Servant leadership was defined by Robert K. Greenleaf as a leader that: “…focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong.”
Whereas traditional leadership generally focuses on a hierarchical exercise of power by one person (at the top). Wherein wealth is accumulated and more narrowly shared. Servant leadership involves power-sharing while putting the needs of others first. The result is effectively the development and fostering of high-performing teams.
The Only Way is Up
Theory is a wonderful thing, easy to develop yet often hard to put into practice. Hard because it takes a particular way of thinking and acting. Last year saw far too many individuals in positions of authority or power overlook the most important human traits – ethics, empathy and consciousness – in pursuit of self-interest.
Self-interest ignited the many active conflicts around the world, international trade instability, growing polarization, and global disinformation amongst other things. These wider geopolitical and geo-economic issues affect all businesses and pose real challenges for business leaders.
Part of the result has been businesses scrambling to both pacify and diversify geopolitical risks. In other words, the lines between politics and business are blurrier than ever. Business leaders developing deeper relationships, at least optically, with global leaders – in the quest for public sector contracts, tariff minimization, or any other profit driven reason. This is not to say that cooperation between government and business is not important, it is. It’s when ethics take a backseat in these relationships that harm inevitably follows. This is what 2025 taught us, if nothing else.
Returning to What Matters
Ethics
Ethics must underpin every action taken, by every human being. Let us remember first and foremost that ethics require the maturity of thought to recognize the long-term benefits of reciprocity. An ethical ecosystem builds trust. Trust being the basis of level playing fields, inclusion, equity, equality and over the fullness of time cooperation. Cooperation is the basis for long-term prosperity. The absence of it resulting in cooperative players pulling away from uncooperative ones – which in business terms means collapsing markets, profit erosion, and growing business distress.
Where companies support the concept of reciprocity, the “economic pie” enlarges to the benefit of all “players”. This is the quintessential concept of win-win where all parties in the transactions are better off than they were before the “game”.
It is this principle that needs to guide each decision – seek outcomes where all parties are winners. A win/lose strategy never wins in the long-term, even if it appears profitable to do so in the near-term.
Empathy
Beyond ethics, empathy is a fundamental aspect of being human. It fosters compassion, kindness, and a sense of interconnectedness with all living beings.
Through empathy, leaders can form strong social bonds, cultivate healthy relationships, and build communities which share understanding and reciprocal support. Empathy provides a foundation for solving issues together through cooperation and altruism.
Being empathetic reminds leaders that they are interconnected with their teams, stakeholders and affected communities, where leaders’ actions can profoundly impact the lives of others. This realization, coupled with an ethical foundation, ensures leader actions are in the best interests of all parties.
Consciousness
Consciousness is arguably what makes us human, a concept that was tested in Star Trek: the Next Generation when the character Data was fighting for his right to be recognized as a sentient life form.
It ensures leader self-awareness, including the ability to reflect on thoughts and emotions, consider actions and impacts, and engage in analytical reasoning. Consciousness extends beyond self-awareness to include an awareness of others and the world around us. It is this extended awareness that allows us to empathize with others, connect and develop meaningful relationships.
In leadership terms, this is the foundation for developing trust within teams which Forbes found “fosters collaboration, innovation and increases employee engagement. This in turn builds strong team connections, promotes transparency and navigates crises with ethical decision-making and a long-term vision for stability.”
Starting a Year of Promise
As we start a new year, ringing in hope and promise – we can fulfil our potential by stepping up as individual leaders remaining true to what makes us human and brings out the best in others. Managing is easy, leading takes character – an ethical foundation linked to empathy and consciousness.
Political leaders come and go, rise and fall – individual business leaders can now step up and further elevate their companies and stakeholders to the benefit of all – people, planet and profit.
Cartoon credit: Scott Adams, Dilbert