While presenting at an HR conference in Barcelona, I was asked why I put so much emphasis on "Servant Leadership."

"Servant Leadership" has become a term utilized because we recognize that a truly effective leader must look beyond their managerial responsibilities of making a bigger return on investments, of making the organization more effective, of reducing costs, etc., at any and all costs.  Servant leaders accomplish these things, but not at the expense of others.  They do it in a way that is true to other lasting core values, thereby; stimulating long-term commitment, enthusiasm and desire in those they lead.  The term "servant leadership" helps us realize that while the bottom line is important, leadership is about more than improving numbers; it is also about values, treating others as you would like to be treated, listening, building trust, respecting others, etc. 

I believe that leadership is a journey, or as I describe in our Personal Leadership workshop, it can be viewed as an actual pilgrimage!  Medieval pilgrims embarked on their journeys because they believed that through their sacrifice they would achieve enlightenment and a higher level of existence in this and the next life.  By embarking on a "leadership pilgrimage," we recognize that there is more to leadership than managing the numbers, and we are dedicating ourselves to finding the core values and principles that will help us gain enlightenment as leaders and a higher level of organizational existence than conventional wisdom may have recognized was possible to achieve.