Leading from the Back: How to Serve and Succeed

Have you ever felt that your desire to lead conflicts with the idea of putting others first? It can seem like a tricky balance when you’re striving to advance in your career or make a name for yourself in your industry. Yet the biblical principle found in Mark 9:35 ESV offers an unexpected approach to achieving lasting impact. The verse says, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” This phrase might feel counterintuitive in a world where leadership is often portrayed as exerting power or controlling outcomes. The deeper wisdom here reveals that true influence often comes through humility and service.

The idea of servant leadership can be especially powerful for individuals navigating both personal and professional transitions. In my own coaching practice, I’ve noticed a recurring theme among workers who are often overlooked for promotion or additional responsibilities. They might assume they have to push their way to the top or outperform everyone else just to be seen. Yet the message in Mark 9:35 encourages us to do precisely the opposite: to lift others up, offer a helping hand, and provide support where it’s needed the most. Through this approach, you actually begin to stand out because your actions radiate genuine care and teamwork. Instead of competing for the spotlight, you become the person whom others trust.

We sometimes think the fastest route to advancement is through self-promotion. You might catch yourself thinking that you must frequently highlight your accomplishments or impress the higher-ups with your worthiness. But there’s another way. When you support others in their challenges, celebrate their milestones, and strive to make the entire team thrive, you’ll find your own circle of influence naturally expanding. People remember how you made them feel. By choosing to serve rather than to take center stage, you create an environment where success becomes a collective effort. This perspective positions you as a natural leader, someone willing to step in and help instead of merely telling others what to do.

It’s not about becoming a doormat or letting people walk all over you. Servant leadership is a powerful stance that requires emotional maturity. When you’re secure in your abilities, you don’t mind sharing the credit. When you trust your skills, you can also appreciate the skills of others. This style of leadership doesn’t necessarily force you to stay at the back of the line forever. Instead, it teaches you to prioritize the bigger picture. Being “last” doesn’t have to mean being invisible. Rather, it suggests you put the team’s needs first so that everybody can move forward together.

Mark 9:35 reminds me that the best kind of success story isn’t just about personal gains. It’s about what you can build with others. When you see someone struggling with a task, offer genuine guidance. If you notice a gap in the workflow, try to fill it. If a team member shares a creative idea, encourage them to develop it. This kind of environment fosters trust, open communication, and the courage to voice concerns or ideas that could transform a project. Such leadership positively affects not only your immediate circle but also everyone who looks to you for direction, whether you realize it or not.

In transitioning from one phase of life to another, maybe from a frontline position to a supervisory role, or from a stable job to starting a small business, this principle of servant leadership can smooth the path. You might worry about establishing credibility and respect in a new environment, but if you begin by offering your support and empathy, you’ll likely earn that credibility far sooner. People notice when leaders put others first. Employees, peers, and collaborators often come together more willingly and perform better when they feel valued. This is exactly why Mark 9:35 resonates so strongly in modern workplaces. It’s an ancient directive with timeless relevance, offering an alternative to the pushy or autocratic styles of leadership that quickly lose favor in today’s team-oriented culture.

While the concept might sound straightforward, implementing it in the daily grind can be more challenging. We live in a culture that loves to celebrate individual achievements and personal accolades. It’s easy to get caught up in the race for recognition. That’s why it’s so vital to have a step-by-step strategy to keep yourself anchored in the principle of being “last of all and servant of all.” The following three steps are designed to help you integrate servant leadership into your mindset and behaviors, ensuring that you remain genuine, approachable, and true to your deeper values.

3 Steps To Get You Started:

1: Practice Active Listening

Many of us think we listen well, but in reality, we’re often just waiting for our turn to speak. True servant leadership begins with understanding the needs of the people around you. Whether you’re supervising a team of skilled tradespeople or collaborating on a project, give others the space to share their ideas and concerns. Ask open-ended questions and clarify what you hear by repeating key points back to them. This practice demonstrates respect and ensures you have a clear sense of how to serve. Active listening doesn’t just benefit the speaker. It also helps you avoid potential misunderstandings and cultivates a sense of unity.

2: Share the Spotlight

One of the most striking features of a servant leader is the willingness to let others shine. If you’re in a leadership position, highlight the accomplishments of your team members. When someone else has worked particularly hard or come up with a brilliant solution, publicly give them credit. This simple act of sharing praise builds morale and helps colleagues feel valued. It might seem minor, but it can transform the atmosphere of a workplace or a community project. When everyone feels appreciated, they’re more likely to contribute their best ideas and put forth extra effort.

3: Provide Consistent Support

Servant leadership isn’t a one-time deal. It’s a continuous process of offering help, whether that’s stepping in to manage a task when someone is overwhelmed or mentoring a colleague who’s eager to learn new skills. The key is consistency. Avoid the trap of doing a “grand gesture” once and then retreating. Make support an integral part of your daily routine. This could mean teaching a new hire how to operate machinery safely, or taking a few minutes each day to check in on a colleague’s personal development goals. Consistency helps people trust that your servant leadership isn’t just a public relations tactic but a reflection of who you are.

Through these steps, you make serving others part of your regular leadership pattern. You’re no longer just directing people; you’re actively contributing to their growth and well-being. As you integrate these principles, you’ll likely find a deeper sense of fulfillment in your leadership journey. This approach doesn’t negate the need for strong decision-making or accountability. If anything, it supports those functions by creating an environment where people feel motivated and loyal, because they know you have their best interests at heart.

When you lead by serving, you’re not just meeting quotas or delivering results. You’re creating a ripple effect that can extend beyond the workplace. Your team members and colleagues will take note, and they may start adopting the same approach in their own interactions. Over time, this can shift the culture in subtle but significant ways. Projects may see fewer conflicts and more collaboration. Employees might take fewer sick days because they feel more engaged in their work. Partners or clients may refer more business your way because they value your authenticity.

Being “last of all and servant of all” doesn’t mean you disregard your own needs or goals. Rather, it’s a strategic choice to place your focus on elevating others, knowing that, in the long run, this elevates everyone including you. This is the beauty of Mark 9:35. It’s not teaching you to lose yourself in the process. It’s urging you to align your leadership style with something larger than individual ambition. The result is a leadership presence that feels authentic, grounded, and genuinely inspiring.

If you’re a worker aiming for the next big opportunity or a business owner striving to set your team up for collective wins, reflect on how servant leadership fits into your daily routine. Take a look at your interactions. Are you primarily seeking to advance your name, or are you seeking to help others succeed as well? A small shift in intention can make a remarkable difference. People gravitate toward leaders who genuinely care, who share the credit, and who consistently support the people around them.

Disclaimer: This article has been drafted and composed as-is, at no cost and without compensation, for LT2 Coaching Ministry. All content is provided for educational and ministry purposes.