• Servant leaders focus on empowering, rather than directing or controlling, their employees. 
• Servant leadership helps to boost a company’s innovation and problem-solving capacity by enhancing collaboration between teams and individuals. 
• As the world faces complex challenges like AI disruption and sustainability transitions, servant leadership is likely to continue growing in popularity. 

For hundreds – in some cases, thousands – of years, many of the world’s most widespread spiritual traditions have emphasised the idea that leaders serve their followers. 

It is a notion embodied in the Dalai Lama’s focus on compassion and empathy, the concept of “dharma” (a sense of duty to preserve order and righteousness) in Hinduism, and the teachings of humility and self-sacrifice that permeate the Abrahamic faiths. 

In contrast, the business sector has long viewed a more authoritarian approach as the standard leadership style. In this sphere, performance targets and market changes often encourage a firmer hand from managers on the organisation’s reins, and rapid decision-making facilitated by a top-down protocol for issuing commands. 

Yet, in a world increasingly shaped by complex challenges that require collaborative solutions, a new form of corporate leadership is emerging. It is an approach that, while secular, embodies the centuries-old understanding that a leader’s primary role is to empower those around them. 

“Servant leadership”, as it is termed, describes a management style that prioritises decentralised authority and a focus on building workplace communities that support everyone in sharing their ideas, insights, and perspectives. 

A growing trend

The term was first coined in 1970 by American business executive and leadership consultant Robert K. Greenleaf. Over the last 50 years, its popularity has grown,  

 largely  because it supports teams in embracing their potential for innovation – an especially important trait in the current era of AI disruption, geopolitical turmoil, and sustainability transitions. 

Patrick Furu, Director, Top Management Solutions at Aalto University Executive Education and Professional Development explains that, in environments shaped by uncertainty or complexity, solutions often emerge from collective knowledge-sharing rather than from top-down directives.  

“Leaders who chase the spotlight leave their people in the shadows. While there is likely to always be a certain demand for strong leaders, especially in times of crisis, today’s most effective leaders understand that their greatest achievement is making themselves less needed by their teams,”

– Patrick Furu, Director, Top Management Solutions at Aalto University Executive Education and Professional Development

“Servant leaders create the conditions for this by encouraging initiative, supporting learning, and enabling employees to adapt and innovate. Leaders who chase the spotlight leave their people in the shadows. While there is likely to always be a certain demand for strong leaders, especially in times of crisis, today’s most effective leaders understand that their greatest achievement is making themselves less needed by their teams,” he says. 

He explains that modern servant leadership differs from traditional models by directing less and serving more. 

“It is about enabling others, stepping back, and letting teams flourish, rather than directing, controlling, or trading rewards for compliance. Servant leaders avoid being the centre of attention. They assert less control and let employees shine. Their focus is on unblocking teams, removing bottlenecks, and creating space for others to excel.” 

Strengths and weaknesses 

Of course, while servant leadership has grown in popularity since its conception, it would be misleading to suggest that it is superior to more authoritarian management styles in every situation. Instead, it comes with its own unique set of strengths and weaknesses. 

The impact on employee job satisfaction is a clear point in servant leadership’s favour, according to Professor Jan-Philipp Ahrens, Head of the Interdisciplinary Research Group Family Firms at Mannheim Business School. 

“In a setting where intrinsic motivation is key, servant leadership offers an elegant way to indirectly achieve organisational goals through elevated commitment,” he says. 

“The increasing complexity of global challenges, such as climate change, digital transformation, and social responsibility, demands leaders who can inspire, support, and align teams with a greater purpose,”

– Christof Miska, Associate Professor at WU Executive Academy

“By empowering employees, fostering shared responsibility, and aligning decisions with ethical principles and values, servant leaders create resilient organizations capable of navigating uncertainty.” 

At the same time, he stresses the need to set boundaries so that leaders empower their employees while ensuring workers do not over-prioritise their individual goals at the organisation’s expense. 

“Moreover, when time matters, like in turnaround situations, authoritarian leadership can just be the right style,” he says. 

The future of leadership 

So, is Jeeves the perfect role model for tomorrow’s leaders? The answer depends on context, and what is required at each organisation. 

However, Associate Professor Christof Miska at WU Executive Academy suggests the dominance of servant leadership is likely to increase in the coming years, as firms realise that resilience and innovation stem from empowered teams rather than top-down control. 

“The increasing complexity of global challenges, such as climate change, digital transformation, and social responsibility, demands leaders who can inspire, support, and align teams with a greater purpose,” he says. 

“In a setting where intrinsic motivation is key, servant leadership offers an elegant way to indirectly achieve organisational goals through elevated commitment. By empowering employees, fostering shared responsibility, and aligning decisions with ethical principles and values, servant leaders create resilient organizations capable of navigating uncertainty,”

– Professor Jan-Philipp Ahrens, Head of the Interdisciplinary Research Group Family Firms at Mannheim Business School

While he does not believe a complete shift away from hierarchical styles is likely across all industries, he notes a clear trend towards more participative and human-centred leadership styles. 

 “Servant leadership, with its focus on enabling employees and creating long-term value, is poised to play an essential role in shaping the leaders of the future.” 

In recent memory, several iconic multinational companies have adopted servant leadership into their corporate governance styles. Starbucks, with its “two chairs rule” that considers how leadership decisions may affect customers and employees, and Marriott International, which operates the Voyage Program to foster future leaders, are two prominent examples. 

The value both companies placed in open communication with and support for their employees was reflected in initially strong recoveries after the COVID-19 pandemic – thought Starbucks has since faced tough competition from other multinational coffee brands. 

Surrendering an element of control sounds like it should be, by definition, against a leader’s nature. But, cases like Starbucks and Marriott International suggest a model for the future, where leaders who focus on supporting and empowering their employees preside over more engaged and creative workforces.  

Interested in this topic? You might also like this…