Robert K. Greenleaf, Servant-Leader

Summary

Robert K. Greenleaf, a former AT&T executive, shifted his focus to advocating for 'servant leadership' after retirement. His experiences during the 1960s and 70s, particularly with universities in crisis, led him to believe that institutions lacked the strength to withstand disruptive forces. Greenleaf's essays on servant leadership, inspired by Hermann Hesse's 'Journey to the East,' aimed to foster a society where leaders prioritize serving others. He critiqued conventional organizational structures and argued for a cultural shift towards servant leadership, emphasizing the importance of nurturing statesmen in institutions. Greenleaf's work continues to influence leadership philosophy, promoting a caring and effective approach to management.

Takeaways

• 📚 Robert K. Greenleaf spent his career at AT&T, focusing on management research, development, and education before becoming a consultant and lecturer at various institutions.
• 🎓 Greenleaf held teaching positions at Dartmouth College and the University of Virginia, and consulted for universities, businesses, and foundations, including Ohio University and the Ford Foundation.
• 🤔 His observations during the 1960s and 70s, a period of significant social change, led him to contemplate the strength and resilience of societal institutions.
• 📝 Greenleaf's concept of servant leadership emerged from his reflections on the role of teachers and institutions, advocating for a leadership style that prioritizes service to others.
• 🏛️ He critiqued the conventional hierarchical structures in organizations, suggesting they often exclude thinkers from influential positions and hinder the emergence of true statesmen.
• 🌟 Greenleaf's inspiration for servant leadership came from Hermann Hesse's 'Journey to the East,' where he saw the importance of a servant's role in sustaining a group's journey.
• 📖 His essays on servant leadership aimed to provoke thought and inspire action towards building a more caring and effective society.
• 🏫 Greenleaf was particularly concerned with the state of higher education, where he felt students were being neglected by faculty more focused on their own research than teaching.
• 🔑 He emphasized the importance of trustees or directors in nurturing managers to become statesmen, capable of leading with vision and foresight, as exemplified by JP Morgan's influence on AT&T.
• 🌱 Greenleaf believed in the potential for a cultural shift towards servant leadership, though he acknowledged it would be a slow process requiring significant change in societal norms and values.

Q & A

What was Robert K. Greenleaf's primary field of work before his retirement?

Before his retirement, Robert K. Greenleaf spent most of his organizational life in the field of management research, development, and education at AT&T.

At which institutions did Robert K. Greenleaf hold teaching positions?

Robert K. Greenleaf held teaching positions at Dartmouth College and the University of Virginia.

What were some of the organizations that Robert K. Greenleaf consulted for?

Greenleaf consulted for Ohio University, MIT, Ford Foundation, RK Mellon Foundation, Lilly Endowment, and the American Foundation for Management Research.

What significant event during the 1960s and 70s influenced Greenleaf's thinking on servant leadership?

The tumultuous 1960s and 70s, particularly the acute student unrest and the challenges faced by universities during this period, influenced Greenleaf's thinking on servant leadership.

How did Robert K. Greenleaf's experience with AT&T shape his views on the durability of societal institutions?

Greenleaf's long experience with AT&T led him to believe in the durability of major societal institutions, but witnessing the challenges faced by universities during the 1960s and 70s made him question their strength to withstand disruptive forces.

What was the central theme of the essays Robert K. Greenleaf wrote on servant leadership?

The central theme of Greenleaf's essays on servant leadership was to stimulate thought and action for building a better, more caring society.

What was the inspiration behind Greenleaf's concept of servant leadership?

The inspiration behind Greenleaf's concept of servant leadership came from his reading of Hermann Hesse's book 'Journey to the East,' particularly the character Leo, who exemplified the qualities of a servant leader.

What was the definition of a servant leader that Greenleaf developed?

Greenleaf defined a servant leader as someone who helps those being served grow as persons, become healthier, wiser, clearer, more autonomous, and more likely to become servants themselves.

How did Greenleaf's views on servant leadership impact his consulting work with universities?

Greenleaf's views on servant leadership led him to conclude that the role of a teacher at any level requires a higher level of dedication to students as their servants, which influenced his consulting work with universities.

What was the significance of JP Morgan's role in the success of AT&T according to Greenleaf?

Greenleaf believed that the greatness of AT&T came from the power and perception of JP Morgan, who installed a great builder, Theodore Vail, as chief executive and tutored him to be the statesman required to preserve the company's covenantal character.

What cultural change did Robert K. Greenleaf advocate for in his later years?

In his later years, Greenleaf advocated for a cultural change that would establish servant leaders as the norm in institutions, believing that this would lead to a more melioristic society.