The Lincy Institute hosted a book talk with Len Jessup, Ph.D., author of Forbes and Amazon best-selling book, Self Less: Lessons Learned from A Life Devoted to Servant Leadership, in Five Acts.

One night, following a painful divorce, Jessup hit what he calls the “the lowest moment” of his life. He would go on to credit this moment as the start of his journey to selflessness. Self Less follows Jessup’s story of emotional vulnerability. Blending personal narrative with research, Jessup argues selfless leaders can maximize impact by guiding teams, not controlling them.

He stresses the power of constant learning, surrounding yourself with people far smarter than you, and service to others. For leaders seeking to create meaningful change through personal growth, Jessup provides inspiration along with practical advice on inclusive leadership and securing stakeholder buy-in. Self Less offers a roadmap to lead change through humility, kindness, and care for employees and partners.

Jessup currently serves as a fellow at The Lincy Institute, where he supports the think tank’s work on economic development with a focus on bolstering Southern Nevada’s startup ecosystem, attracting venture capital, and growing the region’s health care economy. An award-winning educator and innovative leader, Jessup previously served as a university professor, dean, and president at both Claremont Graduate University and UNLV.

Jessup is a widely published author on entrepreneurship, innovation, and organizational change. He is a sought-after advisor on higher education strategy, research growth, new ventures, and executive development. Born and raised in Northern California, Jessup was the first in his family to attend college. He graduated from California State University, Chico, where he earned a bachelor's degree in information and communication studies and an MBA. Jessup holds a Ph.D. in management from the University of Arizona.