What do you think?
Rate this book
The Case for Servant Leadership
" The modern servant leadership movement in America was launched by Robert K. Greenleaf. In 1970 he published his essay, 'The Servant as Leader," in which he coined the phrase "servant leadership.'
85 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
9 people are currently reading
189 people want to read
About the author
Kent M. Keith
20 books84 followersKent M. Keith was born in New York and studied at Harvard, Oxford University, Waseda University in Tokyo, the University of Hawaii and the University of Southern California. He is a Rhodes Scholar.
Dr. Keith is known nationally and internationally as the author of the Paradoxical Commandments, which he wrote and published in 1968 in a booklet for student leaders entitled, The Silent Revolution: Dynamic Leadership in the Student Council . His books, "Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments," "Do It Anyway: The Handbook for Finding Personal Meaning and Deep Happiness in a Crazy World" and " Jesus Did It Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments for Christians" discuss these concepts.
Dr. Keith practiced law and worked for the State of Hawaii Department of Planning and Economic Development. For six years he served as President of Chaminade University of Honolulu, and for five and a half years he was Senior Vice President for Development & Communications for the YMCA of Honolulu. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. He is the author
Dr. Keith is known nationally and internationally as the author of the Paradoxical Commandments, which he wrote and published in 1968 in a booklet for student leaders entitled, The Silent Revolution: Dynamic Leadership in the Student Council . His books, "Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments," "Do It Anyway: The Handbook for Finding Personal Meaning and Deep Happiness in a Crazy World" and " Jesus Did It Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments for Christians" discuss these concepts.
Dr. Keith practiced law and worked for the State of Hawaii Department of Planning and Economic Development. For six years he served as President of Chaminade University of Honolulu, and for five and a half years he was Senior Vice President for Development & Communications for the YMCA of Honolulu. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. He is the author
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 28, 2020
This work is a great introduction to the concepts behind "Servant Leadership." Keith's writing style is informal and very readable, which is why I recommend this book to all the leaders with whom I work. (Although I do recommend the Second Edition, published in 2012.)
There are many gems in this short, but powerful, book. Personally, I find Keith's "The 10 Paradoxical Commandments" to be most valuable of those gems [pp. 58-59]:
1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.
2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
3. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
6. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.
7. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
9. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help them anyway.
10. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.
I honestly think these 10 Paradoxical Commandments are better than the original. (They're certainly more uplifting.) And so is the rest of the book, which is why it's a must-read for any current leaders, as well as anyone aspiring to lead.
There are many gems in this short, but powerful, book. Personally, I find Keith's "The 10 Paradoxical Commandments" to be most valuable of those gems [pp. 58-59]:
1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.
2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
3. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
6. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.
7. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
9. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help them anyway.
10. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.
I honestly think these 10 Paradoxical Commandments are better than the original. (They're certainly more uplifting.) And so is the rest of the book, which is why it's a must-read for any current leaders, as well as anyone aspiring to lead.
January 3, 2021
It’s good to take a break from robust books on leadership to focus on something as fascinating as Servant Leadership. The book begins by distinguishing between Power leaders and Servant leaders. What follows are several examples of each and how Servant leaders are truly “Of the people”.
The book did an excellent job of communicating the differences, but one strike against it was offering more exhaustive case studies in organizations as opposed to the few (TDI in Dallas and a second organization in Indianapolis) . I would want to see scalability in larger organizations concerning Servant leadership.
It’s a good read (Opened my eyes to Cincinnatus and the glorious poem by “Richard Cory” by Edward Arlington Robinson) but this may be one that is a”One time read”
The book did an excellent job of communicating the differences, but one strike against it was offering more exhaustive case studies in organizations as opposed to the few (TDI in Dallas and a second organization in Indianapolis) . I would want to see scalability in larger organizations concerning Servant leadership.
It’s a good read (Opened my eyes to Cincinnatus and the glorious poem by “Richard Cory” by Edward Arlington Robinson) but this may be one that is a”One time read”
August 21, 2018
This book, which I received as part of a professional development seminar, did not resonate with me. I agree with the premise of servant leadership, but it seems more beneficial to read the original essay, The Servant as Leader, on which this book is based. A number of substantiating quotes from experts are included, but little original content is relayed. This publication seems like an easy way to sell books by regurgitating existing information.
