| The theory of the term and details of this new | | | | leadership research, for my leadership research, |
| (yet, ancient) leadership philosophy, | | | | with the sixteen major leaders (that had all |
| servant-leadership, was developed by Robert | | | | overcome adversity) was the importance, in their |
| Greenleaf, who worked for forty years as a | | | | view, of specifically being a "humble servant |
| management and training research specialist for | | | | leader" and that it has positive changed their lives. |
| AT&T. While at AT&T Greenleaf | | | | Having enlightened mentors, who were |
| experienced the leadership and management | | | | servant-leaders, had shortened the learning cycle, |
| realities of real world corporate America. He | | | | helped them to get out of problems and avoid |
| retired from AT&T in 1964, as | | | | other problems, and in their opinion made them |
| Vice-President of Research. While at AT&T, | | | | stronger, as well as built them into strong |
| he discovered that he had developed strong | | | | powerful, yet "Humble Servant-Leaders." |
| opinions about the management of organizations | | | | I will share a few short portions of direct quotes |
| and of workers. He reflected on his experience | | | | from my Leadership and Overcoming Adversity |
| and decided to use it to help other leaders deal | | | | research from some of the successful leaders |
| more effectively with the issues they faced. | | | | with their thoughts on the topic of |
| Servant-Leadership embraces the idea that | | | | servant-leadership and being a humble |
| leaders, organizations, and institutions should strive | | | | servant-leader, from my personal interviews with |
| to improve their caring and quality of their people | | | | them. |
| by inculcating the servant-leadership philosophy | | | | I interview Dr. Anthony Bonanzino as one the |
| and model as part of a paradigm shift to putting | | | | sixteen prominent leaders that overcame |
| the needs of those being led needs ahead of the | | | | adversity. Bonanzino, a successful entrepreneur |
| leader or the organization, a part of this fresh | | | | and corporate CEO, specifically stated that his |
| approach to leadership, structure, and | | | | personal view or "perspective of leadership, is |
| decision-making. This new concept called | | | | being in a servant-leader." |
| Servant-Leadership -- emphasizes increased | | | | The political arena is an unexpected place to hear, |
| service to others; a holistic approach to work; | | | | not just once but twice, the benefit and value of |
| promoting a sense of community; and, sharing of | | | | servant-leadership, much less the advocating of |
| power in decision-making. | | | | being a humble servant leader. During my personal |
| Servant Leadership specifically encourages those | | | | almost four interview in Washington, D.C. with |
| in leadership positions to re-think their approach | | | | United States Senator Orrin Hatch, in his offices in |
| and to now take on more personal responsibility | | | | the Hart Senate Office Building and in the meeting |
| and accountability, with the ultimate goal being to | | | | rooms of the United State Senate, Senator Hatch |
| build a more caring society. Many have argued | | | | said that he also embraced and used in his life the |
| that it wasn't necessarily that the old "system" | | | | basic concepts of servant-leadership, and being a |
| that was the source of society's problems, but | | | | humble servant leader was important, he |
| rather a failure of the corporation or organizations | | | | specifically noted that a leader "must be the |
| leadership, especially the senior leadership. | | | | servant of all." The second voice advocating |
| Servant-Leader believers have called for a new | | | | servant leadership, was United States Senator |
| style of leadership, with leaders who are more | | | | Daniel Inouye during my interview with in March |
| caring and serve those they lead. The | | | | 2005, in his US Senate offices in Washington, DC, |
| implementation of Servant-Leadership may be a | | | | specifically stressed that he believed in the quality |
| major determining factor on which companies, | | | | that "leaders need to be kind and caring." |
| corporation, or institutions will be viable and | | | | During our interview in early March 2005, at the |
| survive the current trying times. The primary | | | | home and horse ranch, near the US Armt Base |
| qualities of a Servant leader (from Greenleaf, | | | | at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, of Major General |
| Spears and others) identified specific | | | | Sid Shachnow (U.S. Army, Ret) during his |
| servant-leader characteristics, which include: | | | | interview with me observed that "being a good |
| foresight, awareness, listening, withdrawal, | | | | leader requires one to be a good follower." I |
| acceptance, empathy, and persuasion. | | | | personally interviewed Entrepreneur, Chairman |
| Servant-leadership followers strongly disagree with | | | | & CEO of Medistar, Monzer Hourani, for two |
| the command and control leadership, or the old | | | | days at his office and home in December of |
| fashion authoritarian and hierarchical leadership. In | | | | 2004. Monzer made the point that a: "leader |
| Servant leadership, enlightened leader's obligation is | | | | needs to be humble." |
| to the organization as the ultimate caretaker, and | | | | This article has outline what Servant leadership is |
| that the leaders should practice more | | | | and the importance of having servant leadership in |
| servant-leader principles to ensure that they | | | | the sixteen successful and prominent leaders. |
| were, in fact, building a better organization. | | | | These prominent leaders expressed repeatedly |
| Servant-leadership focuses on servant-leaders | | | | that working with and learning from servant |
| making their employees, their firm's customers, | | | | leaders had changed their lives. These sixteen |
| and their communities their number one priority, | | | | major leaders, that had all overcome adversities in |
| not the ego of the leaders, or their possible | | | | their lives, was the importance, in their view, of |
| bonuses. | | | | specifically being a "humble servant leader" and |
| One of the unique findings from my research was | | | | that it has positive changed their lives. |
| the importance to sixteen prominent and | | | | Servant-leaders is absolutely critically to survival |
| successful leaders I personally interviewed for my | | | | of companies, institutions, and organizations, |
| Leadership Doctoral dissertation was the | | | | especially in these turbulent times. Much of the |
| importance of being a "Servant Leader" and more | | | | pain and suffering we are seeing in bank and |
| specifically a "Humble Servant Leader." "Humble" in | | | | corporation failures, from what I have labeled the |
| this context was not meant that you need to | | | | "Seeds of Corporate Greed" would simple not |
| weak and meek, but rather enlightened, in tune, | | | | exist, if the basic concept of being a true |
| teachable and serve those you lead. | | | | Servant-Leader existed in corporations and |
| The importance of having servant leadership in | | | | institutions. |
| the sixteen successful and prominent leaders i | | | | It is my conclusion that Enlightened |
| interviewed was repeatedly expressed by the | | | | Servant-Leaders will have fewer problems to |
| participants, with their citing specific examples of | | | | face, that those focused on their egos or greed. |
| the importance of being a servant leader. The | | | | In the opinion of the successful leaders I |
| prominent leaders expressed repeatedly that | | | | interviewed, using Servant Leadership actually |
| working with and learning from servant leaders | | | | made them better leaders, as well as built them |
| had changed their lives. | | | | into strong powerful, yet "Humble |
| The groundbreaking findings from my in depth | | | | Servant-Leaders. |