Modern Servant Leader

Why It’s Time to Move On from the Inverted Pyramid and Start Using the Servant-Leadership Circle

Ben Lichtenwalner — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 01:34:36 +0000

Why It’s Time to Move On from the Inverted Pyramid and Start Using the Servant-Leadership Circle

For teaching servant-leadership, the inverted pyramid helped. It still does. But it is no longer enough.

For years, servant-leadership advocates have used the inverted pyramid to make an important point: leadership is not about people serving the leader. It is about the leader serving the people. That was a needed correction. It still is. But there is a problem hiding inside that picture.

And if we keep using it without updating the model, we keep reinforcing one of the biggest misunderstandings about servant leadership.

The inverted pyramid fixed one bad message, but left another one behind

Traditional Leadership Model

In the traditional way of thinking, the leader sits at the top. That image quietly teaches a toxic idea: the higher you go, the more people exist to serve you.

That is backwards.

So servant leadership flipped the pyramid.

Servant-Leadership Thinking

We know better. The leader is at the bottom, supporting the people above them. That is a much better message. It communicates responsibility, not privilege. It reminds leaders that their job is to remove obstacles, develop people, and help others succeed.

Good. Keep that. But here is the blind spot.

The inverted pyramid usually points to one stakeholder group, the team.

That is where the trouble starts.

Because the moment servant leadership is visualized as “leader serving employees,” critics make the same argument they have made for years: servant leadership sounds nice, but it over-prioritizes employees at the expense of other stakeholders and the business.

And if we are honest, the picture does not do much to stop that criticism.

In fact, it sometimes helps create it.

Learning This The Hard Way

I have spent years explaining servant leadership to business leaders who were already skeptical before the conversation started.

Many of them were not resisting servant-leadership. They were resisting what they thought servant-leadership meant. They heard servant leadership and assumed softness. They saw the inverted pyramid and assumed imbalance.

To them, it looked like the leader existed only for the direct reports, with little attention paid to customers, peers, investors, the broader organization, or the long-term health of the system.

That is not servant leadership. That is an elementery version of it. And bad visuals create bad conclusions.

So, while I still teach the inverted pyramid as a useful transition away from toxic hierarchy, I do not stop there. I move to what I believe is the better model: the Servant-Leadership Circle™.

The Servant-Leadership Circle™ Upgrade

The Servant-Leadership Circle™ is the framework for visualizing servant-leadership more accurately.

Instead of showing one inverted pyramid aimed at one group, the leader is placed at the center of a circle.

Around that leader are multiple inverted pyramids, one for each stakeholder group. Examples being:
1. Team
2. Peers
3. Customers
4. Boss
5. Owners / Investors
6. Partners
7. Community
Now the picture tells the truth.

A servant leader does not serve one group in isolation. A servant leader carries responsibility for multiple stakeholders at the same time.
That’s why leadership is hard.

And that is exactly why the circle works better than the single inverted pyramid. It preserves the service mindset without shrinking leadership into employee favoritism.

Why This Matters In Practice

A manager who thinks, “My job is to make my team happy,” is not practicing servant leadership. They may avoid accountability. They may ignore customer impact. They may protect poor performers. They may overcorrect toward comfort and call it care.

Real servant leadership requires balance. That is where the SERVANT framework helps.

The circle is not just a prettier picture. It reflects the deeper reality that great leadership is multi-directional and must stay integrated across all seven SERVANT principles:

Selflessness means you do not put yourself first, but it also does not mean putting one stakeholder above all others.
Empathy means understanding people deeply, not becoming captive to whoever is most emotional in the room.
Resolve means making hard calls when competing needs collide.
Virtuousness means acting with integrity across the system.
Authenticity means being transparent about tradeoffs and motives.
Nonpartisanship means seeking truth from all sides, not playing favorites.
Thoroughness means thinking long-term, beyond the next quarter or the next complaint.

That is servant leadership in the real world.

Not soft. Not simplistic. Not employee-first in some shallow, slogan-driven way.

It is stakeholder-centered, principle-driven, and results-oriented.

The Circle Corrects The Biggest Misunderstanding

One of the dumbest criticisms of servant leadership is that it somehow works against performance.

I get why people say it.

They have seen bad leadership disguised as kindness. Leaders who cannot confront. Leaders who confuse support with indulgence. Leaders who want to be liked more than they want to lead. That is not servant leadership. That is weak leadership wearing nicer clothes.

The Servant-Leadership Circle™ makes that easier to explain. Why? Because it shows that service does not remove pressure. It redistributes responsibility.

The leader sits in the middle because the leader is accountable to the whole system. You are serving your team by coaching them. You are serving customers by improving quality. You are serving the organization by protecting standards.You are serving owners by creating sustainable results. You are serving peers by collaborating instead of competing.

Leadership is not an achievement to be reached. It is a commitment to serve. The circle makes that visible.

How To Use The Servant-Leadership Circle This Week

1. Map your stakeholders

Write down the key groups you serve right now. Do not stop at your direct reports.

If your mental model only includes your team, your leadership lens is too narrow.

2. Ask where you are over-serving or under-serving

Some leaders over-serve investors and under-serve employees. Some over-serve employees and under-serve customers. Some over-serve their ego and under-serve everybody.

Be honest. Where is the imbalance?

3. Diagnose the gap with SERVANT

Ask which principle is missing. Is it a lack of Empathy? A lack of Resolve? A lack of Nonpartisanship because you are favoring one group? A lack of Thoroughness because you are solving for short-term peace instead of long-term health?

That gives you a practical next step, not just a nice idea.

The Inverted Pyramid Still Has Value

I am not arguing that the inverted pyramid was wrong. I am saying it is incomplete. And when a model becomes incomplete, it eventually becomes limiting.

