Robert K. Greenleaf Quotes & Sayings

Ego focuses on one's own survival, pleasure, and enhancement to the exclusion of others; ego is selfishly ambitious. It sees relationships in terms of threat or no threat, like little children who classify all people as "nice" or "mean." Conscience, on the other hand, both democratizes and elevates ego to a larger sense of the group, the whole, the community, the greater good. It sees life in terms of service and contribution, in terms of others' security and fulfillment. — Robert K. Greenleaf

Leadership must first and foremost meet the needs of others. — Robert K. Greenleaf

For the person with creative potential there is no wholeness except in using it. — Robert K. Greenleaf

The only test of leadership is that somebody follows. — Robert K. Greenleaf

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

The variable that marks some periods as barren and some as rich in prophetic vision is in the interest, the level of seeking, the responsiveness of the hearers. The variable is not in the presence or absence or the relative quality and force of the prophetic voices. The prophet grows in stature as people respond to his message ... It is the seekers, then, who make the prophet. — Robert K. Greenleaf

The most serious failure of leadership is the failure to foresee — Robert K. Greenleaf

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. — Robert K. Greenleaf

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

Many attempts to communicate are nullified by saying too much. — Robert K. Greenleaf

Behind every great achievement is a dreamer of great dreams. — Robert K. Greenleaf

Good leaders must first become good servants. — Robert K. Greenleaf

The work exists for the person as much as the person exists for the work. — Robert K. Greenleaf

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

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. — Robert K. Greenleaf

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? — Robert K. Greenleaf

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

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

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 ... — Robert K. Greenleaf

Moral authority is another way to define servant leadership because it represents a reciprocal choice between leader and follower. If the leader is principle centered, he or she will develop moral authority. If the follower is principle centered, he or she will follow the leader. In this sense, both leaders and followers are followers. Why? They follow truth. They follow natural law. They follow principles. They follow a common, agreed-upon vision. They share values. They grow to trust one another. — Robert K. Greenleaf

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. — Robert K. Greenleaf

Purpose and laughter are the twins that must not separate. Each is empty without the other. — Robert K. Greenleaf

A statement of vision is the overarching purpose, the big dream, the visionary concept-something presently out of reach-so stated that it excites the imagination and chlalenges people to work for something they do not yet know how to do. — Robert K. Greenleaf

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. — Robert K. Greenleaf

Ego can't sleep. It micro-manages. It disempowers. It reduces our capability. It excels in control. — Robert K. Greenleaf

Nothing much happens without a dream. For something really great to happen, it takes a really great dream. — Robert K. Greenleaf

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. — Robert K. Greenleaf

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

The best leaders are clear. They continually light the way, and in the process, let each person know that what they do makes a difference. The best test as a leader is: Do those served grow as persons; do they become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become leaders? — Robert K. Greenleaf