ROBERT K. GREENLEAF

Even the frankest and bravest of subordinates do not talk with their boss the same way they talk with colleagues.

Many attempts to communicate are nullified by saying too much.

Good leaders must first become good servants.

Don't assume, because you are intelligent, able, and well-motivated, that you are open to communication, that you know how to listen.

The quality of a society will be judged by what the least privileged in it achieves.

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.

For the person with creative potential there is no wholeness except in using it.

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.

One must not be afraid of a little silence. Some find silence awkward or oppressive. But a relaxed approach to dialogue will include the welcoming of some silence. It is often a devastating question to ask oneself, but it is sometimes important to ask it - 'In saying what I have in mind will I really improve on the silence?

Love without laughter can be grim and oppressive. Laughter without love can be derisive and venomous. Together they make for greatness of spirit.

The only test of leadership is that somebody follows.

Who is the enemy? Who is holding back more rapid movement to the better society that is reasonable and possible with available resources?...Evil, stupidity, apathy, the 'system' are not the enemy...The real enemy is fuzzy thinking on the part of good, intelligent, vital people...In short, the enemy is strong natural servants who have the potential to lead but do not lead, or who choose to follow a non-servant.

Not much happens without a dream. And for something great to happen, there must be a great dream. Behind every great achievement is a dreamer of great dreams. Much more than a dreamer is required to bring it to reality; but the dream must be there first.

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.

Servant leadership always empathizes, always accepts the person, but sometimes refuses to accept some of the person's effort or performance as good enough.

The most serious failure of leadership is the failure to foresee

Ego can’t sleep. It micro-manages. It disempowers. It reduces our capability. It excels in control.

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.

Where there is not community, trust, respect, ethical behavior are difficult for the young to learn and for the old to maintain.

The work exists for the person as much as the person exists for the work.

The servant leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve.

Behind every great achievement is a dreamer of great dreams.