By George Anderson

The notion of leadership was turned upside down 2,000 or so years ago when a Jewish stonecutter and teacher of the Torah from Nazareth said: "It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave-just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20: 26-28. The NET Bible)

From those humble beginnings - a teacher and his 12 disciples - grew a religious and philosophical movement that has reshaped most of, if not the entire, world.

The idea of servant-leadership was instrumental in the growth of the early Christian movement. Although it ultimately became lost to Church hierarchy and base human nature to seek and cling to power, it has remained the model for many seeking to create better conditions in homes, workplaces and, ultimately, the world at large.

In the 1970's, the idea of servant-leadership gained interest in certain circles through the work of a retired AT&T executive, Robert Greenleaf.

In The Servant as Leader, Mr. Greenleaf wrote, "The servant-leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. The best test is: do those served grow as persons: do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society; will they benefit, or, at least, not be further deprived?"

Larry Spears, chief executive officer of The Greenleaf Center for Servant-Leadership, has identified what he sees as 10 personal characteristics shared by the best servant-leaders. These include:

1. Listening
2. Empathy
3. Healing
4. Awareness
5. Persuasion
6. Conceptualization
7. Foresight
8. Stewardship
9. Commitment to the growth of people
10. Community building

Moderator's Comment: Is servant-leadership much in evidence in business, specifically retail management, today? Is it a practical way to run a business? Are there leaders in business or elsewhere you believe embody servant-leadership and do they offer lessons others can learn from?

For those interested in servant-leadership, we would highly recommend the New Testament as a starting point. For more recently published works, check out authors such as James Autry, Peter Block, Max DePree, Parker Palmer, Lance Secretan and Danah Zohar. - George Anderson - Moderator

• On Character and Servant-Leadership: Ten Characteristics of Effective, Caring Leaders - The Greenleaf Center for Servant-Leadership

I have had the privilege of meeting Bob Eckert, CEO of Mattel, in the past year. Although preparing for an overseas trip, closing his year end financials, and in general running a Fortune 500 company, Bob made time to offer help. In the alumni magazine for his MBA alma mater, Bob is quoted as saying, "We earn a profit, and we've developed people, and we should use those things for the benefit of the community, not just our shareholders." In my opinion, Bob has many of the characteristics of a servant-leader.

This topic is extraordinary, and courageous. Retail has such promise for this type of leadership. At its core, retail is about making life better for people. Consumers have choices of where and how to spend money and time. And they have such limited amounts of each. When a consumer chooses to buy from a retailer, it's a gift that works both ways. Being of service means just that....being of service. If you do it well, there's no reason you can't make a profit and fulfill shareholder responsibilities.

When the leadership of Penney announced their 5 year plan, there was a comment about "getting more than our share." I've noted this in the past, and use it as an example of the antithesis of servant-leadership. Humility, gratitude and a consistent commitment to the betterment of the human experience are the core values which align with servant-leadership. Instead of "getting more than our share," what could have been said is "we are grateful to those that shop at Penney now, and look forward to opportunities to serve others in the future."

Within an organization, the principles of servant-leadership are so often lost in the crush of daily troubles, stresses and problem solving. This is not inevitable. All it requires is a sustained commitment to conscious awareness. If you are a decision-maker, a leader, an executive reading this, try one simple thing: start out your day asking how you can be of service to the people around you...what can you do to improve their experience of life today.

Don't be afraid to be a visionary....a "mystic"...a servant-leader.
- Don Delzell, BrainTrust Panelist

This approach to leadership is endorsed in The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership by Steven B. Sample. I highly recommend both the approach and the book.
- Herb Sorensen, Ph.D., BrainTrust Panelist

The concept of leading effectively by serving others is valid and effective. Sadly, it seems that it is not in much use today.

It requires confidence on the part of the leader and a culture that will support the approach. Accordingly, it works best when supported and practiced from the very top of an organization. Serving others well is an approach that really gives the leader the power to be effective in leading for the organization. It is all about respect, responsibility and caring while at the same time getting results.

For an easy to read short novel on Servant Leadership, try "The Servant" by James Hunter.
- Tom Zatina, BrainTrust Panelist

The principle most drilled into this Sunday School graduate's head was The Golden Rule -- "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The closest translation in leadership language is "lead by example." I like to believe that there is still a lot of that going on in retail today, but it is much more evident at the store manager level than in the executive corner.