June 9, 2017
Such amazing profound truth in these pages! Whether you are a leader in a business, school, government, or just want to lead well in the small sphere of influence you have among family and friends, this book pulls out practical steps, reliable reasoning, and solid foundations to put you on a meaningful path toward servant leadership.
October 3, 2020
Good book with good concepts. It's a quick read, with thought provoking questions at the end to use for reflection. Only rated 4 stars because I found it disheartening that the book was mostly references of other people's books and their thoughts on the matter. It reads as more of an essay than a book. Still great though, and worth the read.
February 22, 2023
i had to read this book for a school assignment & found it did contain some thought provoking points…it was definitely not a riveting read though! it had some good insights for growing in your leadership capabilities & especially revealing the importance of a servant leader, but it just wasn’t very captivating.
October 25, 2020
Reasonable good introduction to servant leadership but I've found it too heavy on platitudes and lacking concrete advice. Can't recommend it unless the prospective reader hasn't read anything about servant leadership before.
September 11, 2017
Decent cliff note version with a lot of good quotes. Read through this as part of a book club at work. Think that I would have preferred the original work by Greenleaf.
March 18, 2018
The author understands Serving Leadership
October 1, 2011
I gave The Case For Servant Leadership four stars because it accomplishes its intended purpose reasonably well...to be a short overview of the principles of servant leadership, as espoused by Robert K. Greenleaf. It is much more interesting and enlightening to read Greenleaf's original writings, but if all one wants is an overview and some talking points, this little volume will suffice. Some central concepts and principles:
1. The servant leader is servant first...explained more fully in Greenleaf's book Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness. "The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people's highest priority needs are being served. 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? The servant-first live the service model of leadership. The leader-first lives the power model of leadership.
2. The antidote to self-interest is to commit to a cause larger than oneself.
3. "In a servant-led organization, the basis for all decision making should be 'what is the loving thing to do?' There is a deep spiritual hunger in all of us to find a place where people really care for one another, where we can find something to believe in and something and someone to trust... Believing in the worth and goodness of people is basic to servant leadership." Nonetheless, fairness to the individual must be balanced with fairness to the group, which sometimes requires "weeding out" those who don't measure up to the group's needs for dependability, productivity, safety, and other legitimate expectations.
4. "To be a lone chief atop a pyramid is abnormal and corrupting." This is the essence of the power model of leadership.
5. On organizational change: "You have to really care, because change usually takes time, and love is one of the only motivations that is strong enough to keep you with the people and with the process until change is achieved."
6. On meaningful purpose: "There is a great deal of evidence that people are hardwired to care about purposes. We seem to need to see ourselves as going somewhere -- as being on a journey in pursuit of a significant purpose...There is also much evidence that people suffer when when they lack purpose." And that purpose must be one that "possesses personal significance rather than one that is dictated by society's standards and expectations."
7. On careers: "If your job is all that defines you, you may suffocate."
1. The servant leader is servant first...explained more fully in Greenleaf's book Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness. "The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people's highest priority needs are being served. 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? The servant-first live the service model of leadership. The leader-first lives the power model of leadership.
2. The antidote to self-interest is to commit to a cause larger than oneself.
3. "In a servant-led organization, the basis for all decision making should be 'what is the loving thing to do?' There is a deep spiritual hunger in all of us to find a place where people really care for one another, where we can find something to believe in and something and someone to trust... Believing in the worth and goodness of people is basic to servant leadership." Nonetheless, fairness to the individual must be balanced with fairness to the group, which sometimes requires "weeding out" those who don't measure up to the group's needs for dependability, productivity, safety, and other legitimate expectations.
4. "To be a lone chief atop a pyramid is abnormal and corrupting." This is the essence of the power model of leadership.
5. On organizational change: "You have to really care, because change usually takes time, and love is one of the only motivations that is strong enough to keep you with the people and with the process until change is achieved."
6. On meaningful purpose: "There is a great deal of evidence that people are hardwired to care about purposes. We seem to need to see ourselves as going somewhere -- as being on a journey in pursuit of a significant purpose...There is also much evidence that people suffer when when they lack purpose." And that purpose must be one that "possesses personal significance rather than one that is dictated by society's standards and expectations."
