As we head into Christmas, I’m thinking about what real leadership looks like. My view is simple: great leaders choose to serve first. Titles don’t make a leader. Service does. That truth is never clearer to me than during this season.
Why Humility Wins
I’ve turned around companies and sat in the president’s chair. I’ve coached CEOs and interviewed high achievers. Power and pride grab headlines, but they don’t heal people or build trust. Humility does the heavy lifting.
I’m grateful for people who put others first. They show up without needing applause. As I said,
“I’m extra grateful for people willing to humble themselves in order to serve others.”
That posture changes rooms, teams, and homes. It changes leaders too.
What Real Leadership Looks Like
Our culture often celebrates the loudest voice, the trendiest brand, or the biggest following. But the model I follow didn’t chase any of that.
“This person didn’t launch a new political party or create another five zero one c three or build a social media empire unto themselves.”
He chose people over power. He chose presence over platforms.
“Instead, this person showed us how to lead by serving, one person at a time by loving, freeing, and healing broken people like you and me.”
That example, to me, is not just inspiring. It’s the standard. He was the antithesis of the imposter. No masks. No spin. Just service, truth, and love in action. As I said in my message,
“He’s the one whose birth we celebrate on Christmas.”
How We Can Practice It
Servant leadership is not soft. It’s strong. It takes courage to put others first when ego wants the mic. It takes discipline to ask, “What do you need?” before asking, “What’s in it for me?” And it takes grit to serve without credit.
Here are simple, daily ways to live it out:
- Pick one person today and meet a real need without being asked.
- Listen longer than feels comfortable. Then ask one more caring question.
- Give away credit. Keep the blame. Your team will remember.
- Trade a public post for a private act of help.
- Say “I was wrong” and “I’m sorry” faster than your pride wants.
These acts look small. But small acts stack up. They shape culture and set a tone that money can’t buy.
Answering the Skeptics
I hear the pushback: “Service is nice, but results matter.” I agree. I’ve led four companies and coached many owners. Results matter. Here’s the truth: service drives results. People work harder for leaders who put them first. Trust lowers friction and speeds up execution. Retention goes up. Customers feel the difference. Shareholders win when people are treated like people, not parts.
Another pushback: “Servant leadership is slow.” Not in crises. The best crisis teams I’ve seen were led by calm, humble leaders who served the mission and the people. They made clear calls because they weren’t protecting ego. They were protecting others.
What This Season Reminds Me
Christmas reminds me to start small and start now. The greatest leader I know began with quiet acts, not public power. If that’s the model, then my boardroom, my home, and my neighborhood are all places to start. One person at a time. One need at a time. Service is the strategy.
A Final Word
This week, choose one humble act that costs you something. Time. Credit. Comfort. Do it for someone who can’t return the favor. If you lead a team, make it the new norm. Measure it. Reward it. Tell the stories. Build a culture where service is not a slogan, but a habit.
That’s the kind of leadership our families, our companies, and our communities need. Not louder leaders. Truer ones. And that starts with us. Merry Christmas.
