Have you read Leadership Is an Art, Leadership Jazz or another work by Max De Pree? Have you been inspired by something he said, his approach to organizational life, or his understanding of the human spirit in the midst of the demanding world of work and life? Have his ideas shaped your leadership in some way?
How can the De Pree Center serve you? How can we help you become what you need to be, to create spaces of realized potential?
Please tell us below. And thanks in advance for taking the time to do so!
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Hello,
I read Leadership is an Art and Leadership Jazz when I was much younger. The writings of Max De Pree continue to be the single most important cornerstone of my career, which has now spanned over 30 years. I have been CEO of several organizations and am now CEO and co-owner of several leadership, strategy and capital companies. The spirit of our companies are, in part, founded on the lessons I learned from Max De Pree. I just wanted to post this to say “thank you”. May the blessings you have given to me be returned a thousand times.
David
David,
What wonderful words! Thank you for taking the time to comment and for your expression of gratitude. I’m delighted to hear that Max De Pree’s ideas have informed your work. Like you, we find him truly inspirational. If you ever feel like telling us more, we would love to hear how you’ve implemented his ideas in your companies and how they’ve helped you become who you are. Thanks again!
I read Max’s Leadership Jazz and found he was writing a melody line I was attempting to live and one that had a rythmn that spoke to me! I appreciate Max’s humble and yet straightforward leadership advice. It is non assuming yet non-threatening as he challenges us to consider melodies we have only heard but certainly not practiced enough to be proficent at. Call it Jazz, call it contemporary, call it classical it is still good music to our ears, Max and we thank you for your leadership advice.
I am growing as a leader using Toyota Way methodology grounded in a deep moral conviction that people matter. I want to continue to grow as an effective leader through my staff. I would be very interested in what Max might have to say about healthcare leadership and how his tune could apply here.
Thanks, Christopher, for taking the time to comment and sharing a bit of your tune with us. De Pree certainly has a lot to teach us about leadership that embraces the idea that people matter. His vision that makes us all insiders who are capable of making valuable contributions to the organization is refreshing.
Re: healthcare leadership, did you have a specific question in mind? Healthcare is certainly one industry where people should be taken seriously!
Max graciously agreed to be the keynote speaker at our inaugural Geneva College/MSOL Leadership Conference in 1995 (held in Pittsburgh, PA). Max knew very little if anything about us, and came to our conference through the request of a mutual friend. Our M.S. in Organizational Leadership Program was brand new–hadn’t even enrolled any students at the time.
Today, our M.S. in Organizational Leadership Program has graduted over 850 students and our Annual Geneva College/MSOL Serving Leaders Conference now attracts an audience of 450. I am very grateful to Max for his willingness to help us launch our conference and give us much needed credibility in those early years of our MSOL Program history. What he shared with us that day about the leader’s “legacy” has been enbodied in what we in Geneva’s MSOL Program have experienced over the years.
James, thanks for relaying your story. Delighted to hear that Max’s investment in your school in its early stages has paid off.
Hi
I have been recommended to read Max’s work as apparently my views and beliefs mirror his. I am intrigued to find out if that is the case, as over the many years of helping businesses and organisations change, I have struggled to find ‘like minds’, but when I have, the transformations have been amazing!
Welcome, Gary! We’d love to hear your thoughts once you’ve delved into Max’s books. Which one are you reading first?
i learnt about max de pree through john maxwell books .i believe your thoughts and argurments has played a major role in shaping my career bringing me to a place where i can never be on the same page with my equals
Thanks for commenting. I would love to hear more about how in particular Max De Pree’s ideas have shaped you.
The concept of Servant Leadership is God inspired and was perfectly modeled in the ministry of Jesus Christ. I love Max’s concept of space and constraint, and his body of work emulates a key goal (helping others to find their voice) of servant hood in business while still maintaining a strong focus on the primary function of business – to make money. Kudos to Walt and Janis in their cutting edge efforts in bringing the eternal principles reflected in De Pree’s Value System to practical application for today’s economic challenges.