In 1970 Robert K. Greenleaf published an essay called “The Servant as Leader.” It introduced the term servant leadership. He wrote: “The servant-leader is servant first.” He also proposed a test: “Do those served grow as persons?”
The idea came from Greenleaf’s reading of Hermann Hesse’s novel The Journey to the East. In the story, a servant named Leo does the group’s chores. When Leo leaves, the group falls apart. Later the narrator learns that Leo was the leader of the order.