How can something be simple and complex at the same time? We humans tend to think that for something to be worthwhile or impactful, it must be complex or monumental in scope. In reality, small things can be just as impactful, especially when they’re the catalyst for some larger outcome. If we begin by making small behavioral changes over time, we have a change in mindset.
Read MoreHow you respond to the mistakes of your team members can make or break your leadership efforts. Here are four suggestions for demonstrating servant leadership when correcting team member mistakes.
Read MoreDoes 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 MorePerhaps one of the more underrated attributes of servant leaders is their ability to demonstrate courage. The perception of servant leaders as “nice guys” overshadows the courageous conversations and decisions servant leaders make daily. It is impossible to practice servant leadership without also having the courage to do the right thing despite opposition
Read MoreI’ve been thinking a lot lately about change and how difficult it can be. Whether it’s something minor like using a new password, or major like a marriage or divorce, change can affect us deeply, mentally and physically.
Read MoreOne 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 MoreMost of us have had the experience of pursuing a promotion but falling short. The lessons learned in an unsuccessful run at moving up the corporate ladder can be exactly what propels you to your next best opportunity.
Read MoreHave you ever gone through a rough patch in your life or leadership journey? In my mind, I can see a collective nod from all of you and a chorus of, “Are you kidding?” Of course you’ve had problems or challenges.
Read MoreUnderstanding the way your boss thinks and responding as a servant leader or follower can improve your workplace experience. In part one of this blog we looked at five “secrets” about controlling leaders. Here in part two are some suggestions for responding to your controlling leader as a serving follower.
Read MoreUnderstanding the way your boss thinks and responding as a servant leader, or in this case servant follower, can improve your workplace experience. In part one of this blog; I will share five “secrets” of a controlling leader. Part two will contain some suggestions for responding to a controlling leader as a servant follower.
Read MoreAs we head into a new year, I am challenging our team members to focus on what it truly means to Serve First. It’s easy to define all the ways we serve our families, our friends and our community, but it’s not always easy to define how we serve one another at work.
Read MoreEvery organization has a culture. It may not be something you or your fellow employees think about or purposely work on, but it exists — for better or worse.
Read MoreThere it was, completely helpless except for its piercing cry. In 1999, Bai Yun, a seven-year-old giant panda, gave birth to the first panda cub born in the U.S. through artificial insemination. But would the cub survive? As I watched on the closed-circuit monitor with the keeper and a researcher that night, I wondered: How could a mother panda ever sleep and not roll over on her cub?
Read MoreYesterday was our holiday party at Servant Leadership Institute. It was a wonderful time of enjoying holiday music, hearing people’s plans for the holidays, exchanging Secret Santa gifts and of course eating! Naturally, it got me thinking about dear old Santa Claus. Certainly Santa is a leader, influencing reindeer and all those elves. But is he a servant leader? Let’s examine the man as legend and you can decide.
Read MoreRecently, I have traveled through some life circumstances that have been difficult for my entire family. It has caused me to reflect quite a bit, and one of the qualities I have thought about is hope. What a beautiful word “hope” is. Even the way we say it sounds good.
Read MoreWhen I was in college, my immediate family lived outside the U.S., so on holiday breaks, I would go with friends to celebrate with their families. One time, I went with Chris and Andrea to Northern California for Thanksgiving; we drove up together in Chris’ Honda Civic.
Read More“I like working with animals better than people.” I heard this admission from my coworkers many times during my career as a zoo veterinarian. These animal people would often say it with a measure of pride and conviction. In fact, that is exactly what I did early on as a college freshman.
Read MoreI fell in love with golf in my early 30s. It was love at first sight. I started out “worm burning” my way through the course; that’s a term used to describe a ball that hardy makes it off the ground and skims across the grass. But I believed I could be a better golfer, so I poured myself into the game. I took lessons from great teachers; I practiced, practiced, practiced, and played as much golf as possible while working full time; and I read every golf book I could get my hands on.
Read MoreAs a young veterinary manager at the San Diego Zoo, I had an opportunity to rebuild a department from the ground up. In my youthful exuberance, I thought I knew what I needed to do. So, I hired the best and the brightest professionals I could find. I wanted people with diverse talents. But I also knew many who were the best technically did not have the skills to build trusting relationships with people.
Read MoreThis week, we offer you a glimpse of Vicki Floyd Clark, who will be joining us at the Servant Leader Conference 2019 and speaking with her own brand of wisdom, warmth, and humor. Vicki is a servant leader who speaks across the country, looking to influence leaders to serve and teaching them how to increase the capacity of their organizations. She is an example of one person making an impact. After viewing this clip, I was struck by a couple things:
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