Where there is not community, trust, respect, ethical behavior are difficult for the young to learn and for the old to maintain.
Robert K. GreenleafRead
The servant-leader is servant first... It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A servant-leader prioritizes serving others before seeking to lead, demonstrating a profound commitment to support and uplift their team.
This quote emphasizes that true leadership stems from a genuine desire to serve others rather than a pursuit of authority or power. According to Robert K. Greenleaf, a servant-leader is someone who feels a natural inclination to help those around them, and this foundational intent shapes their leadership style. They lead with empathy and a focus on the well-being of their followers, which contrasts sharply with those who prioritize their own leadership status over the needs of others.
Themes
Servant LeadershipServiceLeadershipEmpathyTeam Support
In practice
Example use cases
During a leadership workshop, emphasizing the importance of serving your team before seeking authority.
More from Robert K. Greenleaf
All quotes →On an important decision one rarely has 100% of the information needed for a good decision no matter how much one spends or how long one waits. And, if one waits too long, he has a different problem and has to start all over. This is the terrible dilemma of the hesitant decision maker.
Robert K. GreenleafRead
Faith is the choice of the nobler hypothesis.' Not the noblest, one never knows what that is. But the nobler, the best one can see when the choice is made.
Robert K. GreenleafRead
A Leader is one who ventures and takes the risks of going out ahead to show the way and whom others follow, voluntarily, because they are persuaded that the leader's path is the right one-for them, probably better than they could devise for themselves.
Robert K. GreenleafRead
The only test of leadership is that somebody follows.
Robert K. GreenleafRead
Leadership must first and foremost meet the needs of others.
Robert K. GreenleafRead
Similar quotes
I applaud Women in Film - not only for celebrating the successes of women, but for providing a safety network to mentor women and to discuss the particular issues that arise in a very male-dominated industry.
Cate BlanchettRead
A leader is one of the things that distinguishes a mob from a people. He maintains the level of individuals. Too few individuals and a people reverts to a mob.
Frank HerbertRead
Employees who can't trust their leader to be vulnerable are not going to be vulnerable and build trust with one another.
Patrick LencioniRead
I don't want people saying, 'Should we get a female director?' I want to hear, 'Should we get a great director for this movie?'
Angelina JolieRead
When you're female working in a male-dominated industry, there are unfortunately extra things you need to do - for example, couch opinions in a way that sounds palatable and not threatening. That's a skill I developed.
Goldie HawnRead
When Men are irritated, and the Passions inflamed, they fly hastily and cheerfully to Arms; but after the first emotions are over, to expect, among such People, as compose the bulk of an Army, that they are influenced by any other principles than those of Interest, is to look for what never did, and I fear never will happen
George WashingtonRead