Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Cruz.
Hi Robert, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Well, the answer will take us back in my history some. But, first, I did not become aware of the demonstration of service until I progressed through the ranks in U. S. Air Force. During those years of service, I served all levels of commanders from a 3-star general to wing, base, and squadron commanders. In the military leadership culture is where my disciple foundation of service is formed. For me, it was 20 years of service discipline that morphed and advanced over the years.
Second, beyond my Air Force career, I worked directly for and served CEOs and senior executives in non- and for-profit sectors as their right-hand man, executive assistant, or chief of staff. I have confidentially, humbly, and graciously served all sorts of leader personalities who demonstrated authoritative, toxic, authentic, transformative, transactional, and other leadership styles. During this period, I had a tremendous spiritual transformation and salvation in Christ experience, which introduced me to the Bible and the terms servant, servanthood, and what it means to have a servant’s heart, which means, how do I meet the needs of those in need who were my leaders, peers, or those who followed me? These terms influenced a softening my heart and a change in my mental models.
And last, but not least, it wasn’t until my academic journey (2013-2022), and my introduction and research of the servant-leadership philosophy, where I was able to become aware that I had been demonstrating servant-leadership all along. Through my research, I came across a gentleman, John Woolman, a man of Quaker faith and minister, who traveled to Quaker meetings persuading his minister colleagues to free their slaves. Quaker ministers in that Slavery-era were slaveholders. Woolman worked for over 30-years of his life to convince Quaker ministers to free their slaves. This slave freedom occurred 100 years before the Civil War.
This story in our history is one of the reasons, I developed my thesis that Servant-Leadership can be a remedy for racism in America in the era we live today!
Today, I serve as an Adjunct Professor in the School of Business and Leadership at Regent University, where I teach three doctoral and masters-level course in servant-leadership and business. It is amazing when obedience is better than sacrifice becomes a part of your story and journey in life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Considering the title of my book, I was challenged to defend my thesis of the book, and struggled emotionally and spiritually to be precise and concise to ensure my scholarship and research was outstanding and substantiated.
I believe we must understand the gap I present in my book. In light of that, we must know the premise or definition of servant-leadership prescribed or coined by its founder, Robert K. Greenleaf in the 1970s, as this: A servant-leader has a natural desire in their heart to meet the highest priority needs of those who follow them. The servant-leader elects to serve first, and then, lead, in this order. You cannot deviate from this order, scholar research deems this as a non-negotiable premise, which makes servant-leadership hard to administer, yet, such a continuous blessing if demonstrated correctly!
It is the only leadership philosophy with a best test of 4 questions: 1) Do those served grow as persons? 2) Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, autonomous, and more likely themselves to become servant? 3) And what is the effect on the least privileged in society? 4) Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?
In terms of racism, one has a desire to spew hatred, incite division, and it is an ideology of sin. Contrary to servant-leadership, one demonstrating racism does not help persons grow in a positive sense, their character erodes in comparison to a servant-leader. A person does not help one become healthier, wiser, freer, but one does become autonomous in terms of demonstrating their racist behavior. And racism has a demoralizing effect on society – American history attests to that fact!
From a servant-leadership lens, racism presents an opportunity for healing and freedom from the ideology of racism. Healing is one of ten characteristics of servant-leadership; the other characteristics coalesce in the healing process. A servant-leader with the demonstration and understanding of the 10 characteristics can lead a person to become free of racism, be healthier, wiser, and themselves become a servant.
The research gives evidence that servant-leadership is a bridge builder and healing mechanism for those who accept the challenge to be healed of the racism in their lives.
As you know, we’re big fans of BEC Global Consulting Group. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
BEC Global Consulting Group resides under the umbrella of BEC Global Enterprises, LLC. We are based in Deland, Florida. We serve as a management consulting firm that specializes in servant-leadership development, servant-followership development, and racial justice. We also consult with up and coming authors in terms of getting them off on the right foot with their book publishing endeavors.
As the CEO of BEC Global Consulting Group, I am also a three-time, award=winning author. I have won the two International Impact Awards; in the categories of Christian and Leadership in 2024, and the Author of the Year Award in the Christian category in 2025. In 2026, my book won the Kingdom Leadership Award. I am a respected Indie Author who has appeared on nationwide and international podcasts, virtual, and in-person conferences. I have co-authored two books, and working on a third, I have also contributed a book chapter to an encyclopedia. I can provide all book titles and web links if this help to strengthen this section of the article.
My expertise can be utilized in both the for profit and non-profit sectors as that is where all by body of work experience resides serving alongside CEOs and their c-suite executives.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite memory is when I was in junior high school. I wrote a poem for an assignment in my 7th grade English class. My English teacher was so moved by the poem she suggested that I should consider becoming a writer.
Well, I never forgot that seed of knowledge my English teach dropped in my spirit because today we see my full body of work as a nonfiction writer.
I am grateful to my English teacher today for that word of knowledge, that has been a God-inspired motivation as I traverse through my writing career.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.BECGlobalConsulting.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-j-cruz
