Leadership is not about telling people what to do. A true leader is one who knows how to serve. Servant leadership means different things to different people, but the philosophy closest to my heart, one that I learned at an early age from my father is of “service above self.” I watched him work tirelessly to develop other people and focus on what he could do to help selflessly.

Being a true servant leader is putting the needs of others ahead of your own in service to a larger purpose. I grew up heavily influenced by books on the life and philosophies of great servant leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Mother Teresa. These were ordinary people who became extraordinary leaders as they found their purpose in service of others—who dedicated their entire lives serving a purpose bigger than themselves.

So what sets servant leaders apart from other types of leaders? I find these five qualities stand out.

Care

John Maxwell famously said, “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

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