The Leadership Shift Most Technology Leaders Miss

There’s a moment in leadership that doesn’t show up in your metrics.

It’s not in your dashboards.

It’s not in your reports.

And it’s definitely not in your ticketing system.

It shows up in your people.

I remember a season when our service desk was struggling. Tickets were backing up, response times were slipping, and frustration was starting to build across the organization.

On paper, the solution felt obvious—push harder, raise expectations, hold the team more accountable.

That’s what most leadership advice would tell you to do.

But when I actually sat down with my team, I realized something I didn’t expect.

They weren’t underperforming.

They were overwhelmed.

When the Problem Isn’t What You Think

One of my team members, Jennifer, was doing everything she could just to stay afloat. She handled frustrated users with patience, documented her work carefully, and still ended most days feeling like she hadn’t done enough.

Another team member, Ismael, was incredibly sharp. He could spot patterns in recurring issues quickly, but he was stuck doing repetitive work that we should have automated a long time ago.

This wasn’t a motivation problem.It wasn’t a talent problem.

It was a support problem.

And that realization changed the question I was asking as a leader.

Instead of asking, “How do I get more out of my team?”

I started asking, “What’s getting in their way?”

What Servant Leadership Actually Looks Like

We hear the phrase servant leadership a lot, but it can feel vague—or even a little soft.

In reality, it’s anything but. Servant leadership means you get close enough to understand what your team is actually dealing with.

Not from a report.

Not from a meeting.

But from being there.

So instead of sending another email or scheduling another check-in, I pulled up a chair.

I sat with Jennifer and watched her workflow. I asked questions. I listened.

Then I did the same with Ismael.

What I found wasn’t a performance issue; it was a systems issue.

There were broken processes, numerous unclear workflows, and information seemingly scattered to the winds. They were working hard just to make up for what wasn’t working.

The Model We’re Given

There’s a moment in Scripture that has always stuck with me.

In John 13, Jesus washes His disciples’ feet. He doesn’t delegate it.He doesn’t stand back and observe.

He steps in and serves.

That’s not weakness—that’s leadership.

It’s a reminder that real leadership isn’t about staying above the work.It’s about being willing to step into it when it matters.

What Changed

We didn’t flip a switch and fix everything overnight.

But we started rebuilding the system—together.

We:

• Mapped out common issues

• Created clearer workflows

• Built a knowledge base that people would actually use

• Identified what we could automate

• Clarified how and when to escalate

And I didn’t stay on the sidelines.

I worked tickets with them. I took calls. I stepped into the pressure alongside them.

Over time, things started to shift.

Confidence came back.

Ownership increased.

The frustration started to fade.

And yes—the metrics improved too. But that wasn’t the biggest win. The biggest win was the team itself.

The Lesson I Didn’t Expect

That season reshaped how I think about leadership. You can push people to get results. Or you can remove the barriers that are holding them back.

One approach creates short-term pressure, and yes, sometimes results. The other creates long-term growth AND results.

And in my experience, growth always wins.

A Simple Shift You Can Make This Week

If you’re leading a team right now, try this:

• Sit with one person on your team for 30–60 minutes.

• Ask them to walk you through their day.

• Don’t jump in to fix things right away—just pay attention.

• Look for friction. Look for frustration. Look for what’s slowing them down.

• You’ll probably see things you’ve never noticed before.

And just as important—you’ll build trust in a way that no system or report ever could.

Final Thought

Servant leadership isn’t about lowering expectations.

It’s about clearing the path so your team can actually meet them.

When you do that well, something changes.

You don’t have to force performance anymore.

You start to see it naturally.

This post is inspired by my upcoming book, Christ-Centered Leadership: Leading with Integrity, Purpose, and Grace.