The Greenleaf Seminar The Greenleaf Seminar

The Key Practices The Key Practices ofof

Servant-LeadersServant-Leaders

Presented byPresented by Dr. Kent M. KeithDr. Kent M. Keith

2009 Mid-America Community 2009 Mid-America Community Action Association ConferenceAction Association Conference© Copyright Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership 2009© Copyright Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership 2009

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Key Practices of Key Practices of Servant-LeadersServant-Leaders

Self-AwarenessSelf-Awareness ListeningListening Changing the pyramidChanging the pyramid Developing your colleaguesDeveloping your colleagues Coaching, not controllingCoaching, not controlling Unleashing the energy and Unleashing the energy and

intelligence of othersintelligence of others ForesightForesight

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Self-AwarenessSelf-Awareness

One’s own strengths and One’s own strengths and weaknessesweaknesses

Emotional intelligenceEmotional intelligencePrimal Leadership (Goleman)Primal Leadership (Goleman)

The impact of one’s words and The impact of one’s words and deedsdeeds

ReflectionReflection3

Exercise for Two: Self Exercise for Two: Self AwarenessAwareness

Answer this question: How do Answer this question: How do your strengths, weaknesses, and your strengths, weaknesses, and emotional reactions affect others? emotional reactions affect others? Think of a few specific examples.Think of a few specific examples.

Pick a person near you and share Pick a person near you and share your answer or the specific your answer or the specific examples that you are examples that you are comfortable sharing.comfortable sharing.

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ListeningListening

Key to understanding how to Key to understanding how to meet the needs of othersmeet the needs of others

Servant-leaders don’t begin Servant-leaders don’t begin with the answer but with with the answer but with questionsquestions

Starbucks and Howard BeharStarbucks and Howard Behar PieperPower – Suzuki - YunusPieperPower – Suzuki - Yunus

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Changing the PyramidChanging the Pyramid In the traditional pyramid, the In the traditional pyramid, the

workforce is focused on the boss, not workforce is focused on the boss, not the customer the customer

Blanchard: Servant-leader articulates Blanchard: Servant-leader articulates a vision, then inverts the pyramida vision, then inverts the pyramid

Dr. Sample: work for those who work Dr. Sample: work for those who work for you!for you!

A pyramid is lonely at the top: need a A pyramid is lonely at the top: need a teamteam

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Developing Your Developing Your ColleaguesColleagues

Greenleaf’s business ethic: the work Greenleaf’s business ethic: the work exists for the person as much as the exists for the person as much as the person exists for the workperson exists for the work

TDIndustries Mission StatementTDIndustries Mission Statement Schneider Corporation Vision Schneider Corporation Vision

StatementStatement Peter Drucker’s story about the Peter Drucker’s story about the

president who developed managerspresident who developed managers

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Coaching, not Coaching, not ControllingControlling

The traditional focus on “control”The traditional focus on “control” Servant leaders coach and mentorServant leaders coach and mentor Chester Barnard: authority rests in Chester Barnard: authority rests in

the hands of the receiver of the the hands of the receiver of the signalsignal

Meg Wheatley: Organizations are Meg Wheatley: Organizations are not machines but dynamic living not machines but dynamic living systems in which relationships systems in which relationships countcount

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Unleashing the energy Unleashing the energy and intelligence of and intelligence of

othersothers Empowerment = allowing people to Empowerment = allowing people to

use their energy and intelligenceuse their energy and intelligence Ken Melrose at ToroKen Melrose at Toro People need experience being People need experience being

“unleashed” so they can take “unleashed” so they can take leadership when neededleadership when needed

Everyone is there—why not engage Everyone is there—why not engage everyone to the fullest?everyone to the fullest?

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ForesightForesight

Greenleaf said foresight is the central ethic Greenleaf said foresight is the central ethic of leadership, the “lead” that the leader of leadership, the “lead” that the leader hashas

Not predicting specific events, but the Not predicting specific events, but the underlying trends, issues, opportunitiesunderlying trends, issues, opportunities

Arie de Geus: example of forecasting when Arie de Geus: example of forecasting when the rivers will swell and flood the valleys the rivers will swell and flood the valleys

Good to GreatGood to Great: A& P vs. Kroger: A& P vs. Kroger Max DePree: momentumMax DePree: momentum

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One result: TrustOne result: Trust Trust is essential to leading any Trust is essential to leading any

organizationorganization You can build trust when you make it You can build trust when you make it

clear in word and deed that you care clear in word and deed that you care about your colleagues and customersabout your colleagues and customers

The key practices build trust The key practices build trust because you are because you are paying attentionpaying attention to to your customers and colleagues and your customers and colleagues and are are getting them what they needgetting them what they need

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What does your organization What does your organization look like?look like?

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Exercise:Exercise:Implementing the Key Implementing the Key

PracticesPracticesDraw your organizationDraw your organizationMark yourself and three Mark yourself and three

colleaguescolleaguesGiven your organizational Given your organizational

structure, how could you best structure, how could you best implement the key practices of implement the key practices of servant-leaders?servant-leaders?

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Discussion Discussion What do you find most What do you find most

interesting about the key interesting about the key practices of servant-leaders?practices of servant-leaders?

What do you think are the What do you think are the benefits of servant leadership?benefits of servant leadership?

What do you think are the What do you think are the barriers to being a servant-barriers to being a servant-leader?leader?

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Thank you!Thank you!

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