The inverted pyramid helped the servant leadership movement challenge toxic hierarchy.

The Servant-Leadership Circle™ helps us move beyond that and explain what mature servant leadership actually requires. Not just serving down. Serving all around.

That is the upgrade. That is the better mental model. And honestly, it is the model leaders need now, because the complexity of modern leadership is not getting simpler.

If you want a practical framework for applying this more deeply, explore the Leadership Map and more resources at ModernServantLeader.com.

The post Why It’s Time to Move On from the Inverted Pyramid and Start Using the Servant-Leadership Circle appeared first on Modern Servant Leader.

I’m Sorry, Jalen. An Open Letter of Apology to Jalen Hurts: From Underrated QB to Unmistakable Servant Leader.

Ben Lichtenwalner — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 19:23:44 +0000

I’m Sorry, Jalen. An Open Letter of Apology to Jalen Hurts: From Underrated QB to Unmistakable Servant Leader.

Dear Jalen,

Let me confess something awkward. I’ve been an Eagles fan for most of my life*. I grew up just outside Philly, so I’ve screamed “Fly Eagles Fly” since I was 10 years old. However, I missed what was right in front of me.

You see, before Super Bowl 59, in a conversation with my brother Josh (an even bigger Eagles fan), I said, “Jalen is a very good quarterback, I’m just not sure he’s a great one.” Oh, how wrong I was. That’s the moment I regret most. Because it wasn’t just underestimating your game. I failed to recognize you as one of the best contemporary examples of servant leadership today. And, as someone who literally runs a blog about servant leadership, that’s downright embarrassing.

Jalen, you exemplify every principle of servant leadership:

Selflessness

Servant leaders pull in the blame and push out the praise. You do this constantly. After the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory, instead of basking in personal glory, you deflected praise: “Defense wins championships… they gave us opportunities… that’s why we were able to do what we do.”

Empathy

You never shy from acknowledging pain, setbacks, and growth, whether it is your own or others’. There are many examples of your empathy, but for me, what stands out is your moment with Devonta Smith, late in Super Bowl 59, when you told him you loved him and said, “It’s been a ride.”

Resolve

Servant leaders stay true to their vision through adversity. You also embody this. Reflecting on your journey, from being benched in the National Championship, transferring, to rising through setbacks, you said:

“I’ve been at the mountaintop and the valley low. The thing that I understand is every year, it resets. Every year is a new challenge. And every year, those new challenges require a new work ethic and a new faith.”

Virtuousness

After the biggest win of your career, you didn’t brag. You pointed upward and said, “God is good… I couldn’t do any of these things without the guys around me.” Integrity and humility personified.

Authenticity

You don’t act; you’re the same Jalen in the locker room, pressers, and huddles. “Every game… every ounce of preparation – it’s for the benefit of the group.” You even describe leadership as being a “coffee bean” – someone who changes the environment for the better.

Nonpartisanship

You highlight everyone’s contribution. From star receivers to offensive linemen to defensive leaders. Before the Super Bowl, you praised the Georgia alumni for shaping team culture: “…starts with Nakobe Dean… their ways seep through this team.”

Thoroughness

Your preparation is legendary. The first Sunday after your Superbowl victory, you were back on the field training. You said: “I respect this grind, I respect the process, and I respect what it takes to be great.” That’s what servant leaders do: consistently prepare so they can better serve their teams.

So Jalen, I join the chorus of people apologizing for underestimating you. But my apology is different. I never doubted your arm strength or decision-making. I’m sorry for missing the deeper truth: that you are a stellar example of servant leadership in action on the field, in the locker room, and in the community.

I’ll keep cheering “Fly, Eagles, Fly” from the stands. But more than that, I’ll keep learning from your example. Thanks for reminding me and the world, that greatness isn’t just measured in touchdowns. It’s measured in service.

Go Birds.

Sincerely,

Ben Lichtenwalner

Learn more about servant leadership and The ACRONYM Model of SERVANT-Leadership at ModernServantLeader.com.

* As a current Michigan native, who was born and raised outside Detroit until I was 10, I am obligated to share that I also cheer for the Detroit Lions and fear the NFC Championship title this year, when the two teams will face each other.

The post I’m Sorry, Jalen. An Open Letter of Apology to Jalen Hurts: From Underrated QB to Unmistakable Servant Leader. appeared first on Modern Servant Leader.

Danelle Morrow | Profile in Servant Leadership for Sales & Marketing

Ben Lichtenwalner — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 04:58:49 +0000

Great bosses raise up their team but it takes a great leader to raise the bar on an entire profession. That’s what Danelle Morrow is doing for proposal response teams of all shapes and sizes.

Most large businesses have a department dedicated to developing responses to Request for Proposals (RFPs). These teams are typically treated as order-takers and reactive organizations. Accordingly, the departments are often titled, “Proposal Management” or “Sales Response” teams. However, Morrow argues this undervalues and misrepresents the current reality and potential of these teams.

Proposal teams serve... ...as the heartbeat of the revenue engine of the organization.

Danelle Morrow Tweet

In a recent Forbes article, Morrow suggests a better name for the function is Strategic Response Management. In explaining her efforts to pull the field from back-office shadows anonymity, she highlights how the function listens to, understands, and serves an extensive group of stakeholders, including:

Current Customers
Prospective Clients
Sales
Marketing
Brand Management

In serving each of these groups, Danelle explains it is critical to speak their language – a lesson we teach in our leadership classes and a cornerstone of serving others. Yet, speaking their language is only the start. Another great example of servant leadership in action is Ms. Morrow’s emphasis on the role these teams play as stewards of vital corporate resources.

