Denise LeDuc Froemming , CPA , CAE , MBA President & CEO CalCPA and CalCPA Education Foundation

In today ’ s rapidly evolving world , leadership styles have shifted from authoritative and hierarchical models to more collaborative , empathetic and people-centric approaches . One such leadership philosophy that is gaining attention is servant leadership — one that I have long appreciated . And while this idea has caught on in recent years , it dates to the 1970s , thanks to Robert K . Greenleaf who coined the term in his essay , “ The Servant as Leader .”

Boiled down , the servant leadership style is one characterized by placing others first . Writes Greenleaf : “ The best test , and most difficult to administer , is this : Do those served grow as persons ? Do they , while being served , become healthier , wiser , freer , more autonomous , more likely themselves to become servants ?”

Author and speaker Simon Sinek describes this as a “ leader eats last ” mindset . As a leader , when you focus on lifting up those around you , you ’ ll create a culture where individuals feel comfortable sharing ideas , seeking feedback and working together toward a common purpose .

Concepts of trust , diversity , unselfishness , support , empathy and community building all weave their way through servant leadership .

Epitomizing these characteristics , I am happy to say , are CalCPA members who step up daily to lead their firms , companies , organizations , communities and the profession .

We recently began our 2023-24 fiscal year , which brings a new membership leadership slate at CalCPA ’ s state and chapter levels . At our recent Council meeting , we welcomed Meredith Johnson , a partner at BPM , as our 2023-24 CalCPA chair and Andrea Cope as CalCPA Education Foundation chair . If you ’ ve been around CalCPA for any length of time , you ’ ll know that both women have long served our organization in various capacities .

You can read more about Meredith and her priorities for her term in our Q & A with her on Page 12 , and look for a similar Q & A with Andrea in our September issue of California CPA .

I ’ m excited and encouraged about what Meredith and Andrea — along with other member leaders who have stepped into their roles — will bring to CalCPA and to each of us .

One of the great things about being a servant leader is , with the right mindset , anyone can be one — from whatever position they hold . It ’ s more than a title ; it ’ s a way of leading driven by a desire to serve , not accumulate power . Again , in Greenleaf ’ s words : “ How do we get the right things done will be the watchword of the day , every day .”

I encourage you to seek areas — inside and outside of CalCPA — where you can lead . If you ’ re looking to give your leadership skills a boost , visit calcpa . org / leadership and calcpa . org / cpe . We would love to partner with you to be inspired and inspire others . www . calcpa . org AUGUST 2023 CALIFORNIA CPA 3