I was fortunate to have leaders early in my career who already modeled servant leadership, so I started off adopting that approach. The real affirmation came later, when I received messages from team members—even ones I barely knew personally—telling me how something I did or said made a big impact on their career or life.

That feedback was my “aha” moment. It showed me the power of empathy and authentic connection. Empathy means realizing that if someone is causing you frustration, they’re probably dealing with an even bigger issue themselves. It’s about listening, helping them craft a plan, and providing guidance—without doing their job for them.

Servant leadership is about setting the right example. If you demand certain standards but don’t follow them yourself, people will notice. They’ll see the inauthenticity. But when you actually live those values, your team resonates with it. That’s where growth happens—both for the business and the individuals within it.