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Finding your soul’s mission in your work can feel like a distant dream.
But what if your job was more than just a paycheck? What if your workplace were a community where everyone felt valued and grew together?
This is the promise of a powerful idea: servant leadership works.
This style of leadership totally upends what’s been entrenched all over today. Wherein the boss sits at the top, giving all the orders, a servant leader is someone who serves their team first. They help everyone succeed.
When the leader serves, the whole team rises, just like a rising tide lifts all ships. Because if only the leader rises up, isn’t that akin to a stalk of bamboo simply shooting out and up by itself with none to keep it standing? If there has to be lasting success, it can only come from a united effort rather than a lone person’s attempts.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, – Philippians 2:3
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What is a Servant Leader?
A servant leader is one who asks a simple but powerful question: “How can I help my people achieve their potential?”
This is very different from a traditional boss who might instead think of using their authority and power to compel others to work for them rather than to work with them.
The concept of servant leadership was first made popular by Robert Greenleaf. He was inspired by a story about a servant named Leo who supported a group of travelers. When Leo left, the group quickly fell apart. They later discovered Leo was actually the head of their order—a great leader who chose to serve first.
The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first.
Servant leadership is not new. Its roots are in ancient wisdom and the Bible. This shows that effective servant leadership is built on humility and putting others first.
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, – Matthew 20:26
The Character of a Servant Leader
What does it take to become a leader who leads not for their own sake but for the betterment of their people? Simply put, it begins with a new set of eyes: to look at the world from another perspective.
The servant leader moves with purpose and community, not with ambition and ego. They listen to understand the broader picture, not just so they can formulate a reply. They care about their team members as whole people, not just as employees they have legal authority to lord over.
The path of a servant leader is best described as a series of steps that start with silence and then lead to love, service, and hope.
The journey to becoming a servant-leader is about building a strong community where everyone feels they belong.
Successful servant leaders practice key habits like listening deeply, showing empathy, healing wounds, and building community. This is how servant leadership works to create trust and safety.
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, – James 1:19
Does Being a Servant-Leader Work?
Some might think, “This sounds nice, but does it actually help a business succeed?” The answer is a clear yes.
Decades of research show that servant leadership works and delivers tangible benefits.
Companies that practice servant leadership, like Southwest Airlines and Starbucks, have seen excellent results. At Southwest, leaders put employees first. This has led to happy staff, loyal customers, and the airline making a profit for 47 years in a row before the pandemic.
Studies connect servant leadership to higher employee engagement, more creativity, better customer service, and stronger financial performance over time. This is the powerful impact of servant leadership. It creates a workplace where people want to stay and do their best work.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. – Matthew 7:18
How Servant Leadership Works for Everyone
The beautiful thing about servant leadership is that it can be practiced by anyone, at any level, in any job. You don’t need a fancy title to serve others and help them grow.
This approach is flexible. It works in hospitals, schools, tech startups, and manufacturing plants, and it works when your team is in the same office or spread across the world. The core idea remains the same: focus on the growth and well-being of the people you work with.
When leaders truly serve their teams, they create a positive ripple effect. This builds a cycle of trust and excellence that makes the entire organization stronger.
This is why servant leadership matters now more than ever.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. – 1 Peter 4:10
Answering the Call to Serve
Becoming a servant leader is a journey of personal growth. It asks you to look inward and connect with your soul’s mission.
As Ondrejka states, some of the best rituals for a leader are “connected to developing such a purpose.” It’s about asking, “Why am I here, and how can I make a positive difference for others?”
This path is not always easy. It requires courage, self-awareness, and a commitment to put others first. But the reward is a more fulfilling career and a workplace where everyone can thrive. The evidence is clear: servant leadership works. It lifts individuals, strengthens teams, and builds organizations that last.
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For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. – Ephesians 2:10
Are you ready to learn how to lift up everyone around you?
The practical steps to becoming a leader who serves and inspires are in your copy of Servant Leadership Works: Ethical, Engaging, and Effective by Dennis Ondrejka.
