Leadership at its essence is about serving. But it's not only people serving you. You're serving them. We're joined together to serve the customer. At Medtronic, we're trying to serve the patient. We're trying to restore people to full life and health. Everyone that I know wants to do that job well, and so we need to re-conceptualize how we in management serve the employees who are doing the work, who are closest to the customers, and make their jobs and their lives easy. We're serving them; they're not serving us.
This quote encapsulates a profound perspective on leadership emphasizing service as the core principle. It challenges traditional hierarchical notions by positioning leaders as servants first, whose primary role is to support and empower their teams rather than to exert authority. The emphasis on serving both employees and customers highlights a holistic approach where leadership acts as a facilitator, ensuring that frontline staff are equipped, motivated, and enabled to deliver the best possible outcomes. The focus on the company's mission to serve patients by restoring health reflects a purpose-driven leadership style that aligns organizational goals with a sense of higher responsibility and compassion. Importantly, the quote advocates for a re-conceptualization of management—moving away from controlling and directing towards supporting and easing the burdens of employees, recognizing that those closest to the customer and patient are in the best position to understand needs and deliver value. This servant leadership approach fosters trust, engagement, and a shared sense of purpose, which can lead to higher performance, job satisfaction, and better service quality. It reinforces that leadership is less about power and more about creating an environment where everyone can thrive and contribute meaningfully. Such a mindset is essential in complex, purpose-driven organizations like Medtronic, where the ultimate goal remains improving human life and health, reminding us that genuine leadership is rooted in humility, empathy, and service.
