I recently gave a copy of this book to a most capable emerging leader in the conversation around leadership development in the 21st century. Interestingly, the book was originally published over 35 years ago. However, I contend that it is more relevant today than it was when it first came out in 1977. It builds off of a premise to which I fully subscribe: if a leader wishes to have the associates of the organization earnestly serve the agenda of the enterprise, the leader must earnestly serve the agenda of the associates. In my experience, it just does not work in an enduring fashion any other way.

The author, Robert Greenleaf, passed away in 1990. However, his work lives on in an increasingly vital way.

– D. R. Conant