...proposal leaders are not line managers, they are stewards of capital. They are making daily decisions on how to invest company resources to generate the best return.

Danelle Morrow Tweet

The Strategic Response Management team of any company must steward resources including:

Human Knowledge
Digital Knowledge
Digital Assets
Creative Assets
Innovation Resources
Intellectual Property
Operational Insights
Delivery Expertise
And more

Like all great servant leaders though, Danelle understands the people are far more important and valuable. In her efforts to raise the profession, she is also working with her team and the Association of Proposal Management Professionals to increase awareness and develop career paths. She’s upskilled and promoted 20% of the team at Sodexo while presenting at APMA conferences on how to apply these best practices and better serve stakeholders.

Thanks for being a profile in servant leadership for Strategic Response Management professionals, Danelle. Keep serving!

The post Danelle Morrow | Profile in Servant Leadership for Sales & Marketing appeared first on Modern Servant Leader.

Servant Leadership Library

Ben Lichtenwalner — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 19:56:00 +0000

Servant Leadership Library of Books

What are the Best Books About Servant Leadership?

This collection of books is a compilation of both servant-leadership focused texts as well as books on other, closely related topics, that pair well with servant-leadership. All have been reviewed by Modern Servant Leader staff and are recommended closely for those who adopt and support The Acronym Model of SERVNT Leadership®.

