A Year of Servant Leadership

A year of reflection—and a clear view ahead.

This month I have been reading Simple Truths of Leadership by Ken Blanchard & Randy Conley. In the 1980s, I was introduced to Ken Blanchard as the coauthor of The One Minute Manager. I worked for a big aerospace corporation and was an aspiring leader. Along with the now out of print Situational Leadership, that he also authored, I began this journey to become a better manager and leader.

Simple Truths of Leadership is succinct, clear, and comprehensive. It reminds me quite a bit of his previous work. The book is divided into two parts; Blanchard wrote Part One: Situational Leadership, and Conley wrote Part Two: Building Trust. The book contains 52 Simple Truths, which are divided between the two parts. As I read through them, I heard echoes of the many management and leadership books I have read throughout my career, especially this last year as I wrote these regular blog articles.

I like the book. It reminds me that very little of what we know about management and leadership is new. What changes over time is the emphasis and this month that emphasis is servant leadership.

Servant leadership teaches us that if we take care of our team, our staff and volunteers, then they will do their jobs and take care of the organization. As UCLA Professor John Ullmen puts it, the job of the executive leader is to “inspire the people and carry the vision.” If, as a servant leader, you inspire your team to do the same, then the hierarchy is flipped. Our customers, clients, and members will be served by an organization that puts them and their needs first. Success!

The Year in Review

Last year at this time, I planned my blog posts for the year identifying nonprofit leadership and management subjects for each month based on specific principles. Simple Truths of Leadership succinctly reflects the year’s work. I am grateful to the devoted readers who have taken the journey with me. I have learned so much more than I expected. Today is the start of a two-week holiday vacation when I can take time to plan for 2026. I am looking forward to the year ahead!

ChatGPT provided light editorial input on this article.