Servant leadership: It's time to rethink its true meaning

I will be going into a little bit of a rant here so please bear with me, because today I really want to talk about servant leadership.

In this article, I will explore how we have been sold a flawed version of what servant leadership actually is, what it actually looks like and how I tie it to co-creative leadership.

How I got introduced to servant leadership

For context, I first got involved with Agile teams back in 2005. I was working in a big corporation at the time. Projects were struggling, we kept missing deadlines, and our clients were getting frustrated.

Then came Agile, the magic bullet solution... Until it wasn’t. One of the things that struck me back then was the confusion around leadership roles. Managers were being told they had to transform into "servant leaders" overnight.

Suddenly, leadership meant stepping away from decision-making. It meant letting the team take full control and avoiding telling people what to do.

I saw leaders struggling to adapt and I felt for them. Some pulled back completely, unsure if they were even allowed to intervene. Others tried to impose servant leadership on teams that were not ready for it.

Fast forward 20 years, and the same conversations are still happening in many organizations. Why are we still debating servant leadership? Why are teams and leaders still struggling with it?

The core problem with servant leadership

Here is my perspective on why this debate over servant leadership continues to be an issue.

1. Many teams lack the maturity to handle full autonomy from the start. A team new to self-management does not automatically have the skills, trust, or processes to make effective decisions on their own. Without the right guidance initially, a lot of things can fall apart quickly.
2. Leaders often lack the training and coaching to lead in a different way. Many managers are simply told to “step back” without being taught how to empower their teams while still providing direction. The result: things don't work out and teams are left confused.
3. Senior leaders struggle to balance people development with business results. Leadership is not just about nurturing people's growth. It is also about ensuring alignment with goals. But when servant leadership is misunderstood, the focus shifts too much toward team independence and comfort rather than setting goals and driving success.

And so we end up with this messy situation that we have right now, where:

• Leaders are not sure whether to act or let the team figure things out.
• Some team members are unwilling to contribute more or take on more responsibility.
• People wanting to be servant leaders struggle to find the right balance between stepping in and letting go.
• Managers feel pressure from their teams who expect them to be servant leaders.
• Leaders feel sandwiched by their bosses' demands for stronger leadership.

What is servant leadership, actually?

Servant leadership is not about being a doormat or letting your team do whatever they want. And it certainly is not about abdicating your responsibilities as a leader for the sake of keeping people happy.

Real servant leadership takes courage. It is about finding the right balance between empowering your team and holding them accountable. It is about knowing when to guide and when to challenge.

Here is what true servant leadership looks like:

1. Setting clear expectations and boundaries. Your team needs clarity on what success looks like, and on how big their sandbox is. Servant leaders do not just step back, they set the foundation and clear guidelines for the team.
2. Making tough decisions when necessary. Avoiding difficult calls in the name of servant leadership only weakens the team. Sometimes, being a good leader means playing the long game, finding compromise and making some people unhappy in the short term.
3. Holding your team accountable for results. Servant leaders do not just blindly support their teams and cheer them on from the sidelines. They also challenge them to achieve goals and hold them accountable when the team is underperforming.
4. Developing your team’s capabilities over time. True servant leadership is about helping your team grow by giving them opportunities to acquire new abilities and responsibilities. It requires investing the time and energy to get them through their learning curve.
5. Offering your team the support it needs to succeed. Unsurprisingly, great servant leaders also offer their teams loads of guidance and support. This does not mean doing things for them or micromanaging. You are there to identify how best to support and empower them.

The co-creative leadership approach

This is where co-creative leadership comes into play. It is an approach I created and that I use with my coaching clients every day. Unlike the often misinterpreted version of servant leadership I talked about above, co-creative leadership is about sharing the responsibility of leadership between leaders and their teams.

As a leader, you can use the five key skills of co-creative leadership to:

• Be a voice among many in the conversation
• Unleash the leaders around you
• Build the capacity of your team
• Dance with the system around you
• Foster a culture of learning by doing

This approach I developed shifts the mindset from "leaders serve their teams" to "leaders and teams co-create their success together." Check out this blog article to learn more about co-creative leadership.

Conclusion

The ugly truth is that most "servant leaders" are too afraid to actually do the things I talk about in this article. They hide behind the label, using it as an excuse for weak leadership.

Think about one tough decision you have been avoiding in the name of “servant leadership.” Maybe it is addressing poor performance. Maybe it is making a call that not everyone will like.

This week, make that decision and own it. See how your team responds — you might be surprised! Because great leaders serve a bigger goal, not just their team’s immediate comfort.

If these insights sparked your curiosity and you are ready to explore further, I’m here to guide you. Click here to schedule a discovery call with me. Together, we can tailor a development plan that aligns with your unique leadership style and goals. I look forward to supporting you in your journey to becoming a co-creative leader!