In his introduction to the nine lectures in the "Discovering Servant Leadership" series, Dr. Keith shares his own personal journey that resulted in his discovery of servant leadership. He then provides a Biblical framework for understanding servant leadership. He discusses God's message about leadership in the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus about leadership in the New Testament. He concludes with a preview of each of the eight lectures that make up the rest of the series.

In this first lecture in the Discovering Servant Leadership series, Dr. Keith explains that a life of Christian leadership requires deep faith, and that faith must flow into our deeds. Jesus commanded us to love and called us to serve. We can love and serve our families, friends, and communities. We can love and serve people throughout the world. In addition to Scripture, Dr. Keith shares the story of Family Promise, a national program for the homeless that started with a sandwich, and the Nozomi Project, a faith-based social enterprise that began after a devastating earthquake and tusnami in Japan.

This lecture is about two major models of leadership--the power model and the service model. The power model is about acquiring and wielding power. This is the dominant model in our secular culture, but Jesus clearly rejected it. The service model is about making a difference in the lives of others. This is the model that embodies the teachings of Jesus. In this lecture, Dr. Keith shares the stories of Macbeth, All the King's Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Cincinnatus, George Washington, Jose de San Martin, and TD Industries in Texas.

This third lecture in the Discovering Servant Leadership series is about the characteristics of servant leaders. Dr. Keith explains that Jesus is the ultimate example of a servant leader. Like Jesus, servant leaders are good shepherds. They love people and want to help them. They are situational, they take risks, they give back, and they stand for what is right. Their humility makes it possible for them to build trust and connect with those they serve. Dr. Keith shares the stories of George Williams, Will Hartzell, Harriet Tubman, Atticus Finch, and a Captain in the United States Marine Corps.

This fourth lecture in the Discovering Servant Leadership series is about the key practices of servant leaders. Dr. Keith describes seven key practices that help servant leaders to be effective in a way that benefits their colleagues and those they serve. Those key practices are self-awareness, listening, changing the pyramid, developing your colleagues, coaching not controlling, unleashing the energy and intelligence of others, and foresight. The lecture includes stories about Dr. Ernesto Sirolli, Suzuki Motor Company, the president of a large retail chain, and Ken Melrose at Game Time.

In this fifth lecture in the "Discovering Servant Leadership" series, Dr. Keith explains that whatever form an organization takes, it can became a Christian community, a servant institution that is focused on serving its customers and society at large. Dr. Keith discusses eight institutional operating principles that guide servant leaders as they lead their institutions to truly serve others. Along the way, he shares stories about the Thang family in Myanmar, Broetje Orchards in Washington State, a massage parlor founded by a Christian in Thailand, Johnsonville Sausage, the Tolaram Group based in Singapore, and the CEO of an insurance company in New York.

This sixth lecture in the Discovering Servant Leadership series is about leading organizational change. Dr. Keith explains that servant leaders are especially good at leading change. They do not use organizational change as an excuse for building their own power and position. They are good team leaders who are open to the ideas, talents, and leadership of others. They strengthen their organizational communities so that they can stay together during the change process. And they are good shepherds who consult with others and care about the emotional and spiritual health of all team members as the organization changes. During the lecture, Dr. Keith tells stories about a NASA cockpit simulation, the closure of the Delphi brake assembly operations in Ohio, Captain Michael Abrashoff of the USS Benfold, and the Cleveland Clinic.

In this seventh lecture in the Discovering Servant Leadership series, Dr. Keith discusses human behavior and motivation. He begins with Theory X and Theory Y, which make contrasting assumptions about people in the workplace, and then explores the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. He explains that servant leaders move beyond Theory X and extrinsic motivation to focus on Theory Y and intrinsic motivation. Since meaning is an intrinsic motivator, servant leaders are meaning-makers for their colleagues. The lecture includes a story from a book by Alfie Kohn, plus stories about Viktor Frankl, who survived the Nazi labor camps, and Cheryl Bachelder, who served as CEO of Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen.

In this eighth lecture in the Discovering Servant Leadership series, Dr. Keith points out that when Jesus prayed for his disciples, he prayed that they would be in the world, not of the world. We need to be in the world, loving and helping others, but we do not have to measure ourselves by the world's symbols of success like power and wealth. Jesus taught us a way of leading that brings out our best and helps us to bring out the best in others. Christian servant leaders can lead people in ways that help the Kingdom of God to break into our world. In this lecture, Dr. Keith shares the stories of Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Dr. Tan Lai Yong, John Howell, Mother Teresa, and an 18-year-old who was literally run out of town for giving a speech in which he urged student leaders to care about the other students in their schools.