How did Robert Greenleaf come to emphasize the importance of listening? What ideas did he use in teaching others to listen? The answers are in a new essay by Don Frick, “Greenleaf and Servant-Leader Listening.” To get your copy, click here.
How can servant-leaders make a difference as board members? In Servant Leadership in the Boardroom: Fulfilling the Public Trust, Dr. Kent Keith, Greenleaf Center CEO, presents and augments the views of Robert Greenleaf on the opportunity of board members to truly lead and make a difference for their organizations and those their organizations serve. To get your copy, click here. click here.
Ann McGee-Cooper and Duane Trammell, in Focus on Leadership, defined Servant Leadership this way:
"Servant Leadership is not about a personal quest for power, prestige, or material rewards. Instead, from this perspective, leadership begins with a true motivation to serve others. Rather than controlling or wielding power, the servant-leader works to build a solid foundation or shared goals by (1) listening deeply to understand the needs and concerns of others; (2) working thoughtfully to help build a creative consensus; and (3) honoring the paradox of polarized parties and working to create ‘third right answers’ that rise above the compromise of ‘we/they’ negotiations. The focus of Servant Leadership is on sharing information, building a common vision, self-management, high levels of interdependence, learning from mistakes, encouraging creative input from every team member, and questioning present assumptions and mental models."
