Servant Leadership: The Power of Leading from Behind

The 10th of August 2001 marked the end of one journey and the beginning of another.

It was the day I completed my officer training at Sandhurst—an eight-year dream finally realised.

As I marched off the parade square on that warm summer’s day, I removed my cap for the last time and looked down at the Sandhurst badge.

Three simple words stared back at me:

Serve to Lead.

Those words have stayed with me ever since. They’re more than a motto—they’re a philosophy.

And they sit right at the heart of what we now call servant leadership.

The Heart of Servant Leadership

First coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in the 1970s, servant leadership turns traditional leadership on its head.

Instead of asking, “How can others serve me as the leader?”, the servant leader asks, “How can I serve others in order to lead?”

It’s not soft.

It’s not weak.

It’s strong, principled, values-led leadership.

Servant leaders prioritise their people’s needs, build trust, and create environments where others thrive—and in doing so, they earn the right to lead.

“Officers Eat Last”: A Lesson in Servant Leadership

A few months after commissioning, I found myself on a freezing, windswept firing range with 100 soldiers from my regiment.

The lunchtime arrival of the Squadron Quarter-Master brought some welcome relief, along with insulated containers full of steaming hot Range Stew and mugs of something resembling tea (or coffee… or possibly both).

Instinctively, I joined the queue around three-quarters of the way back.

Within seconds, I felt a heavy hand land firmly on my shoulder. I turned around. It was the Squadron Sergeant Major.

“Lieutenant Morton, Sir! Get to the back of the queue. Officers eat last.”

I moved without hesitation.

But it was what happened next that made the lesson stick.

The two Squadron Captains stood behind me. And behind them, our Officer Commanding.

That’s servant leadership in action.

No speeches. No posturing. Just example-setting.

A subtle, powerful signal: you come first.

Why Servant Leadership Works

When people see that their leader will never throw them under the bus to protect their own interests, they feel safe. And when people feel safe, they are more willing to go the extra mile.

They reciprocate the trust.

They take ownership.

They follow—willingly.

This is the power of servant leadership: the kind that earns respect, rather than demanding it.

Serve… TO Lead

There’s another meaning to Serve to Lead—one that speaks to the modern leadership trap we can all fall into.

It reminds us that as leaders, our job is to lead. Yet too often, we find ourselves buried in tasks, inboxes, and project work… trying to squeeze leadership into the cracks between the “doing.”

We end up leading in our spare time.

To shift this, ask yourself:

• What tasks can I stop doing?

• What can I delegate or outsource?

• Who in my team can I develop to take on more responsibility?

Servant leadership also means recognising that developing others is not a distraction from your work.

It is your work.

Making Servant Leadership Practical

Here are three simple but powerful ways to apply servant leadership in your day-to-day role:

1. Lead by Serving First

Find small, everyday ways to serve your team—whether that’s making the tea, staying late to support a tough deadline, or simply listening fully.

2. Make Space for People to Grow

Don’t hoard decisions or tasks. Delegate with purpose. Use every opportunity to coach, mentor, and stretch your team members.

3. Put People Before Processes

When in doubt, ask: What’s best for the people I lead? That one question alone can shift the energy and outcome of any decision you face.

Servant leadership isn’t about stepping back. It’s about stepping up—in service of those you lead.

It’s about leading with humility, clarity, and conviction. And the world needs more of it.

Because when you serve to lead, the results follow.

If you or your team need leadership development or training to bring servant leadership to life in your organisation, get in touch with me via chat@ben-morton.com 

Let’s work together to build leaders who serve—and teams that thrive.

Your coach,