By Susan R. Wenner
Herald Publisher/Editor
Central Florida local resident, Robert Cruz has been nominated for Author of the Year and won in the category of Christian Author of the Year at the recent International Impact Book Awards.
This husband of 35 years, married to Eleanor Cruz with one child, Denise and a granddaughter, Zoë Renee, actually didn’t pursue writing from college but earned a Doctor of Strategic Leadership with a concentration in servant-leadership from Regent University in Virginia. But, although writing wasn’t at the top of career lists for Cruz, his 7th grade English teacher encouraged his gift, as he frequently wrote poems and short stories. She planted the seed and to this day, what she said and her recognition of his skills still remains in his memory.
It was during his United States Air Force career when he learned to write performance evaluations, recognition awards, standard operating procedures, policies and procedures, and letters for signature by organization commanders. Although, as he put it, this was a different style of writing but an awesome training ground for developing experience, confidence and his voice.
“My next level of interest was ignited and gained momentum when I matriculated at Regent University,” he said. “My writing has evolved since then. I believe key to improvements in my writing was reading a variety of books and being teachable with writing recommendations from my professors; this was major to my developing my academic and popular press writing and research.”
As an active member of the Association of Doctor of Strategic Leadership Professionals (ADSL Pros), an organization of practitioners who collaborate on research projects and present their individual and group research projects to promote, assess and expand leadership research theories, models and concepts, Cruz also desired to share another perspective.
He elaborated by saying, “My award-winning book, ‘Servant-Leadership: A Remedy for Racism in America,’ is a qualitative, critical-social study, from a Biblical worldview, which introduces the reader to the servant-leadership philosophy and explains how it serves to attenuate racism in America. Servant-leadership is the foremost leadership tool that can be applied in personal and professional relationships. My heart is for this book to be a lighting rod to spark a fire in the hearts of people to use in their circles of influence and help close the gap that exists between servant-leadership and racism.”
He cited that his inspiration for his current, award-winning book was derived from two vantage points. Cruz questioned why has no one provided a permanent or temporal resolution for the racism mindset that befalls many Americans today.
“Some of us still err on the side of racism in our hearts and minds,” he said. “As a result, racism permeates our institutions, systems, ideologies, and movements. Secondly, I was a racist but, today, I am free of the covert racism that lived in my heart. With that in mind, I am motivated that freedom from racism can happen for other people.”
More plans are being made for future books and writings, as he shared that he is currently researching and planning his next book. He will present this book idea in November at the 2025 Regent University Research Roundtable. The tentative book title is, “Healing Properties of Servant-Leadership and Human Flourishing in Addressing the Changing Face of Racism.”
Cruz also added that he will continue to write books, book chapters, journal articles and popular press articles in magazines. His thought is that as an author, pracademic and writer, he must continue reading, researching and collaborating to remain relevant in spaces he is passionate about, which are servant-leadership, followership, servant-followership and racial equity and justice.
Other published works by Cruz include a chapter in “Healing Properties of Servant-Leadership in Addressing the Changing Face of Racism, co-authoring a chapter in Servant-Followership: The Nobility of Leading, Following as Servant and Servant-Leadership: A Remedy for Racism in America and co-authoring a chapter in Followership and Servant-Leadership: Companions in an Endless Relationship.”
His greatest connection in all his work was definitely winning his most recent award and he summed it up as enchanting and solidifying his credibility as an author, writer, researched and role as an adjunct professor at Regent University.
All in all, Cruz said that he wants everyone to know that, “I love Jesus, my Lord and Savior! I am grateful to the Lord from whom all blessings flow (2 Corinthians 13:14). My life’s scripture verse is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
For more information about Robert Cruz go to:
Website: www.becglobalconsulting.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/robert-j-cruz
Email: [email protected]
To Purchase a Copy of his Books:
https://www.amazon.com/Servant-Leadership-Dr-Robert-J-Cruz/dp/1956370277
https://bit.ly/3XkHbep - Indie Pubs Author Website
Servant-Leadership by Robert J. Cruz - Books A Million
https://bit.ly/3xGecYx - Barnes and Noble
