Authors: Ken Blanchard and Renee Broadwell

Ken Blanchard, author of Servant Leadership in Action, is a voice to be listened to as far as business is concerned. Previously he penned The New One Minute Manager and more than sixty other titles. (2018, inside back cover) In 2005 he was inducted into Amazon’s Hall of Fame for being one of their top twenty-five best-selling authors of all time. His books have been translated into forty-two (42) languages. He and his wife, Maggie, are considered international trainers and consultants for The Blanchard Companies on topics of business and leadership.

Renee Blanchard has worked with The Blanchard Companies for over a decade. (2018, inside back cover) She edits many of Ken’s works and spearheads communications and marketing for the firm.

This book is divvied up into parts. The first part serves up the Fundamentals of Servant Leadership. (2018, pgs.5-6) This provides the reader with what traits make up Servant Leadership. Then chapter one tackles what Servant Leadership is. (p.7) Blanchard says that “Your picture of the future should focus on the end results.” (p.8) Values should give you a framework on how to proceed. “Life is a series of value conflicts”, says Blanchard. (p.9)

Chapter three states that Servant Leadership is a conscious one. (2018, p.19) “Conscious Leaders are SELFLESS”. (p.20) The S stands for strength, E equates to enthusiasm, L stands for love, F for flexibility, L is the long-term, E is emotional intelligence, S for systems intelligence, and the final S is for spiritual intelligence. (pgs.20-25)

Great Leaders Serve is the topic of chapter five. (2018, p.34) Blanchard provides five key things that are shared between great leaders. They begin with their ability to “see and shape the future”. (p.35) Next, they are able to “engage and develop others”. They are also able to continuously reinvent themselves. Great leaders value relationships and results. Lastly, they embody values. (p.36)

Servant Leadership is not something meant for certain organizations and not others, it is meant to be used in all organizations according to Blanchard. It should permeate your entire organizational culture and aid your teams in fulfilling your mission and vision making it a great place for everyone to work. It should help those participating to become more self-aware and do the right thing(s).

All things said how can you go wrong by reading this book? I’ve had the pleasure of reading several Ken Blanchard books and have learned more about myself and the way quality businesses ought to run each and every time.