Page 20 - Harnessing the Strengths

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A UNIVERSAL GIVEN

n 1970, the American organizational expert Robert
K. Greenleaf coined the term servant-leadership in his
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I essay “The Servant as Leader.” This visionary
publication brought on a new movement in the area of
management.
At fi rst glance, a servant-leader is a contradiction in
terms. Someone is either a leader or a servant. To have both
together at the same time does not seem logical. However,
Robert Greenleaf merged these two seemingly opposite
concepts into a practical, powerful combination. Accord-
ing to him, servant-leadership is a management style in
which leading and serving are in harmony, and there is
thoughtful interaction with the environment. A servant-
leader is someone who has a strong wish to serve as well
as a strong ability to lead and, most importantly, is able to
combine both in such a way that they strengthen each other
positively.

Background in Consulting

Greenleaf developed his vision of leadership during the many
years that he worked at the telecom giant AT&T. He stood

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