The Essence of Servant Leadership

Cathie Leimbach • January 25, 2022

What does Servant Leadership mean anyway?


In 1970, Robert Greenleaf coined the term ‘servant leadership’ to emphasize his belief that effective leaders serve their followers towards success. He believed that great leaders develop great employees.


John Maxwell says “The only way to create great relationships and results is through servant leadership. It’s all about putting other people first.”


Servant leadership is the opposite of self-serving leadership. The latter involves designing the work flow to serve your own preferences, kowtowing to the desires of your supervisor and the higher-ups, and ensuring you are in the good graces of other influential people in the organization. If those you are trying to satisfy put their power above the organization’s mission and goals, having a culture that retains high performing employees and serving the needs of customers isn’t their priority. In these circumstances the organization’s bottom line may be at risk. 


However, servant leadership creates a healthy culture where people feel they matter, they enjoy coming to work. They produce quality products and provide helpful customer service. To fulfill the company’s mission and goals, both employees and leaders have to be flexible to respond to the needs of those around them. Then they achieve positive results, feel valued, and enjoy being part of a successful workplace.


Today’s Great Resignation reality is causing angst for many organizations and their leaders. They can’t afford to have 55% of their staff leave. Yet, this risk is real as 55% of the workforce plan to voluntarily look for another job this year.  Employees care about their pay, but once their basic living costs are covered most care even more about being respected and valued at work, doing work that matters to the community and its people, and having the training and support to do their job well. When they aren’t experiencing these non-monetary benefits at work, their job satisfaction and life satisfaction are low and emotionally destructive. They either stay for the pay check but are lethargic and mediocre performers at best, or they leave for another opportunity.


What steps can you take to start being a servant leader who serves the organization’s and the employees’ interests? Try following Ken Blanchard’s One Minute Message 3-part formula: 

  • Set clear goals and communicate them.
  • Catch people doing something right and praise them.
  • Redirect your employees kindly when you see them underperforming.


Best wishes along the servant leadership path. Let your people know what you expect, praise them when they meet expectations, and kindly help them improve when they underperform. Serving your employees so they can achieve organizational goals serves them, the organization, and you as well.  

Looking Ahead to a Fruitful 2026

By Cathie Leimbach • December 30, 2025
As the New Year approaches, it’s a natural time to look forward and ask what you want the next chapter to bring. One simple way to reflect to ask yourself three questions to create a stronger year ahead, what should you: Stop?, Continue?, and Start? Stop focusing energy on habits, meetings, or expectations that no longer serve you or your team. This might mean letting go of outdated processes, unnecessary urgency, or ways of working that drain momentum without adding value. Continue the practices that helped you gain traction this year. Think about what worked—perhaps clear communication, strong collaboration, consistent follow-through, or time spent developing people. These are the behaviors worth protecting and reinforcing. Start being intentional about what will move you forward in 2026. This could include setting clearer priorities, investing in leadership development, building healthier team rhythms, or creating space for innovation and growth. Taking time to reflect now helps you enter the New Year with purpose rather than pressure. Small, thoughtful shifts can create meaningful impact over time. Ready to turn reflection into action?  👉 View our Stop • Continue • Start Worksheet for a simple, practical way to reset priorities, build on what’s working, and step into 2026 with clarity and momentum.

Take a Moment for Joy

By Cathie Leimbach • December 23, 2025
As the year comes to a close, it’s worth pausing to ask a simple question: What brought you joy this year at work and in life? Joy doesn’t always arrive in big, headline moments. Often, it shows up quietly—in meaningful conversations, shared laughter, progress made, lessons learned, or the steady presence of people who support us. Sometimes joy is found in growth, sometimes in rest, and sometimes in simply getting through a challenging season with resilience and grace. Take a few minutes to reflect. What moments made you smile? When did you feel most connected? For what are you grateful? This reflection isn’t about ignoring the hard parts of the year. It’s about honoring the bright spots that sustained you through them. Recognizing joy helps us close the year with perspective and open the next one with hope. As the holidays approach, give yourself permission to slow down, savor meaningful moments, and share joy with others—through kindness, gratitude, and presence.  May this season be filled with moments that lift your spirit, and may you carry that joy with you into the year ahead. 👉 Take a moment to pause this season—view the Reflecting on Joy one-pager and reflect on what brought meaning to your work and life this year. Wishing you a truly joy-filled Christmas season .