“This book is

  a must read…”

 

-Ken Blanchard

 

Except from Seven Pillars  PILLAR ONE:  A PERSON OF CHARACTER

 

A Servant-Leader makes insightful, ethical, and principle-centered decisions.

ü Is honest, trustworthy, authentic, and humble.

ü Leads by conscience, not by ego.

ü Is filled with a depth of spirit and enthusiasm.

ü Is committed to the desire to serve something beyond oneself.

 

Core Competencies

Maintains Integrity

Demonstrates Humility

Serves a Higher Purpose

 

Our Moral Compass

Jenny could not get to sleep. She knew what she had done was wrong, but everyone in the department was celebrating her cleverness. Using a consultant’s detailed project proposal as the framework for their worldwide training initiative was a stroke of genius, they told her. It would save the company hundreds of dollars in development costs, and thousands more in deliverables.

Although Jenny became squeamish each time she called the consultant and asked him for “just a little more detail, another sample lesson plan,” she knew he would eagerly comply. Matt made no secret of the fact that he was amazed “his little ‘ole consulting firm” made the list of finalists to work with a global retail giant on a project that was worth twice the amount of his firm’s total revenue the year before.

Today was the day she had been dreading. The day to call Matt with the bad news. She had her script ready. “Matt, I hate to have to tell you this, but we have decided to go in a different direction. Your ideas were fantastic and you were very easy to work with. However, we chose someone with more international training experience.”

And if he wanted to know who they selected, she was all set to respond, “I’m sorry, but I am not at liberty to say.”

Unfortunately, she had not anticipated his tears.

And now, she could not sleep. She tossed and turned as her mind raced like the engine of a stock car turning hot laps. Over and over, she heard his quivering voice in her head, “But I put my heart and soul into that proposal. I gave you everything you asked for!”

Is Jenny a person of character? How could she be, having pulled off such a diabolical scheme? And yet, her conscience will not let her rest. Jenny has knowingly violated a set of core values that have, in the past, served as her barometers of right and wrong.

Find out what Jenny decides to do on Page 16.

Seven Pillars of Servant Leadership

Practicing the Wisdom of Leading by Serving

James Sipe, PhD, LP

Don Frick, PhD