My first job was bagging groceries at Bob Ingles #1 store in Asheville, NC. (It was referred to as "#1" because there were a grand total of two at the time.) I still recall him coming into the store and jumping in to help on busy days. I haven't seen the man in 30 years and have no idea what his leadership style is in running the 200+ stores now -- but I still think the most vivid lesson I ever got in customer service was watching him demonstrate it.
- Ben Ball, BrainTrust Panelist

When I come upon such vital issues -- does servant leadership exist today in world of the retailing? -- a seemingly paradoxical reference since it's doubtful that retailing is the exclusive realm of self-centered leadership, I am reminded of this thought by Jean Giraudoux in Murphy's Law Book Two: "The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that, you've got it made." It would seem, however, too few retailers have been able to fake sincerity sufficiently to become known as "servant leaders" in the minds of some non-retailers, authors and erudite observers.

Year after year, intelligent people have astutely observed in writing what's wrong with retailing and its "leaders." That is entirely appropriate. Books are published and sold - at retail - to other people thirsting for similar confirming data. It would seem, however, that only telling folks what they should be doing to be a servant leader could be followed up by actually doing what should be done - at retail. Nonetheless, such observers and their unswerving integrity and insights are admirable and they perform a beneficial service.

Personally, I have known numerous retailers who have been - and are - servant leaders. I hope one or more of them are reading this affirmation.
- Gene Hoffman, BrainTrust Panelist

I agree that you see it more often at the store manager level. All too often, the Golden Rule of business has become, "He who has the gold makes the rules." But I do see it, from time to time, at the top level among the very best retailers and manufacturers. Funny how they're also the ones who are usually doing the best financially, while the people who scramble for money and screw you at every turn, aren't doing all that well.
- Warren Thayer, RW Commentator

There are a couple of examples of servant-leadership today. Unfortunately, our business world is focused on financials, and what Wall Street demands and says vs. utilizing the rule "take care of the consumer as you would want to be served." Then, loyalty, sales, and profit follow...(believe it or not).

My company did two years of work for Oscar Mayer, in Madison, Wisc. I was delighted to hear, see, and constantly witness the practice of questioning how the consumer would view the product, event and / or service.

Importantly, this was the very FIRST step and action of consumerism and the servant-leadership spirit! Mr. Bob Eckert, now President of Mattel, perpetuated this practice through a culture of the consumer is first... in this very profitable Kraft Foods company.

By the way, marketing the Brand (the very strong and market leading Oscar Mayer) embraces and continues to build the business! Oscar Mayer executive leadership continues to foster the culture to build servant-leadership, and consumer- orientation.

Retail-wise, Target may be the prime example of servant- leadership. In our supermarket world, the few stellar consumer-oriented, Brand conscious and marketing savvy companies appear to be Publix, Ukrop's, H-E-B, Nugget, Gelson's and Marsh, and it shows up in their culture and executive servant-leadership approach!!!!!!! Hmmmm.
- Stephan G. Kouzomis, BrainTrust Panelist

Servant leadership is more evident among front line managers than it is at top levels in most organizations. There are, however, some excellent examples of top level managers that are good servant leaders. Many of these are owners of local independent supermarket companies. By the way, to be specific, the teacher from Nazareth was Jesus and he was a carpenter, not a stonecutter.
- Gomez

Hadn't wanted this to turn into a religious history debate but to explain our use of the word stonecutter rather than carpenter, we would point out that the original Greek in Matthew 13:55 ("Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?") uses the word teknon, meaning stonecutter.
- George Anderson, RW Commentator

Sorry to be the odd one out but I really do take exception to numbers 6, 7, 9 and 10 as things that servants do. If it were the case, I think masters would shortly be inflicting their own version of persuasion to emphasise who they believe the boss to be. The other characteristics are all very noble and idealistic but not, in my opinion, nearly as realistic as others obviously believe. With regard to the test (do those served grow as persons: do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?), customers do not strike me as more than coincidentally being any of those things most especially not likely to themselves become retailers because they've had such a positive experience that they feel compelled to pass it on to others.
- Bernice Hurst, RW Commentator

Servant leadership is all too often lacking. Ask many store managers about the last store tour by execs. They blow through the store looking for things that are "wrong" instead of asking front line troops how they can help make things better.

Take a walk through a store with a HEB or WM exec and see the difference. They'll stock a shelf if that will help or bag groceries - all the while looking for ways to make the job easier and help the people be more efficient.

I've seen them round up baskets if that is what it took. That is why those chains (and others mentioned in previous commentary) lead the pack. Employees (associates) believe in the culture of servant leadership not only because it is "preached" as a part of the training, but lived by the most successful leaders in each company.

These are the kind of leaders that people will charge the hill against fixed bayonets with their bare hands for - because they know that leader will be out in front.

Longevity (look over 50 years not 10) coupled with ongoing success requires this approach. The road through history is littered with the bodies of the chains that lost sight of it.

Arrogant leadership will kill a chain or any enterprise as sure as the sun rises.
- DVZ

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