Why I do what I do. At our 2007 Servant Leadership Conference, bestselling author, Jim Kouzes, asked the audience, "Are you in this job to do something, or are you here just for something to do? If you're in this job to do something, then what is it? I do what I do to make a difference in this world, and there are two reasons why I feel called to do what I do. First, I believe all workers have a right to be treated with unconditional love. Second, I want to help others find their purpose in life.

Self-awareness. The most important aspect of our servant leadership program is self-awareness. It is the cornerstone of who we are. In our Servant Leadership Training & Development Program, we place tremendous emphasis on self-awareness. That is why we test our Columbus State University servant leadership students with such tools as Emergenetics. We want these young adults to enter the world of work knowing their strengths and weaknesses. You cannot understand others until you understand yourself. Remember, as Bill Turner so aptly puts it, "A person cannot be an effective leader if he doesn't know who he is."

I absolutely abhor bad bosses. There's nothing worse than an overbearing, egotistical, jealous tyrant of a boss. Bad bosses need to be rooted out of our organizations. Nothing gets my blood boiling more than to hear stories of incompetent leadership. I've seen too many careers and families ruined because of these people. I have dedicated my life to rooting bad bosses out of the workplace. I'm always collecting stories, so if you have something you want to share, send me an email.

What will happen to me? Speaking truth to power has its consequences and I sometimes wonder what will happen to me. I may very well write or say something that the powers-that-be will not like. It won't be the first time. A couple of years ago I supported a group of young people who wanted to stage a protest at their school. Shortly thereafter, I received a note from an influential person in the community who basically said they (the students) should leave the situation alone. When I finished reading the email, I stared at my bookshelf and my eyes immediately fell on a Mahatma Ghandi DVD and a book on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. They paid a price for the rights and freedoms of others. Am I prepared to pay that price? YES!

I must defend work. My first book Stand Tall: Essays on Life and Servant Leadership is due out this month. I'm so excited! But as my good friend, Stephen, pointed out to me early in the process, "now you're going to have to defend your work." My basic philosophy of servant leadership is in these essays. I stand by the book 100%. I hope you enjoy it.