The Power of Service Leadership

By Karin Holley December 2025

Title Page — The Power of Servant Leadership

"Servant leadership" has become a bit of a controversial term, in the sense that some feel it's gender-biased - women are raised to serve and put their own needs aside to be of service to others, resulting for some in exhaustion and burnout.

For many years, unconsciously, I did work this way. I thought bending over backwards, as long as other people's needs were met, was "professional" and everyone did that. It was "normal" behaviour to me.

Until I just couldn't physically and mentally do it anymore...

I'll be discussing the positives and challenges that servant leadership brings, with Jaime Koppel.

Ella Baker's philosophy of servant leadership has always been an inspiration in her work in-service of a world that is safe, supportive, and joyful for children. As a result, for the past 15 years, Jaime has focused on resourcing and uplifting grassroots organizers dedicated to transforming public education and building a racially just world.

Jaime is also the founder of Bilingual Education for Central America (BECA), a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to bilingual education in Honduras through a model built on intercultural collaboration. I recently joined their board as a volunteer. 😊

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