The Servant Leader

Servant Leadership has long been a focus of mine, taking insights from Robert K. Greenleaf and Ken Blanchard, among others. Recently, I came across a page on the site for the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant-Leadership entitled "On Character and Servant-Leadership: Ten Characteristics of Effective, Caring Leaders" by Larry C. Spears, Chief Executive Officer of the Center. In it, Spears identifies the following characteristics that he has gleaned from Greenleaf's work and his own experience:

1. Listening
2. Empathy
3. Healing
4. Awareness
5. Persuasion
6. Conceptualization
7. Foresight
8. Stewardship
9. Commitment to the growth of people
10. Building community

Over the next few posts, we'll step through each of these points and take a look at how they show up in day-to-day leadership. Feel free to drop in your thoughts as you read along.