“Leaders we admire do not place themselves at the center; they place others there. They do not seek the attention of people; they give it to others.” — James Kouzes and Barry Posner

Leadership gurus Kouzes and Posner add, “They (leaders) do not focus on satisfying their own aims and desires; they look for ways to respond to the needs and interests of others. Being a servant may not be what many leaders had in mind when they chose to take the responsibility of their organization, but serving others is the most glorious and rewarding of all leadership tasks.”

Author Max de Pree writes, “The first responsibility of the leader is to define reality, the last is to say ‘Thank you’, and in between the leader is a servant.”

The Bottom Line: Leaders understand that as they strategically serve their people, their people will accept their leadership and empower them to lead.