--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The perfect servant is the one who…" description: "\"“The perfect servant is the one who attends to all the master's whims - anyone can do that - but the one who anticipates the whims.”\" — Michael Foley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35e/michael-foley-12028_servant_the-perfect-servant-is-the-one-who-atten_1083167.png" --- # The perfect servant is the one who attends to all the… ![“The perfect servant is the one who attends to all the master's whims - anyone can do that - but the one who anticipates the whims.” quote by Michael Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35e/michael-foley-12028_servant_the-perfect-servant-is-the-one-who-atten_1083167.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35e/michael-foley-12028_servant_the-perfect-servant-is-the-one-who-atten_1083167.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35e/michael-foley-12028_servant_the-perfect-servant-is-the-one-who-atten_1083167.png) > ““The perfect servant is the one who attends to all the master's whims - anyone can do that - but the one who anticipates the whims.”” [Michael Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He contrasts basic obedience with proactive anticipation of a leader’s needs, valuing foresight over mere compliance. **In simple terms:** Anticipate needs, don’t just obey. Key Takeaway Be proactive, not just compliant. Themes leadership anticipation service Mood inspirational pragmatic Type leadership advice When to use this quote - team management - customer service - project planning Key Concepts strategic thinking empathy initiative Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance anticipation with respect? - When is obedience appropriate? A Different Perspective May overstep boundaries or assume incorrectly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Servant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant/) ## Related quotes > [How heron comes It is a negligence of the mind not to notice how at dusk heron comes to the pond and stands there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/how-heron-comes-it-is-a-negligence-of-the-mind-not-to-notice-how-at/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [I am not a perfect servant. I am a public servant doing my best against the odds. As I develop and serve, be patient.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/i-am-not-a-perfect-servant-i-am-a-public-servant-doing-my-best/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [When domestic servants are treated as human beings it is not worth while to keep them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/when-domestic-servants-are-treated-as-human-beings-it-is-not-worth/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“To be a good ruler one must be the best of servants.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-aaron-gruben/to-be-a-good-ruler-one-must-be-the-best-of-servants/) J. Aaron Gruben > [We teachers can only help the work going on, as servants wait upon a master. We then become witnesses to the development of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/we-teachers-can-only-help-the-work-going-on-as-servants-wait-upon-a/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Those who choose to be servants know the most about being free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janette-oke/those-who-choose-to-be-servants-know-the-most-about-being-free/) [Janette Oke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janette-oke/) > [Perfect servants would be the worst of all for certain masters, whose happiness consists in finding fault with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-antoine-petit-senn/perfect-servants-would-be-the-worst-of-all-for-certain-masters-whose/) [Jean Antoine Petit-Senn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-antoine-petit-senn/) > [Truth is no man's slave - but lies - what magnificent servants they make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/truth-is-no-man-s-slave-but-lies-what-magnificent-servants-they-make/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [A good many causes tend to make good masters and mistresses quite as rare as good servants… The large and rapid fortunes by which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-kemble/a-good-many-causes-tend-to-make-good-masters-and-mistresses-quite-as/) [Fanny Kemble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-kemble/) > [“Let your light shine as an inspiration to humanity and BE THE REASON someone believes in the goodness of people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/let-your-light-shine-as-an-inspiration-to-humanity-and-be-the-reason/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [There are many who are lip servants but not life servants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jenkyn/there-are-many-who-are-lip-servants-but-not-life-servants/) [William Jenkyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jenkyn/) > [“The holy servants were separated, for the sake of Law of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-holy-servants-were-separated-for-the-sake-of-law-of-god/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Give me the life of the boy whose mother is nurse, seamstress, washerwoman, cook, teacher, angel, and saint, all in one, and whose father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/give-me-the-life-of-the-boy-whose-mother-is-nurse-seamstress/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [I am in charity, my children, with all the servants of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caedmon/i-am-in-charity-my-children-with-all-the-servants-of-god/) Caedmon > [Civil servants take forever to do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-wambaugh/civil-servants-take-forever-to-do-anything/) [Joseph Wambaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-wambaugh/) ## More by Michael Foley > [Employees hate meetings because they reveal that self-promotion, sycophancy, dissimulation and constantly talking nonsense in a loud confident voice are more impressive than merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/employees-hate-meetings-because-they-reveal-that-self-promotion/) [Michael Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) > [“Proust is famous for his rhapsodies on hawthorns but his book has only three of these, whereas there are thirteen scenes in brothels, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/proust-is-famous-for-his-rhapsodies-on-hawthorns-but-his-book-has/) [Michael Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) > [“Imagine someone sitting alone in a room without television, radio, computer or phone and with the door closed and the blinds down. This person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/imagine-someone-sitting-alone-in-a-room-without-television-radio/) [Michael Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) > [The happiness state, when examined more closely, turns out not to be a point but a range, with contentment at the bottom and exaltation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/the-happiness-state-when-examined-more-closely-turns-out-not-to-be-a/) [Michael Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) > [Day offers two equally necessary sacraments - the benediction of morning and the absolution of dusk. In the morning coffee blesses and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/day-offers-two-equally-necessary-sacraments-the-benediction-of/) [Michael Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) > [Being constantly the hub of a network of potential interruptions provides the excitement and importance of crisis management. As well as the false sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/being-constantly-the-hub-of-a-network-of-potential-interruptions/) [Michael Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) > [The talent for self-justification is surely the finest flower of human evolution, the greatest achievement of the human brain. When it comes to justifying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/the-talent-for-self-justification-is-surely-the-finest-flower-of/) [Michael Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) > [“Snatch religion back from the clerics and literature from the critics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/snatch-religion-back-from-the-clerics-and-literature-from-the-critics/) [Michael Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) > [“Düşünmenin alternatifi duygular değil, düşünmemektir.