thirsty, and he gave me drink; I was a stranger, and he took me in."  This quote sums up that Nathan was a useful individual who looked out for the needs of others and made sure that they were met.