What We Offer
The San Diego Leadership Initiative offers training, certification, and networking opportunities on servant leadership for groups and individuals. See Products and Services for more information.



The 10 Traits of Servant Leadership:

Listening – Servant Leaders value listening deeply to others, seeking to hear both what is and is not said. They hear and value the will of the group. They listen to their intuition and conscience.

Empathy – Serving leaders aim to understand and empathize with others. They recognize others’ special talents and circumstances. They assume good intentions, even when rejecting performance.

Healing – Service-based leaders act in ways that promote health and healing in themselves and others. They appreciate each person’s inherent worth, talents, efforts and contributions, and express their appreciation. They strive to act in ways that are positive, caring and considerate.

Awareness – Servant Leaders seek increasing self-awareness and promote other’s awareness. They know their code of ethics and values and take them into account in decision-making.

Persuasion – Service-based leaders rely on persuasion, not domination, intimidation, manipulation or coercion. They build consensus, seek cooperation, and value a democratic leadership style.

Conceptualization – Serving leaders dare to ‘dream great dreams.’ They value the ability to think beyond day-to-day reality. They nurture others’ ability to work outside their usual frame of thinking. They encourage creative ideas and innovation.

Foresight – Servant Leaders value experience, facts and intuition. They strive to understand lessons from the past, appreciate present realities, and strive to foresee possible consequences of their decisions.

Stewardship – Serving leaders feel a sense of responsibility and strive to promote society’s greater good. They value service to others, as well as to self. They take ownership for the outcomes of their acts, including successes and setbacks. They have a sense of responsibility to the larger entities to which they belong, including their organizations, community, state, nation and natural environment.

Commitment to Other’s Growth – Service-based leaders believe people have intrinsic value, and are committed to fostering personal and professional growth of all people, encourage worker involvement, responsibility, expression of talents, and input in decision-making. They give credit when it’s due, appreciate effort and success, and help others grow in strength, awareness and maturity.

Community – Servant Leaders strive to strengthen the sense of community within and without their organization. Their actions are guided by a conscience that values, protects and contributes to their community, state, nation and global culture. Top of page



Leadership Ethics and Integrity
“…it’s extremely important and makes good business sense to have a strong moral compass, a strong set of values that serves as the foundation of a business.”
Dr. Gary Wenet

In the wake of financial and ethical scandals in corporations across the country, it has become clear that we need leaders who not only espouse ethics and integrity, but also put these values into practice in their day-to-day business relationships.

The San Diego Leadership Initiative (SDLI) is leading a resurgence of Ethics and Integrity in San Diego. We are dedicated to helping leaders develop within themselves and their organizations the servant (service-based) leadership skills to model values in the real world of business.

SDLI Integrity Awards
SDLI awards the first Integrity award to San Diego Mayor and City Council for creating and supporting the City’s Ethics Code. See Ethics Commission for more details.

San Diego Better Business Bureau Torch Awards for Marketplace Excellence
The BBB conducts an annual awards program to publicly recognize businesses that maintain a solid commitment to conducting their business practices in an ethical fashion

Ethics Resources


Our Board of Directors

	Robert H. Hertel, Executive Director			Dr. Jonathan M. Kramer, President
	Julia Buchanan, Director of Consultancy			Dawn C. Beintema Director of Education and Training

Robert H. Hertel, Executive Director
	Bob Hertel is a highly respected leadership training specialist, educator and community leader. He is Lecturer and Academic Program Manager in San Diego for the past seven years, facilitating in the award winning Organizational Leadership graduate & undergraduate degree programs at Chapman University (U.S. News and World Report Tier One rated institution; website: Chapman.edu). Bob also facilitates in the business disciplines at San Diego Mesa College and has taught nearly 200 college courses overall at a variety of colleges and universities. Bob has also guest lectured at United States International University, National University, San Diego State and University of San Diego. Bob has a unique passion for servant leadership & organizational development, bringing current research and theory into practical real-world application. Previously, Bob has worked as an external consultant to the Ken Blanchard Companies with their ‘Office of the Future’ think tank project and has worked with the management team from the Ken Blanchard Companies and other San Diego business leaders. Bob serves on the SDLI Board as the Executive Director. Email>>
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Dr. Jonathan M. Kramer, Ph.D., President
	Dr. Jon Kramer is a consulting and clinical psychologist with 30 years of professional experience as a consultant, executive coach, university instructor, seminar leader, and psychologist, specializing in creating top performing individuals, teams and organizations. Jon is, founder and principal of Business Psychology Consulting (Website: BusinessPsychologist.com). Jon’s areas of expertise include Emotional and Social Intelligence, Business Ethics, and Values-Based Leadership, all of which he teaches through San Diego State University's Management Development Center and California State University, San Marcos’ Advanced Professional Management Program. Jon graduated from New York University and the University of Pennsylvania, has appeared on over 100 radio and TV shows, is the author of five books translated into eight languages, a board certified Diplomate in Psychology and Psychodiagnostics, an instructor who's taught at eight colleges and universities, and a member of the American Psychological Association, Corporate Directors Forum, and the Society for Psychologists in Management. Jon serves on the SDLI Board as President. Email>>
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Julia Buchanan, Director of Education/Consultancy
	Julia Buchanan is a faculty member for National University’s Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL). Julia graduated with a Master’s degree from the University of San Diego in Organizational Leadership. While pursuing her masters at USD, she was elected to serve as the Council Chair or President of the Graduate Student Association. Julia teaches courses in leadership studies, and conducts workshops on topics including child abuse prevention and reporting, and community leadership. Julia has over 15 years in non-profit leadership, especially in developing new projects, and raising quality standards for programs in the community. As a former Project Manager for the San Diego State University Foundation, affiliated with the City Heights Educational Pilot, Julia implemented extended education programs that were recognized as models. Julia is a former Executive Director of the Children’s Center in Eugene, Oregon and while in Eugene, was a member of the Eugene CADRE consultancy group. Julia conducted research with the Eugene Cadre as part of her thesis on self-sustaining groups. With a background and education in Recreation Administration, Julia has created many programs on the Island of Oahu for the City/County of Honolulu and the YMCA of Honolulu. Julia serves on the Board of the SDLI as the Director of Education/Consultancy. Email>>
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Dawn C. Beintema, Director of Education and Training
	Dawn is the Manager of Organization Development and Training for the City of Chula Vista. She has worked for local government for more than 25 years, between the City of San Diego, and the City of Chula Vista. Dawn has a broad range of experiences from delivering aquatic programs, providing administrative and analytical support to various City departments, to directing a $120,000 million City budget process. She has a great passion for finding positive ways to solve personnel issues, developing highly effective work teams and making large scale culture changes in organizations. She is noted for being an outstanding speaker and group facilitator, bringing enthusiasm and abundant energy to her projects. Dawn received a Bachelors Degree, with honors, in Sociology from the University of Utah, and a Masters in Public Administration from San Diego State University. She serves on the Board as the Director of Education and Training. Email>>
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