Author: gassen

You don’t have to ‘reinvent’ yourself to live happily after 60. There’s a better approach grounded in lifespan psychology This recent article from Psyche talks about your purpose sometimes changing as life changes come along. Retirement can completely derail someone’s sense of purpose because the work environment can be identified as the reason they get …

A short seasonal reflection on the small things that help great cultures thrive From Duane: “As summer is in full swing, I’ve been thinking about how easily we can jump to conclusions when people don’t respond, communicate, or behave the way we expect.  Sometimes the most helpful thing we can do as servant-leaders is slow …

Think of someone you rely on. When was the last time you actually told them? When we asked people to share moments when they most felt that they mattered at work, one of the most common answers was surprisingly simple: Someone showed them how they were uniquely needed. On the other hand, people who tended to …

From our conversations in June’s meeting, we mentioned a mattering assessment from the book Mattering by Jennifer Breheny Wallace. We’re including it below for you to take on your own. https://uwmadison.box.com/s/m3bfxl5zopybchnyspvea8n7isu02q11 Stay tuned for more on this topic in our future conversations!

This past month, our group met on the topic of mattering. See our archive for the readings and discussion questions we explored. Today, we share a post from Stordahl Capital Management on mattering in retirement, adapted from an article by Jennifer Breheny Wallace. https://www.stordahlcap.com/insights/the-retirement-crisis-no-one-warns-you-about-why-mattering-may-matter-most

Last Friday’s Servant Leadership discussion was enlightening and fulfilling; facilitator Mary Hoddy guided us through finding or nurturing purpose in our work and personal lives. The original plan was to also discuss mattering and belonging in that session, but we decided to split the material into two sessions so mattering moves to June. Please join …

We’re gearing up for May’s Servant Leadership discussion. Planners met this week to develop a topic, and we are focusing on purpose and mattering in our readings and talks in May. Stay tuned for more details, and in the meantime, you can watch this interview from our friends at Magic in the Room. https://magicintheroom.libsyn.com/199-the-power-of-mattering

Our March meeting focused on the pause between stimulus and response. Liz Fosslien has a graphic that illustrates this concept very well!

The servant leadership community lost a defining voice with the passing of Don M. Frick on March 23, 2026. A gifted teacher, author, and historian of Robert K. Greenleaf’s work, Don helped preserve and carry forward the true spirit of servant leadership for generations to come. Some of his best works included Robert K. Greenleaf: …

Don’t be fooled by the old command-and-control style of leadership; nobody wins when you micromanage or punish as a form of motivation. Instead, focus on the ten characteristics of servant leadership to guide and mentor those in your care! Through active listening, healing, empathy, and building community, your efforts will help others develop into better …