University of Wisconsin–Madison

Lead with Gratitude

Douglas Conant is a leader and author in the leadership space. In 2019, he wrote an inspiring article on leading with gratitude for us to learn from. This year, he updated it and republished. Here is that article for you to enjoy this holiday season!

Gratitude as a Leadership Practice

Gratitude isn’t just a seasonal gesture—it’s a value that transforms relationships, team dynamics, and organizational culture. While Thanksgiving season often reminds us to “give thanks,” leaders who practice gratitude every day model a deeper truth: recognition and appreciation are not just soft skills. See this post from Wisconsin Servant Leadership on taking a moment to …

Why Servant Leadership is the Only Way to Win

In today’s competitive landscape, every leader is searching for the ultimate formula for sustainable success. We often look to market penetration, financial engineering, or aggressive sales tactics. However, the most successful and enduring organizations recognize that the ultimate competitive advantage isn’t found in a balance sheet or a product feature—it’s found in the human spirit …

Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness

The Revolution Has Only Just Begun. Twenty-five years ago, Robert Greenleaf published these prophetic essays on what he coined servant leadership, a practical philosophy that replaces traditional autocratic leadership with a holistic, ethical approach. This highly influential book has been embraced by cutting-edge management everywhere. Yet in these days of Enron and what VISA CEO …

October Meeting Topic Finalized

Speaking Up When It Doesn’t Feel Comfortable Last month, we covered an overview of transactional vs. transformational leadership. See the archive for readings and questions from that session. We now pivot slightly to discuss environments and leadership styles where we can (or cannot) speak up. We’ll look at resolving the tension of the Captain of …

Leading with Empathy 

Why empathy is key to your success as a leader  Leaders often have misconceptions about what empathy at work looks like in practice, yet it is an essential skill for anyone looking to successfully lead today. In today’s world, where rapid change comes at us every single day, leaders must quickly build strong relationships with …

Just Keep Growing: 25 Servant Leadership Lessons

Servant leadership is a style of leadership that prioritizes the needs of followers and emphasizes personal integrity and growth in a safe and supportive environment. Each of the 25 chapters features a short story that exemplifies a servant leadership lesson. The stories are real, relatable, and relevant. They feature people with different backgrounds, professions, and …

Transactional vs. Transformational leadership

Sue Gaard and Joe Goss are interested in Transformational leadership, which they believe serves as an umbrella style for Servant-Leadership, among other styles. In contrast, have you worked under a manager who practices a Transactional leadership style (e.g., “command and control,” “management by exception,” or “top down”)? In your experience, in what ways were these …

Servant Leadership online certificate at UW-Madison

Servant Leaders are not “softies.” They focus on performance and results. What differs is how they get there. Learn how to navigate the paradoxes of both caring and organizational competence. Earn a CERTIFICATE in Servant Leadership online from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, starting October 15 – five days of exploration, discussion, case studies, …