Robert K. Greenleaf Quotes

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?

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.

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

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.

The work exists for the person as much as the person exists for the work.

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

Good leaders must first become good servants.

The most serious failure of leadership is the failure to foresee

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.

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

Behind every great achievement is a dreamer of great dreams.

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.

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

For the person with creative potential there is no wholeness except in using it.

The only test of leadership is that somebody follows.

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?

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.

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

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 ...

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