If you’ve been reading and listening to Servant Leadership Institute content over the years, you’ll notice we’ve urged you to “lead with your heart...” But what does that really mean?
Read More
When we were children, at some point we were asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Do you recall what your answer was? Was it a superhero, a firefighter or policeman? Perhaps it was a lawyer, doctor or race car driver? Stay in that memory and try to analyze what part of that profession intrigued your young heart. Was it the idea of providing service? Protecting people? Was it the fact that you wanted to be what your mom or dad were? Regardless of the reasoning behind your choice, the feeling you had when you fantasized about being that profession when you grew up was so powerful. The wonder and passion for the future was great. Where did that wonder go?
Read More
We’ve probably all experienced it — the phone call we have to make to some huge organization because we need assistance of some kind. If we’re lucky, there will be a live human being to talk to at the end of the seemingly endless recorded options. Recently, I had to call a very large insurance company. I was filled with confidence, as I’ve discovered the power of the speakerphone. The freedom was a beautiful thing as I went about my tasks hands-free and within earshot of the phone in case the voice on the other end came to life.
Read More
It’s back to school time, and whether or not you have children, you’re affected. Traffic gets more intense, stores are more crowded. If you have kids, you face schedule changes, struggling to get them up in the morning and another year of making sure they’re equipped to learn. For many people, it’s an achievement just having their kids physically prepared with clothing, shoes, backpacks and binders, notebooks, pens, and pencils. I know we don’t always think of it this way, but for the next several months, parents will be served by teachers, administrators, counselors, janitors and the “lunch lady.”
Read More
In the world today, it seems like behavior involves the extreme in many ways. We drive faster, eat and drink to excess, and climb Mount Everest — to name just a few examples. Things seemingly need to be done in epic proportions to make any kind of impact.
Read More
Does the mission and purpose of your company extend beyond your business and into the greater community? Servant leadership pioneer Robert Greenleaf said the measure of servant leadership was whether people were changed for the better after coming in contact with you.
Read More
One of the exciting aspects of the servant leadership transformation is the realization that you play a part and are accountable in some way in every situation. We know one of the biggest issues for organizations today is lack of employee engagement. Here are some tips you can institute to create an engaging work environment for those you lead.
Read More
Open your eyes. For the past couple months, I’ve had that sentence — or should I say “command” — enter my thoughts. Open your eyes! For some reason, I’m being asked to turn my attention to the more basic components of life.
Read More
The solution for this group was to form a Community of Practice. It is designed so you can have a servant leadership training program that is self-sufficient. It begins with a cohort of leaders, who after receiving some initial servant leadership training from the Servant Leadership Institute; commit themselves to learn about and practice servant leadership behaviors.
Read More
Recently, my family and I have been on a journey we never imagined would take place. Two months ago, my 28-year-old seemingly healthy son went in for a CT scan, as he was experiencing pain in his throat and jaw.
Read More
What follows is an excerpt from Farmer Able, a new leadership fable that speaks to the heart of servant leadership. We invite you to see what’s happening down on the farm.
Read More