International Journal of Servant-Leadership
Abstract
Dittmar: In his definition, Robert Greenleaf uses this phrase "natural feeling" to describe the starting point for someone to want to become a servantleader. What do you think he meant by that phrase, "It begins with the natural feeling," in terms of becoming a servant-leader? Spears: Robert Greenleaf believed that most people have an innate desire to serve others, but he also believed that institutions and society didn't tend to encourage this kind of behavior as much as some others. To some degree, I believe he was also intending to suggest the importance of intuition. We talk more about intuition today than was the case thirty-five years ago when Greenleaf was writing about this. For Greenleaf, that natural feeling was something that he occasionally observed in leaders at AT&T during his 40 years there, and where he was really a good judge of leadership talent. His observation of effective leadership traits led him to identify those who had a natural inclination towards serving others.
Recommended Citation
Dittmar, James K.
(2007)
"The Natural Feeling to Serve: An Interview With Larry Spears,"
International Journal of Servant-Leadership: Vol. 3, Article 8.
DOI: 10.33972/ijsl.260
Available at:
https://repository.gonzaga.edu/ijsl/vol3/iss1/8
Copyright Information
Copyright 2007 The author(s). All Rights reserved