7. On careers: "If your job is all that defines you, you may suffocate."
April 20, 2016
Essential reading for those who want to have an impact that outlives them. This is leadership that grows by multiplication rather than addition. It's the irony that the greatest impact comes from seeking the success of others before one's own.
Main points:
1. Servant leadership begins with a desire to serve - to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
2. A servant leader is focused on serving others. They are often invisible and unknown outside the community they serve. Others get the attention.
3. Power-based leadership focuses on the accumulation of power, where servant-based leadership focuses on the stewardship of power.
4. Servant leaders practice self-awareness (awareness of how their leadership impacts others), listen, challenge the organizational pyramid by empowering others, develop others and multiply leaders, unleash the energy and intelligence of others, and have intuitive foresight concerning the future.
5. Servant leaders find meaning and purpose in serving, and not merely in acquiring the symbols of success.
Main points:
1. Servant leadership begins with a desire to serve - to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
2. A servant leader is focused on serving others. They are often invisible and unknown outside the community they serve. Others get the attention.
3. Power-based leadership focuses on the accumulation of power, where servant-based leadership focuses on the stewardship of power.
4. Servant leaders practice self-awareness (awareness of how their leadership impacts others), listen, challenge the organizational pyramid by empowering others, develop others and multiply leaders, unleash the energy and intelligence of others, and have intuitive foresight concerning the future.
5. Servant leaders find meaning and purpose in serving, and not merely in acquiring the symbols of success.
November 30, 2019
Keith is a devotee of the late Robert Greenleaf and sits on the advisory council for the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. He mostly manages to keep his arguments in favor of servant-leadership as the ultimate theory of practice secular, and the ideas contained within this slim volume are valuable. They generally describe the boss you probably want to work for. However, the research upon which it claims to be based is is scant, as it really is not a heavily researched theory of leadership practice outside of its own salesforce. Further, the first half of the book only points to fictional characters as exemplars of such leadership principals. The latter half gives real-world examples, almost all of whom either currently or in the past have had leadership positions within the Greenleaf organization. So while the principles are ones I wish to practice, this book itself is a mediocre representation of what servant leadership should be.
December 12, 2021
Very good descriptions of the concept of servant leadership. However, doubt is barely considered. This chosen style is not always rainbows and unicorns. It can be very difficult when continually up against non-servant leadership people. Leaving your current employee and starting another is not necessarily an easy and simple choice and process. Where is the heart support in this book - the emotional support required to recharge your energy supply to keep going despite others? This book is very much an idealized version of servant leadership. It takes multitudes of energy to continually lift your chin up, stay focused and continue in this life-long quest.
February 10, 2011
Outstanding 70 page book on Leadership. Changed my view of leadership. Very practical. Every leader of an organization or business would benefit from this book. A pharmacology student who is a friend of mine read this in one of her classes at Indiana Wesleyan College. Kent Keith is a Rotarian who works for The Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership in Westfield, IN www.greenleaf.org
April 3, 2011
Read for a Leadership class I am in, so I wasn't expecting much. However, this turned out to be a great read (quick one too!), making a very good and compelling case for servant-based leadership (as opposed to power-based leadership). Recommended!
February 11, 2014
I read this as a gear up for a servant leadership course I begin this week. It served as a thorough introduction. This guide gave me many questions to ponder, all of which I hope to explore in the coming months.
This could easily be read in one sitting, as it is only 70 pages or so.
This could easily be read in one sitting, as it is only 70 pages or so.
August 6, 2015
Excellent, short book. Servant leadership is illustrated with engaging examples. The author always answers gives the "why" and makes connections to contradictory and related theories, but, true to the intro, makes the case for servant leadership unashamedly.
May 3, 2021
Persuasive!
An interesting and inspirational book on Servant Leadership.
Recommended for all leaders who want to experience and practice the best style of leadership - servant leadership in their lives and their communities.
An interesting and inspirational book on Servant Leadership.
Recommended for all leaders who want to experience and practice the best style of leadership - servant leadership in their lives and their communities.
October 2, 2012
Clear and inspiring account of what Servant Leadership is - I think I'll be coming back to this book again and again.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews