I haven't had the chance to write lately, but I thought I'd post excerpts from a blog I enjoyed reading on Servant Leadership:
Tue, November 22nd, 2011
No wonder we live in a world that mistrusts leaders and their institutions. Recent news reports have revealed scandals atPennStateUniversity, insider stock information benefiting certain members of Congress, and another church scam related to money and sex. Unfortunately, no sector seems to be exempt from the misuse of power and the abuse of leaders.
Leadership is in crisis, especially as our world becomes both more complex and much smaller. Of course, transparency will help leaders build trust, but it will not solve the increasing gap between principle and practice unless a major paradigm shift takes place. Leaders are finding the need to sharpen their skill sets and seek greater depth in their character to inspire, equip, and encourage cynical followers.
Blind faith in leaders no longer works; perhaps it never did. The world is looking for leaders who serve first, then lead. But that kind of leader means a change in attitude, habits, and behaviors. This “serve first mentality” has already been adopted by Southwest Airlines, Datron World Communications, WD-40, and Chick-fil-A with amazing results culturally and financially. This “serve first mentality” has been proclaimed by noted authors and business consultants like Ken Blanchard, John Maxwell, and Kevin and Jackie Freiberg. This “serve first mentality” has been successfully demonstrated by CEOs like Ken Melrose, Garry Ridge, Art Barter, and Jack Lowe.
As an AT&T executive, Robert Greenleaf coined the phrase “servant leadership” in 1968, but this model of leadership has been demonstrated through the ages by many leaders.
Servant Leadership has been successful throughout the ages because it works! Working with international and national communities, corporations, and churches for nearly thirty years now, I have seen it change the working environment from fear to trust, task completion to task enhancement, and transform positional authority into personhood authority, inspiring people to actually want to follow.
Servant Leadership is a method of stewardship that maximizes profits, people, and the planet in order to make a positive and sustaining difference in the world.
Dr. Tony Baron