We talk a lot about “servant leadership.”

But for many of us, it’s not something we learned - it’s something we witnessed. Somewhere along the way, though, service became something we perform… or something we quietly hide from.

This reflection explores the tension between sincerity and recognition - and what real service actually asks of us.

Some lessons arrive in unexpected ways. This week, two young people taught me something I didn’t know I needed to learn about perfectionism, contribution and holding back.