You can learn a lot about leaders by the way they talk. Some leaders believe their position entitles them to demand respect and command others. These leaders talk about “being in charge,” refer to “directing others,” or “setting people straight.” They don’t seek input from those they lead. They cast a vision rooted in personal greatness, rather than shared aspirations.
That’s not the kind of approach we teach at Shafer Leadership Academy.
We believe in change, not the status quo. We believe in the strength of community, not the isolation of individuals. We believe in the wisdom of teams, not in the greatness of a single person. We believe that all voices have something to contribute.
We Empower and Equip Servant Leaders
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“The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?”
-Robert Greenleaf, father of servant leadership
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We believe that servant leadership transforms our businesses, organizations and communities. We believe that servant leaders are on a constant journey of self-discovery, while simultaneously striving to better serve those around them. We believe leaders don’t have all the answers, nor do they need to. We believe leaders understand how to tap into the strengths of those around them to solve common problems by creating a shared vision. We believe leaders see themselves as responsible to those they serve. And by doing this, we believe we can control our destiny.
An Introduction to Servant Leadership
For 12 years, Shafer Leadership Academy has offered the Emergence class as an introduction to servant leadership and an exercise in self discovery.
Emergence is Shafer Leadership Academy’s core leadership program. Topics during the interactive sessions, include learning and leadership styles, effective communication, consensus building, conflict management, civic leadership and personal mission.
Among our nearly 450 graduates, 75 percent have assumed a leadership role in the community, 50 percent are serving on nonprofit boards and 40 percent have experienced a job promotion, all within five years of completing the program.
Every year, Emergence brings the best of our community together: leaders from places of worship, from nonprofits, from elected offices, from industries, and from schools. Participants seek to better understand themselves and to serve others.
Learn more and register for Emergence and other SLA programs.
Questions? Email Shafer Leadership Academy or call the office at 765-748-0403.