Greenleaf Seminars © Servant Leadership in the Boardroom October 10, 2012 The Nonprofit Partnership Erie, Pa. Facilitator: Bob Phipps Content providers: You ! © Copyright The Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership Servant Leadership

Introductions This seminar will attempt to cover the basics of servant leadership while applying it to your role in board leadership ! Normal length is 3.5 hours/ we are limited today to 1 hour and 15 minutes ….so it will be an introduction ! Materials come from similar seminars done for many companies/agencies/organizations under the auspices of The Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. The Case for Servant Leadership is a great source for the basic concepts of servant leadership, and Servant Leadership in the Boardroom is the latest resource Kent has developed with specific focus on boards. 2

Some expectations (of each other) for our time together Listen care-fully Option to pass Speak for yourself Expect unfinished business Recognize the variety of opinion dimension in the room ! Take responsibility for your own learning ! Note what is of meaning to you….power point can be ed if you so desire.

Objectives - To share with participants the background and history of the servant leader approach. -To help participants understand the connection between the basic responsibilities of non-profit boards and the establishment of a servant culture in which to perform their duties. -To assist participants in examining their own motivations for board involvement and apply servant leader principles to their roles as leaders. -To introduce the seven key practices of a servant leader and help individuals incorporate these practices into their leadership style. 4

Rationale: 5 There have been too many tragedies –too many cases in which corporations/and non-profits have harmed individuals and communities because their boards did not lead, or their leadership did not fulfill, the public trust. Servant leadership in the boardroom can reduce those tragedies, while better aligning corporations and non-profits with the needs of those they serve. It will never be easy, but dedicated servant- leaders in the boardroom can surely make the world a better place.

The desire to serve Servant leadership begins with the desire to serve. Universal recognition of the importance of serving others can be found in many religions. The test: Do those served grow as persons? Serving others is not just something we do– it ought to be the way in which we do our work !

Purdue University is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access instiution. ME Leader First US Serving First Power Based Service Based

DIFFERENCES Power Base Leadership Making people do things Hierarchy Grabbing Power is a goal Focus on personal credit Create dependency Patriarchy Service Base Leadership Help people do things Anybody can serve Giving Power is a tool Focus on the goal Empower Partnership Purdue University is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access institution.

The Servant-Leader 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 leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. ROBERT K. GREENLEAF, THE SERVANT AS LEADER © 1991,

The Board 10

Legal responsibility of the Board Legislatures have given all legal power to boards to fulfill the public good. Greenleaf said that trustees (board members) are the holders of the charter of public trust for the institution. 11

Trustees accountable to society Greenleaf : “Trustees [board members] are accountable to all parties at interest for the best possible performance of the institution in the service of the needs of all constituencies— including society at large.” Trustees should care about everyone that the institution touches– employees, customers, business partners, shareholders, communities. 12

Greenleaf on the role of boards Boards should lead or initiate, not just react. – Boards should not be nominal, honorary, or just a rubber stamp for the administration. Board members should be thought leaders. Boards should ask fundamental questions. Boards should be in touch with social, economic, environmental, political trends. Boards should understand the needs of those being served. 13

Greenleaf on the major functions of boards Hold the charter of public trust for an organization. Exercise the legal authority to manage. Set goals, define obligations, approve plans (Carver: determine the ends). Appoint top administrative officers. Assess the performance of the institution. 14

Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards (Richard T. Ingram) Determine mission and purpose. Select the chief executive. Support and evaluate the chief executive. Ensure effective planning. Monitor and strengthen programs and services. Ensure adequate financial resources. Protect assets and provide proper financial oversight. Build a competent board. Ensure legal and ethical integrity. Enhance the organization’s public standing. 15

Seven Key Practices ( consider how these apply to us as individuals- and collectively as a board) 1. Self-Awareness 2. Listening 3. Dealing with the pyramid 4. Developing your colleagues 5. Coaching, not controlling 6. Unleashing the energy and intelligence of others 7. Foresight 16

Self-Awareness 17 One’s own strengths and weaknesses. Emotional intelligence. The impact of one’s words and deeds. It’s not just what you do ( i.e. carry out the mission of the organization), it’s how you do it ! Reflection. Humbleness. Being comfortable with myself which invites…trust, open feedback, willingness to give up control. (board members) What is your key motivation for serving on a board…what do you hope to gain from serving ? (CEO’s/Staff) What do you look for from the board collectively and individually ? 17

Listening 18 Key to understanding how to identify the needs of others. Servant leaders don’t begin with the answer- but with questions. Indian talking stick used by Covey when facilitating the World Leadership Forum among Christians, Jews, and Muslims. 18

Thinking about servant leadership… (focus person) characterize someone you could identify as an effective leader of a board or committee… what did they do/ what did they not do ?

- What causes a person that desires to be a servant leader to migrate to the power model of leadership ? How do you safeguard against this ? How could this impact the work of a non-profit board ? -Describe (in your words) an effective board member !

Developing Your Colleagues 21 Greenleaf’s business ethic: the work exists for the person as much as the person exists for the work. Kendal Corporation starts before employment -hiring the right staff ! Four levels of learning. 21

Four Levels of Learning Unconscious Competence Conscious Competence Conscious Incompetence Unconscious Incompetence

Council of equals The board should be a leadership team that is a “council of equals”. Greenleaf said: “No man or woman is complete; no one of them is to be entrusted with all. Completeness is to be found only in the complemental talents of several who relate as equals.” 23

Foresight 24 Greenleaf said foresight is the central ethic of leadership, the “lead” that the leader has. Not predicting specific events, but the underlying trends, issues, patterns that help identify a future direction. A good “chess player” looks five moves ahead…. foresight. A good hockey player skates to where the puck is going to be…. foresight. It takes a leader with vision to see the future leader within the person (John Maxwell). Arie de Geus: example of forecasting when the rivers will swell and flood the valleys. A& P vs Kroger. 24

Dashboard What are the key ‘gauges’ we want to measure…..to determine the progress of the organization ? 25

Typical problems Boards members do not want to lead, they want to rubber- stamp the recommendations of the administration. Board meetings are filled with trivia; the most important issues are ignored. Board members feel they cannot contribute, become disinterested, and drift away. Board members bring personal agendas. 26

Utilizing foresight…. What “topics” could a board address that would move them from ‘rubber stamping’ to exercising foresight for the organization ? How does the concept of ‘dashboard’ help the board avoid micro-management ? 27

Three stories of servant leadership: Dale and “the boat” ! Frank Vernile on developing leadership skills ! A President who was served by serving !

Robert K. Greenleaf 29 The servant-leader is servant first … then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. The best test (of servant leadership) 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? 29

Key Reminders for Servant Leaders in the Boardroom (page 67) 30

Summary Servant leadership is ethical, practical, and meaningful. Serving others is not just something you do. It’s what life is about. Be a servant leader and make your organization a success….whether you serve as a staff member or a board member. Be a servant leader and look back on a life filled with meaning. 31

Thank you! 32