Page 35 - Harnessing the Strengths

18 ■ Servant-Leadership: In a Nutshell

the integration they did not hire an expensive consulting
company to come in and iron out the culture differences,
but instead organized “get-togethers” where the employees
were able to meet and get to know each other simply as
people. Instead of focusing on the large differences between
the two organizations and fi nding tools to deal with the
differences, people across the organization were zooming
in on the underlying foundation. At every level and in every
department, employees were invited to share their personal
stories with their new colleagues. Meeting others for the fi rst
time via emotional lifelines, during which people shared the
important moments in their lives with each other, includ-
ing past mistakes and painful memories, created a strong
bond. “People are people, regardless of their cultural back-
ground,” explained Tex Gunning, then CEO of Vedior and
a believer in an interpersonal approach. “Focusing on what
you share and the ways in which you resemble each other
leads to a sense of connection, humanity, and compassion. If
you come together at the most fundamental levels, you will
see each other eye-to-eye. That makes sustainable change
possible.” 2

Notes
1 The authors are indebted to Kent M. Keith for ideas shared in
this chapter. See Kent M. Keith, The Case for Servant Leadership
(Westfi eld, IN: Greenleaf Center for Servant-Leadership, 2008),
Chapter 3, “Power Model vs. Service Model.”
2 Personal interview, 2007.