How About Moving from Performing Leadership to Servant Leadership?

Picture this: a leader kicks off every meeting with inspiration and passion. They speak of purpose, values, and big goals. The team nods along—but over time, fewer hands go up during team meetings.

At first, the energy felt motivating. But after a few months, the leader’s “inspiration” begins to narrow the field. Dissent is reflected back as negativity. Concerns are equated with complaints. Soon, team members stop naming what’s not working. Not because they don’t care—but because they sense: this isn’t welcome here.

This is performing leadership—where inspiring communication becomes a way to perform, and vision becomes a way to control the narrative and the culture.

Servant leadership offers another way. Coined by Robert Greenleaf in the 1970s, it’s grounded in a simple premise: the leader’s role is to serve the growth and well-being of others. That requires presence—not just being seen, but deeply seeing others. It also requires the willingness to relinquish control—and to be teachable.

Some core principles of servant leadership include:

• Putting others first – focusing on the needs of the team, stakeholders, and community.
• Empowering growth – helping others develop and realize their full potential.
• Leading with humility – being authentic, transparent, and open to feedback.
• Fostering collaboration – creating space where everyone feels valued and heard.
• Modeling integrity – upholding strong ethics and being worthy of trust.
• Thinking long-term – acting with sustainability and lasting impact in mind.

These aren’t soft skills—they’re serious leadership capacities that foster trust, resilience, and effectiveness.

When presence replaces performance, and curiosity replaces control, people begin to trust that their voice matters. And the organization benefits from the collective intelligence that’s unleashed.

Next time you speak, pause and ask: Am I leading to control—or to serve?