Servant Leadership: A Case Study of Jamaica Link Ministries

This study extends Patterson’s (2003) servant leadership theory in a cross-cultural context by exploring the viability and acceptability of the theory’s constructs of love, humility, altruism, vision, trust, empowerment, and service in the Caribbean, specifically Jamaica. Using case study design, a qualitative in-depth interview was conducted with an exemplary leader in the Jamaican society to explore his views of the theory’s constructs and determine if the constructs were conceptually accepted and practically applied within the culture. Furthermore, the participant was queried on what conditions, if any, were conducive for the application of the constructs of Patterson’s servant leadership theory. Analysis of the data found that the constructs are conceptually accepted, practically applied, and correlated to positive or good leadership by the participant; thus, this study concludes Patterson’s theory of servant leadership is both valid and accepted by this leader within the Jamaican culture.