Title (Affiliate Link)	Description	Authors	Published / Reprinted	Servant Leadership / Other?	Model Name	Emphasis	Academic / Application
21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership	Internationally-recognized leadership expert and bestselling author John C. Maxwell wrote his million-seller The 21 Laws of Leadership over ten years ago. Now, this expanded and updated edition of one of the most trusted and referenced leadership books features revised content that is fundamental to any leader.	John C. Maxwell	2007	Other	21 Irrefutable Laws		Academic
7 Habits of Highly Effective People	This beloved classic presents a principle-centered approach for solving both personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and practical anecdotes, Stephen R. Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, honesty, and human dignityÑprinciples that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates.	Stephen R. Covey	2020	Other		Success	Application
Art of Servant Leadership	The Art of Servant Leadership provides a prophetic voice in overcoming the craziness within business and a guidebook on how any public or private company can achieve its true purpose in this world. Interwoven with the principles of servant leadership is a story of how one CEO transformed his international communications company to exist for the sake of others.	Dr. Tony Baron	2013	Servant Leadership			Balance
Art of War	"The Art of War" is an ancient Chinese military treatise dating from the 5th century BC and is attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu. The text is composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare and it is commonly thought of as a definitive work on military strategy and tactics.	Sun Tzu	500 BC	Other		History, Military	Academic
Boldly Inclusive Leader	This is not a book about quick fixes or paying lip service to the hot topic of inclusion. This is for leaders who want to boldly transform the workplace and are willing to leave their comfort zones. As a leader, you will learn to maximize your team's potential and appreciate that inclusive leadership is an ongoing journey.	Minette Norman	2023	Other		Empathy, Nonpartisan	Balance
Built to Last	Drawing upon a six-year research project at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras took 18 truly exceptional and long-lasting companies and studied each in direct comparison to one of its top competitors.	Jim Collins	2019	Other		Business	Balance
Case for Servant Leadership	The author argues that servant leadership is ethical, practical, and meaningful. He cites the universal importance of service, defines servant leadership, compares the power model of leadership with the service model, describes some key practices of servant-leaders, explores the meaningful lives of servant-leaders, and offers questions for reflection and discussion.	Kent M. Keith	2015	Servant Leadership	7 Practices		Balance
CEO Excellence	From the world's most influential management consulting firm, McKinsey & Company, this is an insight-packed, revelatory look at how the best CEOs do their jobs based on extensive interviews with todayâ€™s most successful corporate leadersâ€”including chiefs at Netflix, JPMorgan Chase, General Motors, and Sony.	Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, Vikram Malhotra	2022	Other			Balance
Coach Wooden's Pyramid Of Success	Based on John WoodenÕs own method to victory, Coach WoodenÕs Pyramid of Success reveals that success is built block by block, where each block is a crucial principle contributing to life-long achievement in every area of life.	John Wooden, Jay Carty	2005	Other	Pyramid of Success	Sports	Application
Dare to Serve	Servant leadership is sometimes derided as soft or ineffective, but this book shows that it's actually challenging and tough minded - a daring path. Bachelder takes you firsthand through the transformation of Popeyes and shows how a leader at any level can become a Dare - to - Serve leader.	Cheryl Bachelder	2018	Servant Leadership	Dare to Serve		Application
Daring Greatly	From thought leader Brene Brown, a transformative new vision for the way we lead, love, work, parent, and educate that teaches us the power of vulnerability.	BrenŽ Brown	2015	Other			Application
Define Your Destiny	You simply cannot lead others if you donÕt even know your own self. His is a holistic approach to leadership concerned with the totality of the individual, the self, and the people you serve.	Kelvin A. Redd	2014	Servant Leadership	Define Your Destiny	Self-Awareness	Balance
Delivering Happiness	In this, his first audiobook, Tony Hsieh - the widely admired CEO of Zappos, the online shoe retailer - explains how he created a unique culture and commitment to service that aims to improve the lives of employees, customers, vendors, and backers. Using anecdotes and stories from his own life experiences, and from other companies, Hsieh provides concrete ways that companies can achieve unprecedented success.	Tony Hsieh	2010	Other		Business, Culture	Application
Essentials of Servant-Leadership	CompThe Art of Servant Leadership provides a prophetic voice in overcoming the craziness within business and a guidebook on how any public or private company can achieve its true purpose in this world. Interwoven with the principles of servant leadership is a story of how one CEO transformed his international communications company to exist for the sake of others.anies ranging from a large airline to a retail store chain are experimenting with unprecedented and accelerated changes in how they define leadership -- in whom employees choose to follow, what it takes to effectively lead others, and how individuals can come together to address constant flux.	Ann McGee-Cooper, Duane Trammell, Matthew Kosec	2001	Servant Leadership	Skills & Behaviors	Business	Balance
Ethical Intelligence	Emotionally intelligent people are aware of how they and others feel. Ethically intelligent people know how to use this awareness the right way. Being ethically intelligent doesn't just mean knowing what is right; it also means having the courage to do what is right. Ethical intelligence may be the most practical form of intelligence there is Ñ and the most valuable.	Bruce Weinstein	2011	Other		Ethics, Virtous, Self-Awareness	Balance
First, Break All the Rules	Gallup presents the remarkable findings of its revolutionary study of more than 80,000 managers in First, Break All the Rules, revealing what the worldÕs greatest managers do differently. With vital performance and career lessons and ideas for how to apply them, it is a must-listen for managers at every level.	Marcus Buckingham	2017	Other	12 Questions	Business	Application
Five Dysfunctions of a Team	For twenty years, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team has been engaging audiences with a page-turning, realistic fable that follows the travails of Kathryn Petersen, DecisionTechÕs CEO, as she faces the ultimate leadership crisis. She must unite a team in such disarray that it threatens to derail the entire company.	Patrick Lencioni	2002	Other		Business, Fable, Nonpartisan, Technology	Academic
Good to Great	Using tough benchmarks, Collins and his research team identified a set of elite companies that made the leap to great results and sustained those results for at least fifteen years. How great? After the leap, the good-to-great companies generated cumulative stock returns that beat the general stock market by an average of seven times in fifteen years, better than twice the results delivered by a composite index of the world's greatest companies, including Coca-Cola, Intel, General Electric, and Merck.	Jim Collins	2001	Other	Level 5 Leadership	Business	Application
Greatest Salesman in the World	You too can change your life with the priceless wisdom of ten ancient scrolls handed down for thousands of years.	Og Mandino	2011	Other	10 Scrolls	Fable, Sales	Academic
How to Win Friends and Influence People	Dale Carnegie, known as 'the arch-priest of the art of making friends', pioneered the development of personal business skills, self-confidence and motivational techniques. His books - most notably How to Win Friends and Influence People - have sold tens of millions worldwide and, even in today's changing climate, they remain as popular as ever.	Dale Carnegie	2023	Other		Business, Empathy, Influence	Application
Incidients in the Life of a Slave Girl	Harriet Jacobs (1813-1897) was an African-American writer who escaped from slavery and was later freed. She became an abolitionist and reformer. Jacobs wrote an autobiography, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, published in 1861 under the pseudonym Linda Brent. It was a reworking of the genres of slave narrative and sentimental novel, and was one of the first books to address the struggle for freedom by female slaves, explore their struggles with sexual harassment and abuse and their effort to protect their roles as women and mothers.	Harriet Jacobs	1861	Other		Empathy, History, Nonpartisan	Academic
Kiss, Bow, Or Shake Hands	The most authoritative and comprehensive text of its kind, Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands, 2nd Edition is your must-have guide to proper international business protocol. With countries such as China and India taking on a more significant role in the global business landscape, you can't afford not to know the practices, customs, and philosophies of other countries.	Terri Morrison, Wayne A. Conaway	2006	Other		Business, Empathy, International, Nonpartisan	Application
Laws of Success	Decide today to make your future brighter than your past and make these 12 laws work for you. There is greatness within you. With the help of these 12 Laws of Success, you will discover and unleash that greatness.	Les Brown	2017	Other	12 Laws of Success	Motivation, Success	Academic
Lead Like Jesus	With simple yet profound principles from the life of Jesus, and dozens of stories and leadership examples from his life experiences, veteran author, speaker and leadership expert Ken Blanchard guides readers through the process of discovering how to lead like Jesus. He describes it as the process of aligning two internal domains-the heart and the head-and two external domains, the hands and the habits.	Ken Blanchard, Phil Hodges	2007	Other	Four Dimensions	Faith	Balance
Leadership Challenge	With deep insight into the complex interpersonal dynamics of the workplace, this book positions leadership both as a skill to be learned, and as a relationship that must be nurtured to reach its full potential.	James M. Kouzes, Barry Z. Posner	2017	Other	Five Practices of Exemplary Leaders		Balance
Leadership Is an Art	Leadership Is an Art has long been a must-read not only within the business community but also in professions ranging from academia to medical practices, to the political arena.	Max DePree	2004	Other		Business	Academic
Leadership Jazz	this powerful book reveals why today, more than ever, leadership is more an art than a science. TodayÕs best leaders, De Pree says, are attuned to the needs and ideas of their followers, and even step aside at times to be followers themselves.	Max DePree	2008	Other		Business	Academic
Leading with a Limp	Pick up most leadership books and youÕll find strategies for leveraging your power and minimizing your areas of weakness. But rather than work against your weakness, why not draw from a deeper well of strength? God favors leaders who make the most of the power that comes from brokenness.	Dr. Dan B. Allender	2008	Other	Limping Leadership	Faith, Vulnerability	Balance
Lean In	Sandberg, COO of Meta (previously called Facebook) from 2008-2022, provides practical advice on negotiation techniques, mentorship, and building a satisfying career. She describes specific steps women can take to combine professional achievement with personal fulfillment, and demonstrates how men can benefit by supporting women both in the workplace and at home.	Sheryl Sandberg	2013	Other		Business, Empathy, Technology, Women	Application
Meditations	Meditations is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 AD, recording his private notes to himself and ideas on Stoic philosophy.	Marcus Aurelius, James Harris	180	Other	Stoic Philosophy	History, Military	Academic
Mentor Leader	As a son, a football player, and a winning coach, Tony has always learned from others on his path to success. Now you can learn to succeed for your team, family, or organization while living out your values_by becoming a mentor leader.	Tony Dungy	2011	Other		Business, Mentoring, Sports	Balance
Most Powerful Leadership Principle	In The World's Most Powerful Leadership Principle, Hunter demonstrates that leadership and character development are one and the same. But the work, even the pain, of changing one's self - breaking old, worn-out habits - is difficult. Hunter provides an uncomplicated, straightforward, three-step change process he has seen successfully employed by literally thousands of leaders to effect change in their lives and organizations and fulfill beneficial goals.	James C. Hunter	2004	Servant Leadership			Application
On Becoming a Leader	On Becoming a Leader delves into the qualities that define leadership, the people who exemplify it, and the strategies that anyone can apply to achieve it.	Warren Bennis	2009	Other			Academic
Paradigm Flip	How will you use social media to advance your mission? Leadership has never been easy, but the technology available today can help. Whether you run a Fortune 500 business, an INC 500 company, a department, a non-profit, a church or youÕre just getting started with a personal mission, Paradigm Flip can help.	Ben Lichtenwalner	2013	Servant Leadership	Acronym Model of SERVANT Leadership¨	Social Media, Technology	Application
Power of Servant-Leadership	The Power of Servant Leadership is a collection of eight of Greenleaf's most compelling essays on servant-leadership. These essays, published together in one volume for the first time, contain many of Greenleaf's best insights into the nature and practice of servant-leadership and show his continual refinement of the servant-as-leader concept.	Robert K. Greenleaf, Larry C. Spears	1998	Servant Leadership			Academic
Primal Leadership	This is the book that established 'emotional intelligence' in the business lexicon, and made it a necessary skill for leaders.	Daniel Goleman, Richard E. Boyatzis, Annie McKee	2013	Other		Emotional Intelligence	Application
Servant as Leader	This is the essay that started it all. Powerful, poetic and practical. The Servant as Leader describes some of the characteristics and activities of servant-leaders, providing examples which show that individual efforts, inspired by vision and a servant ethic, can make a substantial difference in the quality of society.	Robert K. Greenleaf	1970	Servant Leadership	Greenleaf Model		Academic
Servant Leadership	Servant Leadership_ á helps leaders find their true power and moral authority to lead. á helps those served become healthier, wiser, freer, and more autonomous. á encourages collaboration, trust, listening, and empowerment. á offers long-lasting change, not a temporary fix. á extends beyond business for leaders of all types of groups.	Robert K. Greenleaf, Larry C. Spears	2002	Servant Leadership	10 Characteristics		Academic
Sevent Pillars of Servant Leadership	Seven Pillars of Servant Leadership trains readers in how to evolve and implement the competencies and behaviors of servant leadership using pointed questions, stories, exercises, case studies, and research-based activities that the authors have field-tested with numerous leaders in the public and private sectors.	James W. Sipe, Don M. Frick	2015	Servant Leadership	7 Pillars		Academic
SPEED of Trust	Stephen M. R. Covey shows how trustÑand the speed at which it is established with clients, employees, and all stakeholdersÑis the single most critical component of a successful leader and organization.	Stephen M. R. Covey	2008	Other		Business, Nonpartisan, Virtuous	Balance
StrengthsFinder 2.0	All too often, our natural talents go untapped. From the cradle to the cubicle, we devote more time to fixing our shortcomings than to developing our strengths. To help people uncover their talents, Gallup introduced the first version of its online assessment, StrengthsFinder, in 2001 which ignited a global conversation and helped millions to discover their top five talents.	Gallup	2007	Other		Goals, Objectives, Performance Reviews	Application
Surrounded by Idiots	It offers a simple, yet ground-breaking method for assessing the personalities of people we communicate with Ð in and out of the office Ð based on four personality types (Red, Blue, Green and Yellow), and provides insights into how we can adjust the way we speak and share information.	Thomas Erikson	2019	Other		Personality Assessment	Balance
Taking People with You	Over his fifteen years at Yum! Brands, Novak has developed a trademarked program he calls Taking People with You. He spends several weeks each year personally teaching it to thousands of managers around the world.	David Novak	2012	Other			Balance
The Secret	The authors get at the heart of what makes a leader successful in this classic business fable. Newly promoted but struggling young executive Debbie Brewster asks her mentor, ÒWhat is the secret of great leaders?Ó His replyÑÒgreat leaders serveÓÑflummoxes her, but over time he reveals the five fundamental ways that leaders succeed through service.	Ken Blanchard, Mark Miller	2009	Servant Leadership	SERVE	Fable	Balance
The Servant	In this absorbing tale, you watch the timeless principles of servant leadership unfold through the story of John Daily, a businessman whose outwardly successful life is spiraling out of control. He is failing miserably in each of his leadership roles as boss, husband, father, and coach. To get his life back on track, he reluctantly attends a weeklong leadership retreat at a remote Benedictine monastery.	James C. Hunter	1998	Servant Leadership		Business, Fable	Application
The Servant Leader	Readers looking to expand their effective leadership skills, to experience the transforming power of Blanchard's unconventional teachings, and to grow as leaders and as business executives will benefit greatly from Servant Leader.	Ken Blanchard, Phil Hodges	2003	Servant Leadership	Four Dimensions		Academic
The Servant Leader	A Practical Guide to Using the Principles of Servant Leadership. Leadership is a calling. And servant leadershipÑthe idea that managing with respect, honesty, love, and spirituality empowers employeesÑhelps individuals answer that calling.	James A. Autry	2004	Servant Leadership		Business	Application
Think and Grow Rich	Napoleon Hill presents a ÒPhilosophy of AchievementÓ in 13 principles drawn from the success stories of such greats as Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and other millionaires of his time.	Napolean Hill	2015	Other	13 Steps to Riches	Motivation, Success	Application
Words to Lead By	Whether you lead 1 or 1,000, these quotes will inspire and motivate you. Inside is both ageless wisdom and insights from contemporary thought-leaders, all organized by the greatest leadership principles.	Ben Lichtenwalner	2022	Servant Leadership	Acronym Model of SERVANT Leadership¨	Motivation, Quotes	Academic
You Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader	Through the stories of a number of unsung heroes, Sanborn reveals the keys each one of us can use to improve our organizations and enhance our careers.	Mark Sanborn	2006	Other	6 Principles of Leadership		Balance

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Mentor Magic: 18 Secrets to Unlocking a Powerful Partnership

Ben Lichtenwalner — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 13:40:43 +0000

01

Choose Your Champion: Self-Select Your Mentor

The best mentoring relationships can come from self-identified pairs. Find opportunities for prospective pairs to meet and self-select. Already have a designated mentor or mentee? Who said you can only have one?

02

Goal Evolution: Adapt as You Grow

Most mentees don’t have fully defined goals at the start. It’s okay if your goals begin with something simple. Then, evolve your goals to be more specific as you strengthen the relationship.

03

Beyond Business: Share Personal Ambitions

Don’t be so formal. Mentoring relationships, like financial advisor relationships, are more effective when we have the full picture. You can help most with professional advice, when you know each other as whole persons.

04

Personality Power: Understand Each Other

Have you taken a personality assessment? Share it with each other. Understanding how you both think and act in different situations will help you construct and receive feedback for maximum impact.

05

Clock In: Value Each Other’s Time

Your time is valuable. So is their time. Don’t be late and don’t change plans last minute, if at all possible. Doing so, especially repeatedly, suggests you do not value the relationship.

06

Plan Topics: Preparedness Pays Off

Come prepared with topics. This should be the responsibility of the mentee. However, the best mentors have backup topics prepared. This is especially true with newer, less experienced, and introverted mentees.

07

Reflections: Revisit Past Conversations

Before each meeting, take a few minutes to read through the suggestions you received or offered last time. Did the mentee take actions based on them? If not, why not and how does that impact the discussion this time?

08

Get Out: Change the Scene

Meeting at the workplace is convenient. It’s also boring and formal. Change the setting by going out for coffee or lunch. Getting out of the workplace environment can relax many people and encourage more open dialogue.

09

Action Speaks: Apply Advice

You don’t have to do everything you were taught or told, but if you routinely ignore insights and advice, why are you both committing time to the relationship? Make sure to take action based on what you share and learn.

10

Unique Paths: Share More Than You Advise

They are not you. Don’t say, “If I were you….”. Instead offer, “here’s a similar situation I experienced and how I approached the matter”. Provide experiences more than direction.

11

Critical Thinking: Inquire, Don’t Impose

Frame guidance in the form of questions. Don’t say, “That was a bad decision.” Instead, ask, “What do you think of that decision?” Questions encourage the other person to think critically rather than shutdown dialogue.

12

Fable Teaching: Tell Stories

We remember stories more than advice. The best mentors teach through fables. Try to do the same and let your mentees extract their own lessons from your stories. The lesson will last longer with greater impact.

13

Network Nudge: Extend Your Reach

Mentors are great people. They are not gods. They won’t have all the answers. Find someone who can help if you can not. If your mentor doesn’t know, ask them if they know someone who can help.

14

Ego Check: Learn More with Humility

You may both bring ego into a mentoring relationship. Stop it. Yes, you are both amazing people. No, neither of you are superhuman. The less ego you have in a mentoring relationship the more you will both benefit from it.

15

Outside Insight: Seek External Guidance

If you struggle to connect in a mentoring relationship, ask a third party for advice. Some organizations specialize in leadership development and mentoring programs. Or, ask someone else whose opinion you respect.

16

Survey Says: Quantify Success

Mentoring benefits are mostly qualitative. This makes tracking benefits of mentoring programs difficult. To close this gap, survey participants. Well structured questions will also help participants build stronger connections.

17

Be True: Practice Authenticity

Pretending to be something you’re not will only produce the wrong guidance. There are 8 Billion people in the world. There is only one you. You are who you are and where you are for a reason. Be you.

18

Patience Matters: Value the Journey

Mentoring is an amazing opportunity for both parties. So, we can be anxious to quickly impress each other and extract all possible value. Don’t. The best mentoring relationships take time. Take your time. You’ll be glad you did.

BONUS

Bonus: Have Fun!

Workplace mentoring programs focus on professional development. That doesn’t mean you have to be stuffy or formal. My best mentors and mentees became lifelong friends, because we had fun.

The post Mentor Magic: 18 Secrets to Unlocking a Powerful Partnership appeared first on Modern Servant Leader.

The Top Servant Leadership Course Just Got Better

Ben Lichtenwalner — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 19:33:35 +0000

Thousands of students, from around the world, have taken our initial version of the SERVANT-Leadership 101 course and earned their certificates. Now, we’ve updated and expanded the course to make it even better!

About the Servant Leadership Course

SERVANT-Leadership 101 is a course specifically designed for anyone interested in servant leadership, to learn the fundamental concepts, a brief history, core principles, and contemporary examples. The course is a self-paced, virtual program, with the following sessions:

Lesson 1: Welcome to Servant Leadership 101

A brief introduction to the course and overview of expectations.

