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The Servant: A Simple Story About the True Essence of Leadership Hardcover – September 1, 1998

by James C. Hunter (Author)
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With an introduction on using the principles of The Servant in your life and career, this book redefines what it means to be a leader.

In this absorbing tale, you watch the timeless principles of servant leadership unfold through the story of John Daily, a businessman whose outwardly successful life is spiraling out of control. He is failing miserably in each of his leadership roles as boss, husband, father, and coach. To get his life back on track, he reluctantly attends a weeklong leadership retreat at a remote Benedictine monastery.

To John's surprise, the monk leading the seminar is a former business executive and Wall Street legend. Taking John under his wing, the monk guides him to a realization that is simple yet profound: The true foundation of leadership is not power, but authority, which is built upon relationships, love, service, and sacrifice.

Along with John, you will learn that the principles in this book are neither new nor complex. They don't demand special talents; they are simply based on strengthening the bonds of respect, responsibility, and caring with the people around you. The Servant's message can be applied by anyone, anywhere—at home or at work.

If you are tired of books that lecture instead of teach; if you are searching for ways to improve your leadership skills; if you want to understand the timeless virtues that lead to lasting and meaningful success, then this book is one you cannot afford to miss.
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    1 year and up
  2. Print length
    187 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Dimensions
    5.74 x 0.83 x 8.81 inches
  5. Publisher
    Crown Currency
  6. Publication date
    September 1, 1998
  7. ISBN-10
    0761513698
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0761513698
  9. See all details
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From the Publisher

An absorbing tale that teaches, instead of lectures, the principles of leadership
The true foundation of leadership is built upon relationships, love, service, and sacrifice

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

In this absorbing tale, you watch the timeless principles of servant leadership unfold through the story of John Daily, a businessman whose outwardly successful life is spiraling out of control. He is failing miserably in each of his leadership roles as boss, husband, father, and coach. To get his life back on track, he reluctantly attends a weeklong leadership retreat at a remote Benedictine monastery.
To John's surprise, the monk leading the seminar is a former business executive and Wall Street legend. Taking John under his wing, the monk guides him to a realization that is simple yet profound: The true foundation of leadership is not power, but authority, which is built upon relationships, love, service, and sacrifice.
Along with John, you will learn that the principles in this book are neither new nor complex. They don't demand special talents; they are simply based on strengthening the bonds of respect, responsibility, and caring with the people around you. Perhaps this is why The Servant has touched readers from all walks of life?because its message can be applied by anyone, anywhere?at home or at work.
If you are tired of books that lecture instead of teach; if you are searching for ways to improve your leadership skills; if you want to understand the timeless virtues that lead to lasting and meaningful success, then this book is one you cannot afford to miss.

From the Back Cover

In this absorbing tale, you watch the timeless principles of servant leadership unfold through the story of John Daily, a businessman whose outwardly successful life is spiraling out of control. He is failing miserably in each of his leadership roles as boss, husband, father, and coach. To get his life back on track, he reluctantly attends a weeklong leadership retreat at a remote Benedictine monastery.
To John's surprise, the monk leading the seminar is a former business executive and Wall Street legend. Taking John under his wing, the monk guides him to a realization that is simple yet profound: The true foundation of leadership is not power, but authority, which is built upon relationships, love, service, and sacrifice.
Along with John, you will learn that the principles in this book are neither new nor complex. They don't demand special talents; they are simply based on strengthening the bonds of respect, responsibility, and caring with the people around you. Perhaps this is why "The Servant has touched readers from all walks of life--because its message can be applied by anyone, anywhere--at home or at work.
If you are tired of books that lecture instead of teach; if you are searching for ways to improve your leadership skills; if you want to understand the timeless virtues that lead to lasting and meaningful success, then this book is one you cannot afford to miss.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crown Currency; Later Printing edition (September 1, 1998)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 187 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0761513698
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0761513698
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 1 year and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.74 x 0.83 x 8.81 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

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James C. Hunter

James C. Hunter

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In addition to "The Culture: Creating Excellence With Those You Lead," Jim Hunter is the author of two other internationally best-selling books - "The Servant: A Simple Story About the True Essence of Leadership" and "The World's Most Powerful Leadership Principle: How to Become a Servant Leader."

His books serve as texts in many MBA and other higher-education curricula around the world, are translated into dozens of languages, and have sold over 5.5 million copies worldwide.

Jim is a sought-after speaker to audiences around the world on leadership and developing high-performing teams. He also assists organizations in creating a culture of excellence by growing leaders and building community.

His clients include many of the world’s most admired organizations including seven Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award winners, FBI, American Express, Johnson & Johnson, McDonald's, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble and the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
2,782 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Clark
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2024
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One of the better books on leadership that I have read. Highly recommend this one for anyone looking to grow their leadership skills.
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Tom Sales
5.0 out of 5 stars Spiritual and yet tangible at the same time
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2013
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It's interesting to read peer reviews in deciding to read a book, then read that book, and then re-read those reviews again--all in quick succession. The reviews written for "The Servant" fall into two camps. Those who probably do a lot of business reading who want real-world business examples and case studies, which is probably the group I most identify with typically. We want our business and leadership books tangible--tied to reality with precise recommendations about how we can be different -- and more successful -- as a result of what we've read and learned. In the other camp are those who are more spiritual--a word that may have turned me off a little before reading this book. I would have thought before that these people might be a little less successful in business or in leading because they were tied up more in the psychology of leading.

