"Whoever Hurts My Brother, Hurts me". Reflections from the Green Center For Servant Leadership Hall of Fame Ceremony

October 18, 2023 will be a date that I will not soon forget. It was the night The Robert Greenleaf Center For Servant Leadership installed the 2023 Hall of Fame recipients, held at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. Eight people received the Servant Leader Exemplar award, four students received the Servant Leader Youth Exemplar award, three organizations received the Servant Led Organization award, and two people received the Servant Leader Legacy Honor.

Have you ever walked in somewhere then suddenly feeling that you do not belong there? Well, as I walked into this large room, with photographers, reserved seating, being wined and dined, and then meeting all of these incredible people, I suddenly got this existential feeling that I did not belong there.

The people being recognized were simply amazing. This is a short article about three people that struck me with their work and their words.

First, there was Father Edwin Leahy.

Father Ed sat a seat away from me in the front row. He was wearing his Benedictine monk robe and as I walked up to him to introduce myself, he stood and greeted me as warmly as you would expect from a Benedictine monk. He smiled big and asked about me and the work I do. This amazing man was focused on me, not himself.

Sometimes, we are immediately drawn to people even though we can't initially explain why. When I heard his story, I realized why.

Father Ed has been a Benedictine monk for over 50 years and is the headmaster for the St. Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark, NJ. This man has the wherewithal to allow students to make decisions that run the school. (The concept of "self-directed work teams which I helped start at Carrollton PD 18 years ago) And he allows them to make mistakes. Imagine that? Putting the actual concept of "failing forward" to work. They teach the basic curriculum that every school teaches. But they go beyond that. They teach life lessons, they grow leaders, they teach young men of color to discover they own voice. They tend to the hearts of their students. "If their hearts aren't tended to, their heads won't work", says Father Ed. This man was featured on 60 Minutes!

What he said last, impacted me most. "What hurts my brother, hurts me!"

The New Jersey Reentry Corporation

This organization received the Servant Led Organization award. They provide critically needed services to people returning from prison, addiction treatment centers, and veterans of war, all so they can succeed in life and become productive members of any community. Too many times, these people are left to their own devices without any help or support at all. Instead of leaving their success to chance, the NJ Reentry Corporation works to ensure their success. And they have been very successful in their efforts. Former Governor of New Jersey James McGreevey, who has worked closely with this organization for years, accepted the award. He ended his comments by saying "We all fall, but we get up." Sometimes, we all need help getting up.

And finally, my new friend Michael Reuter was awarded the Servant Leadership Legacy Honor.

As my family and I drove up to Seton Hall University, undoubtedly looking very lost, trying to find where we were supposed to go, a very well dressed man was walking by. He looked at us as we getting out of our car and immediately stopped and asked if we were going to the Greenleaf Center Hall of Fame ceremony. After introducing himself by name, he then took the time to help my sisters and my wife out of the SUV that was dropping us off and escorted us to the building where the ceremony was taking place. In today's world, how many people would have simply walked by or not even taken the time to look our way? Not Mike.

Mike is the Director Emeritus of The Buccino Leadership Institute at Seton Hall University. This institute was established at Seton Hall in 2018 for the purpose of developing great leaders. They believe that "Our world needs leaders with vision, strength, and character. We're answering the call."

Mike is living proof that we are all people of purpose and our journey in life is not over until our time on this earth is over. As if he's not busy enough with his position at Seton Hall, he is also an executive coach, a mentor, and motivational speaker. He captures his life's purpose and meaning in six words, "Live Passionately, Love Unconditionally, Care Deeply." He also writes a "Three Minute Leadership" message every Sunday and sends it to executives, business professionals, students, and faculty (I quickly got on his email list) all for the purpose of connecting and reminding each of us the importance of how we touch people's lives. As Mike spoke when he received his award, he started to tear up. Which in turn caused me to tear up. Mike is an emotional man, that was easy to tell. His work, his words, his actions impact people. He impacted me and my family. His final words were, "You never see a U-haul behind a hearse."

As I said previously, sometimes we are instantly drawn to people though we can't explain why. I was drawn to Mike, and now I know why.

Mike is 80 years old (you would not know it by seeing him) and still runs every day. He believes in staying fit, body, mind, and soul. This man has been named the Seton Hall University's Father of Leadership. And he has become my new mentor (not that he will add that to his resume).

For all of his life's work, Mike Reuter was awarded the Servant Leadership Legacy Honor.

There are far too many stories to share from my experience that night. Far too many stories of special people making a huge difference in this world. Soon, the Greenleaf Center will post each recipients acceptance speech. They are all short but worth visiting (visit https://www.greenleaf.org)

Special thanks go to the Greenleaf Center Executive Director Reginald Lewis and his team for coordinating an amazing event. Although I was honored to be a small part of it, I took away so much from it.

If you or your organization is not connected with the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, then you are missing a great opportunity. What organization is not interested in developing healthy organizational cultures? What organizations is not interested in developing leaders? Then visit the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership website and get connected.