Lesson 2: Unlearning Bad Leadership Principles

Sometimes, before we can travel down the correct path, we have to step off the wrong one.

Lesson 3: Flip Your Pyramid and Make a Circle

Learn the popular concept of the inverted pyramid model and the powerful idea of the leadership circle.

Lesson 4: History of Servant Leadership

Uncover the origins of servant leadership, how long it has existed, who was the first person to coin the term, and more.

Lesson 5: The Acronym Model of SERVANT Leadership®

Discover the one model of servant leadership that combines all others.

Lesson 6: Contemporary Servant Leader Examples

Go beyond the typical historical figures and learn of more contemporary leaders practicing servant leadership principles.

Lesson 7: Wrap-up, Certificate, & Next Steps

Congratulations! When you reach this session, you completed the course, receive your certificate and a challenge!

Your Certificate of Completion

Everyone who completes the course receives a customized, digital copy of the certificate of completion. The certificate includes:

Your Name
Current Date
Signature of Ben Lichtenwalner (founder of Modern Servant Leader)

What's New?

We made many additions and improvements, including:

New Platform: We adopted a new technical platform that faster, more reliable, and frankly, more enjoyable.
Self-Paced: You can now advance through the program at your own pace. No more waiting for the next week’s email.
New Content: All sections have been updated, but especially the Contemporary leader examples.
Acronym Model: We added The Acronym Model of SERVANT Leadership®
Prettier Certificate: The certificate was given a makeover too – we hope you like it.

Is it Still Free?

Only a short time longer. We’ve offered the program free for over 10 years. We must start charging a small fee for it soon. The increased costs of hosting servers, software, and features require us to compensate some of our costs to continue providing this service. As soon as we have enough people take it on the new platform and technology, we will begin charging a fee. So take it today, if you want it for free.

Take the Course Today!

Get started by registering for this introduction to Servant Leadership course, SERVANT Leadership 101, at Virtual Leadership Programs:

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Jason Kelce’s Retirement: a Master Class in Leadership

Ben Lichtenwalner — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 06:27:46 +0000

There is no shortage of sports analogies and examples in leadership development. Yet this example stands out amongst all the rest as it comes not from the height of someone’s career, not at the moment of peak celebration, but at the announcement of retirement. And you don’t need to be a fan of sports to appreciate the message.

Jason Kelce, the star center for the Philadelphia Eagles, retired on March 4th, 2024. His retirement speech exemplified the principles of servant leadership. We walk through each example in this video.

The post Jason Kelce’s Retirement: a Master Class in Leadership appeared first on Modern Servant Leader.

Martin Luther King – Celebration of a Servant Leader

Ben Lichtenwalner — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 20:30:05 +0000

Martin Luther King is among the greatest Servant Leaders this world has ever seen. His vision, leadership and ultimate sacrifice blazed a path for millions. There are many great posts, videos and other references that remind us of his vision and social injustices he would fight still today. Below are some of my favorites:

Wikipedia Article – For a brief background and history on the man and his amazing contributions.
I Have a Dream Speech – The famous speech, in full length. Link here to YouTube. Video embedded below.
Look Here Interview – This is one of my favorite interviews of King. It is particularly humanizing of the man while displaying his great intellect and the foundation of many of his beliefs.
Assassination Report – Walter Cronkite’s coverage on CBS News of King’s assassination. While MLK Day should be a celebration of the man, this video is also a reminder of the tragedy we experienced as a nation that day.
The King Center -The King Center is “the official, living memorial dedicated to the advancement of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr…”

Martin Luther King Jr. Videos

I Have a Dream Speech (Full Length, from March on Washington)

Interview on TV Show, "Look Here"

News Report of His Assassination on CBS News

Question: What are some of your favorite references or quotes from Martin Luther King Jr.?

The post Martin Luther King – Celebration of a Servant Leader appeared first on Modern Servant Leader.

Score More in 2024: 24 Innovative Leadership Goals for the New Year

Ben Lichtenwalner — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 04:47:55 +0000

It’s the new year and you need new goals. Here are 24 innovative leadership goals for the new year – including metrics to measure your progress….

