The Servant: A Simple Story About the True Essence of Leadership

This book redefines leadership through the story of John Daily, a businessman whose outwardly successful life is falling apart. He is struggling in his roles as boss, husband, father, and coach. To address this crisis, he reluctantly attends a weeklong leadership retreat at a remote Benedictine monastery. The monk leading the seminar is a former business executive and Wall Street legend who takes John under his wing. Through their interactions, John comes to understand that true leadership is not built on power, but on authority grounded in relationships, love, service, and sacrifice. The book presents principles that are neither new nor complex. They do not require special talents but instead focus on strengthening bonds of respect, responsibility, and caring with the people around you. These principles can be applied by anyone, anywhere—at home or at work. The book includes an introduction on using these servant leadership principles in your life and career.