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/d-nmenin-alternatifi-duygular-de-il-d-nmemektir/) [Michael Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) > [After a lifetime of engaging in long, passionate discussions I have come to the conclusion that it is a waste of time trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/after-a-lifetime-of-engaging-in-long-passionate-discussions-i-have/) [Michael Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) > [However, the serious seeker of detachment will have to embrace the Holy Trinity of Ss - Solitude, Stillness and Silence - and reject the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/however-the-serious-seeker-of-detachment-will-have-to-embrace-the/) [Michael Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) > [But who, in the Western world, has not been deranged by a toxic cocktail of dissatisfaction, restlessness, desire and resentment? Who has not yearned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/but-who-in-the-western-world-has-not-been-deranged-by-a-toxic/) [Michael Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) > [“As Seneca put it: ‘The greatest hindrance to living is expectancy, which depends upon tomorrow and wastes today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/as-seneca-put-it-the-greatest-hindrance-to-living-is-expectancy-which/) [Michael Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) > [“In sex women are largely guided by their sensible bodies but men are driven crazy by their feverish minds. Men love to think and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/in-sex-women-are-largely-guided-by-their-sensible-bodies-but-men-are/) [Michael Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) > [“So a contemporary wedding is like the Olympic Games, a spectacle of detailed research and preparation but lasts only a short time. Even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/so-a-contemporary-wedding-is-like-the-olympic-games-a-spectacle-of/) [michael foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) [Explore all 31 Michael Foley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/) ## More Servant quotes > [“Serve in the grace of strength within thy soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/serve-in-the-grace-of-strength-within-thy-soul/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In relations between the rich and the strong, between the rich and the poor, between the master and the servant, it's liberty that grinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-relations-between-the-rich-and-the-strong-between-the-rich-and-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Laws are not masters but servants, and he rules them who obey them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/laws-are-not-masters-but-servants-and-he-rules-them-who-obey-them/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [If you are the master be sometimes blind, if you are the servant be sometimes deaf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/if-you-are-the-master-be-sometimes-blind-if-you-are-the-servant-be/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/) > [Great God of the Ants, thou hast granted victory to thy servants. I appoint thee honorary Colonel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/great-god-of-the-ants-thou-hast-granted-victory-to-thy-servants-i/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [In politics we face the choice between warmongering, nation-state loving, big-business agents on one hand; and risk-blind, top-down, epistemic arrogant big servants of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/in-politics-we-face-the-choice-between-warmongering-nation-state/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [The extraordinary woman depends on the ordinary woman. It is only when we know what were the conditions of the average woman's life -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-extraordinary-woman-depends-on-the-ordinary-woman-it-is-only-when/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Man becomes not the lord and master of all creation but he is its servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/man-becomes-not-the-lord-and-master-of-all-creation-but-he-is-its/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Do not value money for any more nor any less than its worth; it is a good servant but a bad master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-alexandre-dumas/do-not-value-money-for-any-more-nor-any-less-than-its-worth-it-is-a/) Thomas-Alexandre Dumas > [“Miss Fields," said a servant, stepping into the room and closing the door, "There is a visitor for you. Are you in?" Clare blinked.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-starbuck/miss-fields-said-a-servant-stepping-into-the-room-and-closing-the/) [Sam Starbuck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-starbuck/) > [“king of Heshbon. 6 b Moses, the servant of the”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/king-of-heshbon-6-b-moses-the-servant-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Socialism would gather all power to the supreme party and party leaders, rising like stately pinnacles above their vast bureaucracies of civil servants no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/socialism-would-gather-all-power-to-the-supreme-party-and-party/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) [Browse all 1,519 Servant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The perfect servant is the one who attends to all the master's whims - anyone can do that - but the one who anticipates the whims.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Foley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/the-perfect-servant-is-the-one-who-attends-to-all-the-master-s-whims/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Servant" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/the-perfect-servant-is-the-one-who-attends-to-all-the-master-s-whims/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35e/michael-foley-12028_servant_the-perfect-servant-is-the-one-who-atten_1083167.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35e/michael-foley-12028_servant_the-perfect-servant-is-the-one-who-atten_1083167.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35e/michael-foley-12028_servant_the-perfect-servant-is-the-one-who-atten_1083167.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The perfect servant is the one who attends to all the master's whims - anyone can do that - but the one who…” — Michael Foley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michael Foley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The perfect servant is the one...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/the-perfect-servant-is-the-one-who-attends-to-all-the-master-s-whims/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foley/the-perfect-servant-is-the-one-who-attends-to-all-the-master-s-whims/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```