Servant Leadership Is Overrated: The Hard Truth About Leading a Christian School

Can "servant leadership" become an excuse for weak, indecisive leadership?

In this episode, David Goodwin, Heather Lloyd, Ty Rallens, and Devin O’Donnell argue that good leaders do serve, but they serve the mission and the common good—not just people’s comfort or approval.

Real leadership means making decisions, taking responsibility (“extreme ownership”), and building confidence, while still practicing humility without projecting constant weakness. They also discuss what makes a leader “great” from a classical/Christian view: greatness isn’t vanity—it’s moral character, virtue, and practical wisdom, balanced with courage, prudence, and structure.

Finally, they talk hiring: struggling schools should prioritize mission fit, often looking locally—promoting someone inside the school or recruiting a mission-aligned parent/community member—because “successful somewhere else” doesn’t always mean “successful here.”

Below are the questions discussed with timestamps:

00:19 Question #1 - Is servant leadership a model for ACCS schools?

12:22 Question #2 - Should leaders desire to be great?

24:46 Question #3 - How does authority versus expertise work?

25:13 Question #4 - Should all heads of schools have been teachers?

13:13 Question #5 (Bonus Question) - How do you find a good head of school?