Everyone makes mistakes. But not everyone will admit making a mistake In my experience, servant-leaders in the workplace are pretty good at admitting when they make mistakes. Furthermore, I would argue that admitting mistakes is evidence that a person is practicing servant leadership. Why? Here are 5 reasons admitting mistakes might show you are a servant-leader. Admitting a mistake is a sign of self-awareness. Some people don’t admit a mistake because they aren’t aware that they made a mistake. Servant-leaders value self-awareness – and work to cultivate it. Admitting a mistake shows ..read more

Quotations: adages and aphorisms – epigrams and epitaphs – quips and witticisms – maxims, mottos and memes. Human beings have enjoyed quotations for thousands of years. Quotations can inspire us, inform us and entertain us. When shared – posted on social media or hung outside a cube, for example – they can tell the world something about our inner selves or connect us to other like-minded people. So, here for your reading pleasure is an ebook of quotations for servant-leaders. It’s new. It’s free. And, it’s a companion to the printed book, Be the Leader You Want to Follow: Your Servant Lea ..read more

Who’s in charge here? That’s the question . . . . . . that no one asked. This weekend, my neighborhood turned out for a protest against racial injustice in the United States. I live on a quiet little street in Atlanta. Word was passed on social media that there would be a demonstration along a nearby thoroughfare. And people came . . . And came . . . And came. Old people, young people, especially families with small children. Pouring out of their houses and down the street. Almost everyone had a home-made sign. Like this one: The organizer behind the demonstration – one of our neighbors, n ..read more

Courage is undoubtedly a virtue of great leaders, in the world and in the workplace.* So without further ado, here (in alphabetical order by author) are 15 great quotes about courage: “One isn’t necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.” – Maya Angelou “The truth is: Belonging starts with self-acceptance. Your level of belonging, in fact, can never be greater than your level of self-acceptance, because believing that you’re enough is what gives y ..read more

It doesn’t matter whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game. I remember that adage meaning two things from my childhood days playing sports. First, it’s better to lose fairly than win unfairly. And second, if one gives one’s best effort, the outcome doesn’t matter. I think it’s a good adage, if it means what I remember. But what about in leadership, and servant-leadership in particular? Does the adage apply? I don’t think so. Instead, I believe that when it comes to servant leadership, it matters how you play the game AND whether you win or lose. Indeed, I believe the best servant ..read more

Who taught you about servant leadership? In response to that question, I usually hear names of parents, teachers and coaches. In the workplace, I hear names of great bosses. Sometimes I hear names of historical or religious figures. That is, I hear names of positive examples: Role models and those who walk the servant leadership talk. What I usually don’t hear? Names of negative examples: Role anti-models (I just made up that term) and hypocrites who don’t practice what they preach. But let’s not overlook those bad apples. Why? Because, in my experience, bad apples can be good t ..read more

“Managers turn to surveillance software, always-on webcams to ensure employees are (really) working from home” That’s the headline from Drew Harwell’s article last week in The Washington Post.* According to a study by researchers at MIT, nearly half the U.S. labor force is working remotely in response to COVID-19. In the weeks since social-distancing, sheltering in place and other regulations have disrupted work, some companies have turned to technology to watch over their workers.  “Several companies allow managers to regularly capture images of workers’ screens and list employees ..read more

Persuasion – moving people through influence, not authority – is a hallmark of servant leadership behavior.* The opposite of persuasion is coercion. In the workplace, coercion fosters an environment of fear, mistrust and hostility. Simply stated, people follow servant-leaders because they are persuaded to do so, not because they are coerced to do so. So, without further ado, here are 15 great quotes (in alphabetical order by author) about persuasion:  1.        “Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says ..read more

We can’t control the COVID-19 pandemic or its impact on our personal and professional lives.  Sure, we can take individual actions to reduce the chance of contracting the virus, to slow its spread and to treat those who have it.  But, overall, COVID-19 is a force beyond our control. However, there is something we can control: our mindsets.  A mindset is an attitude, an inclination, a way of thinking about the current situation. You can choose a mindset – or more than one – as you see fit. Here are some mindsets for your consideration in response to COVID-19. 1.   ..read more

In my experience, the best leaders are highly self-aware. And the worst leaders? The worst wouldn’t know themselves if they bit themselves on the . . . you know what I mean. Indeed, servant-leaders in the workplace value self-awareness and cultivate it.* So, without further ado, here (in alphabetical order by author) are 15 great self-awareness quotes. “Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?” – Marcus Aurelius “Self-awareness gives you the capacity to learn fr ..read more