Most people spend their entire careers trying to climb a ladder that is leaning against the wrong wall.
The traditional corporate pyramid is a trap.
We are taught that the goal is the peak—the title, the view, and the final word.
But at the top of a standard pyramid, the leader eventually becomes a bottleneck.
Every decision and every idea must fight its way up to you before it can move forward.
It is slow, it is fragile, and it is exhausting.
A few years ago, I was sitting in a church service when the pastor began talking about Jesus and leadership.
He was talking about power and leadership entirely through service.
While I was sitting there, it hit me.
This wasn’t just a lesson for Sunday morning or a personal spiritual practice.
I immediately realized this was the blueprint for how I needed to show up everywhere: at work, in my community, and with my family.
Whether you share my faith or not, religious or atheist, the human reality of this principle is undeniable.
I didn’t want to be the peak anymore; I wanted to be the foundation.
Leadership is not a reward for your ego; it is a platform for your people.
In an upside-down pyramid, I am not at the top being served by a team.
I am at the bottom, providing the stability and resources that allow everyone else to stand tall.
The managers sit above me, supported by that foundation.
The team members sit at the very top.
They are the ones closest to our clients, empowered to act without waiting for a “blessing” from the peak.
This Christmas, I am reminded that the season isn’t about what we can acquire or who we can command.
It is about the radical act of caring for your fellow man by choosing to get underneath them and lift them up.
Real impact doesn’t come from how many people report to you.
It comes from how many people you are supporting.
If your life or your business feels stuck, stop looking for a way to climb higher.
Start looking for a way to serve.
Leadership is not a reward for your ego; it is a platform for your people.
How are you choosing to serve those around you this season?