Robert K. Greenleaf

Servant Leadership

1. IDEA 1

   Great leaders serve first

   Greenleaf argues that the best leaders begin with a natural desire to serve others, and only then choose to lead. He contrasts this with people who seek leadership mainly for power or wealth.

2. IDEA 2

   A story inspired the idea

   Greenleaf took inspiration from Hermann Hesse's story Journey to the East, in which a servant named Leo turns out to be the true leader of a group. The story showed him that serving can be a form of leadership.

3. IDEA 3

   The test is others' growth

   Greenleaf suggests that the test of servant leadership is whether those served grow healthier, wiser and freer. Leaders should help people flourish. In his view, leaders should ask what happens to the people they serve, and whether the weakest members of society benefit or are further left behind.

All 8 ideas from Servant Leadership →