Servant leadership requires more than good intentions
by Brandt Vroman, Expert Coach and Facilitator
I’ll start with a spoiler alert: Artificial intelligence can probably provide a more thorough and better-written article on the elements of servant leadership than you will find here. I know this because I asked Claude, and it gave me a beautifully written piece with all the pertinent information.
So, why would I try anyway? Most businesspeople interested in servant leadership have already read books on the subject, and many use AI to help them think through how to become better leaders. And yet, we still fall short of the leaders we hope to become.
The Trait Most Leaders Overlook.
Most leadership concepts start with the traits of an effective leader. Again, I consulted AI. All good stuff. But interestingly enough, there was very little on the one trait that has the single biggest impact on becoming a servant leader.
Ready for it? Drum roll…. Self-awareness. For consistency, I went back to AI, which defined self-awareness as “the ability to see and understand your own thoughts, feelings, actions and how you affect other people.”
Why AI Can’t Do This Part.
I may get some pushback from the IT crowd, but this is exactly where AI reaches its limit. Self-awareness is about your own thoughts, feelings and actions, and the impact you have on other people. That is unique to you.
It is also why servant leadership takes more than understanding the concepts and traits that define this leadership style. Self-awareness requires humility. It means understanding your strengths and weaknesses, why you respond the way you do and how your behavior affects others.
And that last part matters. You have to care about the impact you are having. Very few leaders begin thinking this way proactively. I mean they are already successful and simply want to get that last 5% of effectiveness from their leadership style.
When Something Forces You to Look in the Mirror.
Underperforming financials, high turnover, stalled growth or strained relationships often force leaders to look in the mirror. The same is true in our personal lives, where conflict and relationship issues can expose patterns we may not want to see. And yes, the principles of servant leadership apply to both. Get this right, and both will improve.
Change Starts With the Leader.
So, once we are self-aware enough to consider servant leadership, where do we start?
This is where it gets hard. First and foremost, servant leadership requires the leader to change. Leo Tolstoy said it best: “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
The shift from “everyone serves me” to “I am a servant to others” can be difficult and often impossible for the traditional leader. It requires moving away from command and control and toward meeting the needs of the individuals in the organization.
It also requires more than a lofty mission statement. Servant leaders who recognize their leadership responsibilities often think in terms of stewardship. The organization’s resources and people are treated as a trust the leader must manage for the greater good.
Growth then means more than growing the business. It also means helping the people within it grow while treating every person, in every position, with respect and dignity.
What Servant Leadership Looks Like in Practice.
It is no wonder servant leadership is difficult and, in its purest form, relatively rare in the business world.
But when leaders get it right, both leaders and employees can feel part of something more meaningful. Employee satisfaction, customer experience, and quality can all benefit when leaders put others’ needs ahead of their own. Can you build a successful organization without practicing servant leadership? Certainly. Is it more fulfilling to bring as many people along for the ride as possible and help them become better and more fulfilled in what they do? If the answer is yes, then you are on your way to becoming a servant leader.
Begin with a solid understanding of the principles of servant leadership. Then, take an honest look at your own leadership style. Use personality assessment tools, 360 evaluations and feedback from people you trust to identify the gaps between how you lead today and how you want to lead.
This process may take days, weeks, months, or even years, and you will face difficulty along the way. As you begin to change your leadership style and belief system, communicate those changes to the organization you lead. Lead by example, coach people appropriately, and hold people accountable.
And then…start to serve.
Reprinted with permission. GIE Media. Lawn & Landscape October 2026 (c)
