In San Diego we’re in the middle of a six-month “Season of Service” movement with businesses, civic agencies, and churches all pitching in with community volunteers to serve others. For years I’ve been dreaming about how we can make San Diego a servant leadership town – how in the near future people will come here and say, “What an amazing place to live—just look at the way government and business and education and neighborhoods interact – everyone seems to be out to serve each other and solve problems, not to be self serving.”
My larger dream is that leadership throughout the world will be composed of people who lead at a higher level and, in the process, serve first and lead second. That’s a really tall order, and I might sound like a dreamer. But read this wonderful quote from Harriet Tubman:
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer.
Always remember, you have within you
the strength, the patience, and the passion
to reach for the stars to change the world.”
Why not? What do you want to do to change the world? Remember, you can do it by the moment-to-moment interactions with your family, your friends, your colleagues, and everyone you meet. What’s your dream for changing the world? Go ahead, be a dreamer!
How We Lead 
Sounds Great. This will energize people to do more and to serve more. Bravo Ken
A wonderful thought to start the week and the month after a long weekend. Belief must come before meaningful action. Thanks!
Wonderful article, which I hope will inspire many. For myself, I work to promote servant-leadership as espoused by Robert Greenleaf and currently championed by the Spears Center for Servant-Leadership (www.spearscenter.org), of which I am a board member. I practice s-l in my personal businesses as well as in the companies with which I work.
In addition, I am founder and executive director of Danville Foodstock (www.danvillefoodstock.com), which strives to serve food and hope to those in need. We also work to encourage others to start local Foodstock chapters.
My latest endeavor is http://www.LowNotesForNashville.org, which I co-founded with a close friend and fellow bassist. We have gathered an international community of professional bassists to assist with flood relief efforts for Nashville musicians to help get them back on their feet, and back on stage where they belong.
Gandhi said we should be the change we wish to see in the world. These are just the major ways in which I strive to create change. I hope others will read your article and be inspired to create change of their own.
With respect,
Lane Baldwin
Well said, Ken, and as usual, inspiring message.
I work in the public service in Kenya and my dream is to improve management of our public service delivery systems. About 5 years ago, I discovered that the biggest challenge in our country, and indeed in many parts of Africa, is deficiency of effective leadership and management systems. I am tryig my best to gather every knowledge I can get on leadership and management and see how we can develope our own system for the public sector in Kenya. It is a tall order, but I have no choice; its my dream. Now you know way I have followed you all along- your website, educational materials, books and so on. It is for inspiration that every dreamer needs; and you continue to give it regularly, abundantly. Here in Kenya, we easily take Dreaming from President Obama: Yes We Can. God bless your works.
Tom Dienya
National Food Security Programme
Ministry of Agriculture
P.O Box 30028 00100
Nairobi