University of Wisconsin–Madison

WISL on LinkedIn

Are you on LinkedIn? If so, check out and start following the Wisconsin Servant Leadership page! Stay connected to the larger network of roundtables and events, and grow in your leadership through engagement with WISL. https://www.linkedin.com/company/wisconsin-servant-leadership/posts/?feedView=all

How to Stop Your Work Brain from Following You Home

Have you ever found yourself nodding along in a conversation with your partner, only to realize you’re actually three sentences behind because you’re mentally rewriting that presentation deck? Or have you finally sat down to relax with a book, then caught yourself reading the same paragraph four times because your brain is stuck on tomorrow’s …

Some additional resources from January’s session

Thank you to those who could make it to the January session of Servant Leadership!  We had a wonderful discussion around Lock-In and Lock-Through Power: Chapter 18 of Strong Ground.  Some additional resources that were mentioned during our conversations:  Helping, Fixing or Serving? https://www.dailygood.org/story/218/helping-fixing-or-serving-rachel-naomi-remen-md/?sso_checked=1 The work of Jack Kornfield https://jackkornfield.com WI Servant Leadership Roundtables https://wisconsinservantleadership.org/roundtable-discussions/ …

January Session Announced!

Lock-In and Lock-Through Power: Chapter 18 of Strong Ground Leading with courage, clarity, and compassion in a world that feels increasingly complex is no easy undertaking.  In Strong Ground, Brené Brown brings her signature blend of research, storytelling, and practical wisdom to help us find stability when everything around us feels uncertain. This book isn’t just about …

Your purpose isn’t something to find, it’s something you form

From author Ross White: In my work as a clinical psychologist, I have supported numerous people who described feeling listless, apathetic, and lost in life. These clients often say they lack a guiding light to direct their efforts. ‘I’m searching for my North Star,’ one recently said. ‘Finding purpose in life’ is a commonly cited …

The Chemistry of Gratitude

We covered gratitude in December’s CoP session. Here’s a breakdown of how gratitude affects our brains and attitudes. Introducing Your Brain’s Feel-Good Symphony Gratitude doesn’t just change your mood — it changes your molecular makeup. When you practice gratitude, your brain activates a cascade of neurotransmitters and hormones that influence everything from your motivation and focus …

In Gratitude

This month’s servant leadership meeting was all about gratitude. Attendees shared their thoughts and experiences about resilience, courage, and connection as they relate to gratitude in our lives. Find the meeting notes and summary in our archive. Many great resources were shared during our session, including a quote from Dave: We will share more about …

How to Implement Servant Leadership Core Values in Your Daily Life

Servant leadership prioritizes the needs of others, fostering trust, empathy, and shared success over authority. This approach transforms leadership into a commitment to helping and empowering others.  In this article, we will give a brief overview of what servant leadership is and then dive into how to proactively implement servant leadership values in your life …