This resonates. I’ve seen the same overcorrection play out in engineering—where good intent becomes a substitute for judgment and decision-making. Service matters, but leadership still requires direction, accountability, and the courage to make hard calls. Appreciate how clearly you framed the failure mode here.
interesting case on why servant leadership is often passive aggressive and I like the clear argument by using the two words separately, servant and leadership. Well done 👏🏽
Thanks. It's bugged me for a decade since I took the training and then dealt with the Scrum Masters who contantly claim their own 'servant leadership.' I never wanted anything to do with them and it took me a bit to really figure out why.
In my experience, the difficulty lies in understanding that responsibility… the accountability and authority piece… isn’t about control. Leaders avoid being proactive with setting direction and holding standards, then end up compensating with passive-aggressive or punitive authority after the fact. Your separation of servant and leadership really nails why this happens… servanthood doesn’t mean abandoning the leadership part.
Great, insightful piece. Now I know why I often clashed with my bosses in several jobs. I remember one performance review where I was downgraded because, “your people like you too much.” this, despite the fact that we exceeded every goal given us in a very challenging environment.
It actually gets worse. Not too long after I started working for her, I told her people are afraid to give you bad news. I thought she was going to come over the desk at me. She started yelling. That’s not true. Who told you that?
I had promised her boss that I would complete a project he needed done. It took 2 1/2 years. I got the hell out after that.
Lol. Ironic and something I've seen as well. Did you point out that her reaction was why her team is afraid to give bad news? I did that once to a leader... Also didn't go over well but it was satisfying.
This resonates. I’ve seen the same overcorrection play out in engineering—where good intent becomes a substitute for judgment and decision-making. Service matters, but leadership still requires direction, accountability, and the courage to make hard calls. Appreciate how clearly you framed the failure mode here.
Thanks, and I totally agree on engineering. Worse, they became risk adverse to excerting judgement and decision making.
Fantastic as always. I've always found that term at least as obnoxious as the people who love to use it.
Haha. Valid.
interesting case on why servant leadership is often passive aggressive and I like the clear argument by using the two words separately, servant and leadership. Well done 👏🏽
Thanks. It's bugged me for a decade since I took the training and then dealt with the Scrum Masters who contantly claim their own 'servant leadership.' I never wanted anything to do with them and it took me a bit to really figure out why.
Great, I will 👍🏽. Thank you
In my experience, the difficulty lies in understanding that responsibility… the accountability and authority piece… isn’t about control. Leaders avoid being proactive with setting direction and holding standards, then end up compensating with passive-aggressive or punitive authority after the fact. Your separation of servant and leadership really nails why this happens… servanthood doesn’t mean abandoning the leadership part.
Nailed it. Based on what you've described you might really enjoy this essay from back in the archvies on that topic: https://www.polymathicbeing.com/p/direction-energy-and-accountability
Great, insightful piece. Now I know why I often clashed with my bosses in several jobs. I remember one performance review where I was downgraded because, “your people like you too much.” this, despite the fact that we exceeded every goal given us in a very challenging environment.
Have you read Henry Kissinger‘s book on leadership? I have it, but have not yet read it.
I haven't. I'll have to look it up.
https://a.co/d/ajmAOtg
"Your people like you too much" was a downgrade‽ That's absurd. That's is such a bad tell on their leadership style.
It actually gets worse. Not too long after I started working for her, I told her people are afraid to give you bad news. I thought she was going to come over the desk at me. She started yelling. That’s not true. Who told you that?
I had promised her boss that I would complete a project he needed done. It took 2 1/2 years. I got the hell out after that.
Lol. Ironic and something I've seen as well. Did you point out that her reaction was why her team is afraid to give bad news? I did that once to a leader... Also didn't go over well but it was satisfying.