Reflections on Leadership: How Robert K. Greenleaf's Theory of Servant-Leadership Influenced Today's Top Management Thinkers

Reflections on Leadership: How Robert K. Greenleaf's Theory ofServant Leadership Influenced Today's Top ManagementThinkers--Spears, Larry C.

"I believe that (Bob Greenleaf's) essay, 'The Servant as Leader' isthe most singular and useful statement on leadership that I haveread in the last 20 years. Despite a virtual tidal wave of books onleadership during the last few years, there is something differentabout Bob Greenleaf's essay, something both simpler and moreprofound.... For many years, I simply told people not to wastertheir time reading other managerial leadership books. 'If you arereally serious about the territory of true leadership," I wouldsay, 'read Greenleaf.'" --From Chapter 20 by Peter M. Senge,Director of the Center for Organizational Learning at MIT's SloanSchoolof Management and author of The Fifth Discipline: The Art andPractice of the Learning Organization

"There is a building momentum for enlightened leadership in the forprofit world, the social sector, and many areas of governmenttoday...Good books that deal with the beliefs and convictions thatnurture this movement are not easy to find. This is one.Reflections on Leadership is a worthy and worth while gift to allthose who attach high value both to their responsibilities and tothe people with whom they work." --from the Foreword, by MaxDePree, Chairman and CEO of Herman Miller Inc. and author ofLeadership Is an Art and Leadership Jazz

"I can give you three examples of major businesses who have usedthis business of servantleadership training...at times of terriblecrisis andhave worked themselves out of the crisis. Practicingservant leadership...had absolutely enormous incredible benefitsfor them...and then they threw it away. Because, as soon as thecrisis passed, the said 'why exert ourselves?' The great problem isnot how to reach servant leadership in the first place, but to getorganizations to continue to use it and embed it in part of theirculture." --from Chapter 7 by M. Scott Peck, author of The RoadLess Traveled

"Reflection on Leadership is fitting tribute to a man whose ownsense of service has given all of us hope that at long last leaderswill recognize that power of purpose is far stronger than power ofposition. After nearly 30 years, Robert K. Greenleaf's work hasstruck a resonant chord in the minds and hears of scholars andpractitioners alike. His message lives through others, the truelegacy of a servant leader." --Jim Kouzes, Chairman and CEO ofTPG/Learning Systems and coauthor of The Leadership Challenge andCredibility.

"We are each indebted to Greenleaf for bringing spirit and valuesinto the workplace. His ideas will have enduring value for everygeneration of leaders." --Peter Block, Founding Partner, DesignedLearning Inc. and author of The Empowered Manager, FlawlessConsulting and Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self Interest