"Ripple Effect: Why Servant Leadership Helps Marketing Teams Thrive and Flow"
Inspired by my grandfather who built his legacy around "Service Is Its Own Reward"
Ever notice how the best teams seem to have something special going on? Those are the departments others in the company ask to join. In my years leading marketing teams, I've discovered their secret sauce: servant leadership.
Gone are the days when barking orders from the top drove results. Today's marketing world needs something different, and I've seen firsthand how flipping the traditional leadership model upside down works wonders.
As a leader, our goal should be to help tackle the hard stuff. Charles Wade always volunteered for the least attractive public service committees in the state of North Carolina. He demonstrated to us that the hardest problems to solve would be the most rewarding. He’d go about his participation, leadership and impact quite humbly.
What's servant leadership anyway?
Simply put, it's about putting your team first. Instead of asking "What can my team do for me?" you ask "What can I do for my team?" It means listening more than talking, supporting more than directing, and genuinely caring about your people's growth. Sound easier than it is? Damn right.
When I shifted to this approach, the transformation was immediate. Team members who previously held back started sharing thought provoking campaign ideas. Senior managers found CRM errors rescuing 2,100 digital leads that we didn’t know were “missing”. People took more initiative because they knew I had their backs. The energy in our meetings changed.
Why it works especially well in marketing
Marketing thrives on creativity and fresh intuitive perspectives. When team members feel safe to speak up without fear of judgment, magic happens. I remember when our junior copywriter—who rarely spoke in meetings—suggested a completely different angle for our client's campaign. It ended up increasing engagement by 40%! A Summer intern at our digital shopper marketing agency created a graphic chosen by Intel for their global in-store displays translated into 26 different languages.
This leadership style creates the perfect environment for the collaborative nature of marketing work. Different viewpoints aren't just tolerated—they're celebrated.
The real-world benefits I've seen
Better communication and happier teams
The most immediate change was how openly people communicated. When team members know their leader genuinely values their input, the floodgates open. Our weekly brainstorming sessions went from polite idea-sharing to energetic collaborations. Where we fell short was when we didn’t let others in the room to contribute, marketing or not.
And happier teams stick around. Top talent stayed because they felt valued and saw clear paths for growth.
More ownership and accountability
When I started delegating real authority (not just tasks) and trusting my team's expertise, they stepped up in ways I never expected. People started treating projects as their own ventures rather than assigned work. Those were best at it invited stakeholders from across the company to invest in the journey.
One team member completely redesigned our campaign measurement dashboard on her own initiative because she saw a better way to track metrics. That kind of ownership can't be mandated—it has to be cultivated.
Stronger client relationships
The client-facing benefits surprised me most. Teams led with servant leadership principles naturally extend that same caring approach to clients. Our client satisfaction scores jumped noticeably within months.
A client recently told me, "Your team doesn't just execute our requests—they anticipate our needs and bring solutions before we even identify problems." That proactive approach comes directly from feeling empowered internally. We keep office hours for outside vendor pitches, most of whom have solutions for problems we don’t even have…yet.
Getting started with servant leadership
Making the switch isn't complicated, but it requires genuine commitment:
Start listening more than you speak in meetings
Ask team members what obstacles you can remove for them
Recognize and celebrate unique contributions
Delegate authority, not just tasks
Invest in each person's professional development
The marketing landscape changes constantly, but one thing remains true: when you serve your team well, they serve your clients extraordinarily well. And ultimately, that's what drives sustainable success. It’s been hard for me, but at PepsiCo we discussed this openly at all hands meetings and celebrated proven examples.
I'd love to hear about your experiences with different leadership approaches in marketing. What's worked best for you or your team throughout your career?