Robert K. Greenleaf: A Life of Servant Leadership

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Summary: The Secret of Success: "Service"
Review: As a University Professor, what I really like about Robert K. Greenleaf: A Life of Servant Leadership is how well Don Frick reflected on the people, historical events and experiences that evolved Greenleaf's management style and ultimately the Servant-Leadership Philosophy. It is one thing to understand the concept but the richness of that understanding is greatly enhanced with an understanding of the experiences that supported Greenleaf's theories. I think the book will have a very broad appeal. It is a "How To: management book that comes alive in the form of a BIO. I think it will appeal to a broad audience. The Greenleaf bio with appeal to research scientists, because of how effectively Greenleaf understood the human factors of scientific research and how those factors drove results and the success of large corporate projects. Bob was a research scientist for ATT. Finally in terms of a broad appeal, this is a story of a man whose integrity and personal values were reflected in how a corporation managed a business. His priority in life was to serve his fellow man. The corporation can be tool of service and everyone benefits. It is a great contrast to the ENRON and TYCO stories in which the lack of integrity and personal values ultimately resulted in the demise of the company and the retirement funds of thousands of people.

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Summary: Ken Lay: Take Note
Review: In the wake of the Martha Stewart and Ken Lay trials it is important to keep in mind that this behavior is the exception and not the rule. In my experience, the people who succeed in business are those who are aware of the contribution that they make to society. Robert K. Greenleaf: A Life of Servant Leadership sketches a history of the evolution of the concept of Servant Leadership, a concept that has been a cornerstone of thought for many great philosophers such as St. Francis, Lou Tzu, Confucius, Rumi and Gibran. The life of Robert Greenleaf is a living testimony to how the principles of Servant Leadership can be successfully applied to ones professional and personal life. From Greenleaf's example, we learn that effective leaders, lead out of service to their fellow man. Just imagine the strength of a business community that embraces this standard of conduct. The impact that Robert Greenleaf has had on corporate America is truly revolutionary. Robert Greenleaf was an enlightened, twentieth-century business executive practitioner and a twenty-first century visionary whose work is rooting in fertile ground in a global economy and WORLD PEACE!

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Summary: The First and Truly Definitive Biography of Robert Greenleaf
Review: This book is a labor of love and will likely stand for a very long time as the definitive biography of Robert Greenleaf. The author had access to Greenleaf's family and private papers. You will learn how and why Greenleaf was able to develop his ideas about leadership and their vital connection to altruistic service, stewardship and a higher standard of ethics in our world today. Frick relates how he grew up, what his family life was like, what his career in corporate America was like and how his unusual 'second career' as a writer and consultant shaped his thinking. If you wish to understand servant leadership, Greenleaf's gift to humanity, and perhaps our only true hope of finding the leaders we need to create a better planet, then you need to read this book. FIVE STARS EASILY!