The word “servant” dates back to the 13th century, from the Anglo-French “servir,” meaning to serve or be useful. Historically, the term carried a connotation of being of a lower class—those working for the wealthy, educated, or powerful. But in leadership, the role of a servant is anything but lowly.

True leadership isn’t about sitting at the top of a pyramid, directing from above. It’s about standing at the base, propping others up so they can thrive. In fact, if you’re still looking at your organizational chart as a hierarchy, try flipping it upside down. That’s what servant leadership looks like: a leader who serves first.

What Servant Leadership Really Means

Service orientation in leadership manifests in three essential ways: serving your leaders, serving your team, and serving your customers.

Serving Your Leaders

Even those above you in the organizational chart need support. See yourself as a strategic partner in their growth and development. That begins with connection, staying close enough to know their needs and challenges. Some may require mentoring, others coaching, additional resources, or simply someone who listens to them. The key is intentional engagement. Don’t assume they’ll figure it out alone; stay connected to your best.

Serving Your Team

One of your greatest responsibilities as a leader is to develop more leaders. That happens in an environment built on growth and trust. Create learning opportunities, provide resources, and challenge people to stretch beyond their current capabilities.

I’ve found three key factors that drive productivity:

  • You genuinely believe in your people and their ability to grow.
  • They believe you genuinely believe in them.
  • Mutual trust exists between you.

When those three conditions are present, people perform at their best.

Serving Your Customers

It should come as no surprise that customer experience is one of the most powerful differentiators in business today. In fact, a study by Walker Consulting projects that customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator.

So ask yourself: What will wow them? What will be memorable? Every interaction is an opportunity to serve—and to stand out.

The Role of Humility

Servant leadership cannot exist without humility and vulnerability. If you believe you’re the smartest person in the room, immune to mistakes, or beyond challenge, you’ll struggle with a servant mindset. As leadership expert John Maxwell puts it bluntly: “Get over yourself. You’re not that good.”

Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself—it’s thinking of yourself less. It’s an others-first mindset.

Research backs this up. In his landmark book Good to Great, Jim Collins studied 1,500 companies over three decades. He found that one of the defining traits of leaders in truly great organizations was humility. Those executives built stronger teams and cultures of trust—because they put others before themselves.

Lasting Leadership

Servant leadership is not soft, nor is it about stepping back. It’s about leaning in—serving your leaders, your team, and your customers with intention and humility. That posture creates stronger organizations, deeper trust, and results that last.

Being a servant leader isn’t a demotion; it’s an elevation. It’s one of the most honorable—and impactful—roles you can play.