Over the last several months I've been working with a group of leader/managers who are quite successful in achieving business results. They come across very focused on meetings, data, coaching and doing very tangible things to get ever more performance out of the team. On the other hand, they swear by this book and try to get newly-promoted leader/managers to read it as a first step toward joining the leadership team.

Now having read the book, I can see why. All of those tangible things they do are based on the spiritual ideas presented in the book. In the Introduction Hunter explains how he wrote this book in only 6 weeks ... that it almost wrote itself as it flowed out onto the page. I think he probably assembled many of the concepts and quotes that he believed in, sorted them into 7 stages of learning to be a leader, and then built the storyline of Simeon the teacher around a group of people at a stage of their careers where they needed to see leadership from a different perspective.

That treatment definitely worked for the people I work with, and I can see now how they consciously -- or perhaps more accurately competently and unconsciously -- apply these principles in ways that they know work. As others have reviewed a little negatively that this stuff is pretty obvious and basic, it is a very fast read and one that will probably do many of us good to consider as we become mired a little bit in the tangibles of managing and leading others.
3 people found this helpful
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Erik Gfesser
5.0 out of 5 stars What leadership is really all about
Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2011
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Recently recommended by the instructor of a University of Illinois leadership training course my colleagues and I attended, this book is one of the best leadership texts I have read during my career. Although readers may be initially drawn to this text for the lessons in leadership it provides for the business world, what Hunter presents here is intended to be holistic, covering relationships both inside and outside the workplace. In the words of the author, at the time of writing a general manager of a large manufacturing facility, his life was falling apart at home and work, and after discussions with his wife and reluctant talks with his pastor, ended up spending a week at a monastery in northwestern Michigan "to sort things out". While financially successful, his wife made it clear there were issues with the dynamics between he and his family, and his human resources manager suggested that he take a look at his leadership style after employees campaigned for union representation.

In sharing his experience at the monastery, Hunter tells a good story and masterfully weaves in the principles he learns discussing leadership with several other individuals, including the former CEO of an airline turned monk who led the discussions, a drill sergeant, a public school principal, and a women's basketball coach. The teacher first discusses the differences between leadership and management, and power and authority, and then presents the pyramid style of management paradigm and how it came to be so popular in the United States, followed by Maslow's hierarchy of human needs with which many readers will already be familiar, and the servant leadership model which he discusses one element at a time and that serves as the focal point throughout the remainder of the book. The simple explanations of sometimes weighty topics, classroom dynamics between individuals of varied backgrounds, and author vulnerability are what makes this book work. The ninety other consistently positive reviews here that stretch over a ten-year period are a testament to the effectiveness of what Hunter, at the time of publication a consultant at a labor relations and training consulting firm, has to share with readers in this quick, but engaging text.
13 people found this helpful
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Karen Eoff
5.0 out of 5 stars Great self help story
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2024
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Author is very creative to tell a story that can be interpreted to each readers introspective needs
Very helpful
To be read more than once
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Top reviews from other countries

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Kil
5.0 out of 5 stars It seems like new.
Reviewed in Canada on December 28, 2023
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I'm really happy with the item, as it looks like new, very good presentation and it was delivered as promise.
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LUIZ MORAIS
5.0 out of 5 stars muito bom
Reviewed in Brazil on June 28, 2023
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ótimo para quem quer ser um líder
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Amina B.
5.0 out of 5 stars Ottimo libro e soprattutto ottimo venditore!
Reviewed in Italy on December 2, 2023
Verified Purchase
Libro che avevo già letto in ebook, consigliato per chi vuole approfondire introspettivamente il ruolo di manager e leader.
In più, ottimo il venditore che me lo ha consegnato in anticipo e in condizioni ottime!
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Ricardo
5.0 out of 5 stars Un buen libro para adentrarse en el tema de servant leadership
Reviewed in Spain on September 29, 2023
Verified Purchase
Muy buen libro, bien estructurado, buenos insights. Me sobra bastante la capa de cristianismo, pero por lo demás, me ha encantado.
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Katharina Schmitt
5.0 out of 5 stars Eine Geschichte, die berührt.
Reviewed in Germany on August 16, 2023
Verified Purchase
Mein absolutes Lieblingsbuch! Wenn man sich für Führung, Management und ein soziales Miteinander interessiert, darf dieses Buch nicht im Regal fehlen. Trotz des eigentlich nüchternen Themas berührt mich das Buch und die Geschichte immer wieder. Ich habe es mehrfach gelesen, wichtige Stellen im Text für mich sogar farblich markiert, zitiere bisweilen im Alltag daraus und habe es bereits an Kollegen und Vorgesetzte verschenkt. Definitiv lesenswert!
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