Enhance Feedback Systems: Create a more robust feedback system for stakeholders to let you and peers know what’s working and what needs improvement.
Measurement: Percentage of stakeholders providing feedback.
Create Succession Plans: Break the cycle of chaos. Succession plans prepare your team for the inevitable people changes. Done right, they also bolster leadership development.
Measurement: Percentage of people leaders with defined plans.
Implement Mentoring Program: Develop a mentoring program for the company. Think your organization is too small? Partner with other organizations.
Measurement: Percentage of participating employees.
Define Leadership Model: Document what leadership means at your company. Set clear expectations of people leaders while boosting your culture.
Measurement: Portion of model completed.
Invest in Leadership Development: Studies prove amazing ROI for leadership development programs. Stop procrastinating and start developing your people leaders.
Measurement: ROI, Productivity, Participant percentage….
Boost Employee Health: A healthy staff is a happy staff. Implement employee wellness programs, especially those focused on mental health.
Measurement: Percentage of health risk assessments completed.
Get Real About Diversity and Inclusion: Be honest, are your DEI&A programs simply checking the box? Get serious about it this year. Ensure you and the team have diverse inputs for news, media, and research. Face the hard numbers.
Measurement: DEI composition vs. community and industry.
Improve Remote Relationships: Identify challenges faced by remote employees and partners. Create solutions and implement office hours for them to give feedback or pop-in virtually.
Measurement: Remote team engagement levels.
Support Work-Life Alignment: Work-Life Balance is outdated. Focus instead on alignment. Do you and the team bring their whole self to work? How can you ensure the team has such an alignment
Measurement: Employee engagement scores.
Implement Agile Practices: Popular in IT circles, more businesses are implementing Agile business practices. How can you leverage this growing trend for greater expediency?
Measurement: Percentage of successful projects applying Agile methods.
Formalize Sustainability: New laws this year require certain businesses to report their level of pollution. Don’t wait for legal obligation to hit your company. Formalize sustainability now.
Measurement: Energy, water, or plastic reduction levels.
Get Personality Assessments: When was the last time the team completed a MYBTI, DiSC, or similar personality assessment workshop? Never?! Get on it – you can thank me later.
Measurement: Percentage of employees with completed assessments.
Shift to Strengths: The Clifton Strengths Finder points out our tendency to focus too much on fixing weaknesses. A better approach is building upon our strengths. Embed this thinking in your organization.
Measurement: Percentage of employees completing the Strengths Finder.
Competitive Assessment: When was the last time you took a unique look at your competition? We all have competitors. If we’re not aware of the marketplace, we could quickly be replaced.
Measurement: Number of competitors identified and assessed.
Invest in Client Relationships: Would your clients consider your working relationship strong or weak? What can you do to bolster those relationships that are weak?
Measurement: Client engagement surveys.
Boost Morale: Does the team feel less engaged or down? Increase morale through great engagement and opportunities.
Measurement: Employee engagement surveys.
Increase Innovation: Develop programs like hackathons, innovation days, and community support projects that help team members think outside of the box.
Measurement: Percentage of new initiatives by front-line employees.
Bolster Thought Leadership: Establish a newsletter, blog, speaker series, lunch-and-learn or similar program to promote thought leadership by yourself and the team.
Measurement: Percentage of employees delivering or participating in the program.
Metrics, Metrics, Metrics: You cannot manage what you cannot measure. Establish a framework for all key goals that includes both Critical Success Factors (CSFs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Check out Net Promoter Scores.
Measurement: Percent of goals with clearly defined CSFs and KPIs.
Create AI Strategy: People will not be replaced by AI. However, people who do not use AI will be replaced by those who do. How do you and the team plan to leverage Artificial Intelligence in the year ahead? Consider our course.
Measurement: Number of projects leveraging AI capabilities by year end.
Break Bad Boss Behaviors™: Most of us know the bad behaviors prevalent in our teams. We promote that which we permit. Make this the year you tackle the worst offenders.
Measurement: Employee engagement survey.
Increase Transparency: Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Commit to sharing with the team all you can about decisions. When you cannot, tell them you wish you could, but there are some things you cannot share.
Measurement: Employee trust scores.
Introduce Servant Leadership: All great leadership is servant leadership, after all, if you’re not serving others, you are self serving. Introduce your employees to this concept and formalize training on it. Consider our course.
Measurement: Percentage of people leaders completing servant leadership training.
Find Your Purpose: The best leaders first find their life’s purpose. Then, their leadership flows naturally from their conviction. If you’re in a leadership role but it feels like a job, you’ll never be as great of a leader as in a role that aligns with your purpose. Find your purpose.
Measurement: Your happiness and success.

There you have it! 24 innovative leadership goals for the new year. If you could use help developing or implementing these goals for yourself or your organization, please, contact us. We’d love to help.

The post Score More in 2024: 24 Innovative Leadership Goals for the New Year appeared first on Modern Servant Leader.

The Servant-Leader’s Night Before Christmas

Ben Lichtenwalner — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 11:57:15 +0000

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all of the staff
Sat on Zoom hoping a leader would come, on their behalf.
Tired of the power model still in the air,
They hoped a servant-leader, soon would be there.

There had been no focus on long-term success,
And Short-term drivers too long caused distress.
While some struggled for a solution, others had fled,
We needed a change before going in the red.

Then amongst the board there arose such a clatter,
“Ego-based leaders” they said, “no longer matter.”
“We’ve ousted the selfish, greedy narcissists,
Replaced them with servant leaders, here to assist.”

Ego’s torn, pride drowned, the power leaders signed out,
Their golden parachutes and bonuses now in doubt.
Then, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
Not whom we expected, but one we all held dear.

One who was humble, his concerns were sincere,
We knew right then, our servant-leader was here.
His demeanor was calm, though his message strong:
“We’ve got much that’s broken, so the road will be long.”

“Now finance, accounting and back-office teams,
we’ll focus on the future, sustainability our theme.
As for the front-office, say to our customers,
we’re focused on success, for all our stake holders.”

He asked for concerns from the group all around,
listening for hours, until no more fears were found.
He sought out solutions, volunteers and experts,
“I’ve not all the answers, and count on your efforts”

As the night wore on, we grew less tired,
As the future looked brighter, we grew more inspired.
We were no longer feeding egos, pride and greed,
But building something far greater, indeed.

New leaders were appointed, for now at least,
Many volunteered to fill gaps by those now released.
But the message was clear for all to observe:
If you want to lead here, you had first to serve.

“Leaders won’t focus on fame, or their name in lights
they will have busy days, large loads, and long nights.
“They’ll focus instead on all our stake holders,
putting other names in lights and magazine covers.”

The message hit home clearly, as we all knew,
By serving others, we’d increase revenue.
Leaders would focus on staff, who’d impress our customers,
And with happy customers, we’d please investors.

Serving to lead, the paradox for success,
That Christmas Eve our servant-leader did impress.
Inspired we left, with challenges ahead,
A long road yes, but we’d be servant-led

My head spun with excitement, as I called my wife.
She asked “What’d that boss do now, give you more strife?”
I answered “We’ve a new boss and one we deserve.
We finally got it – to lead means to serve.”

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