Are you the teacher who refuses to give up until your student masters a tricky concept? In 2025, the world needs your dedication more than ever, but I’m here to remind you: while you fight for others, don’t forget to fight for yourself.
As someone who started as a social worker and eventually transitioned into three CEO roles at education-nonprofits, I know how easy it is to pour everything into the people you serve. But I also know how important it is to advocate for your own career advancement. Helping professionals like us have the passion, purpose, and skills to lead—we just need to believe it’s possible.
The Servant Leadership Connection
The philosophy of "servant leadership" captures the essence of how helpers approach their work. Coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in 1970, servant leadership is a non-traditional leadership style rooted in behaviors and practices that prioritize the well-being of those being served. According to Greenleaf, this approach begins with a "natural feeling" of wanting to serve above all else—a feeling that often precedes the aspiration to lead, but ultimately drives it.
Extensive research highlights the value of servant leadership. This holistic philosophy engages individuals on multiple levels—relational, ethical, emotional, and spiritual—empowering them to grow into their fullest potential. As helpers, we embody the traits servant leaders exhibit, traits like empathy, awareness, active listening, accountability, and community-building. We focus on the growth and well-being of the populations we serve, and we see ourselves as the stewards of the greater good.
In other words, we easily embrace the “servant” part of the servant leadership label. But what about the “leader” part? The same characteristics we possess—the aptitudes and abilities we practice every day as helping professionals—make us uniquely suited for leadership roles. So it’s a matter of reframing our self-perception. Leadership isn’t about power or authority; it’s about motivating and promoting others. And who better to do that than those of us already committed to improving lives?
Why We Struggle to Advocate for Ourselves
If you’re like me, your identity is deeply tied to helping others. You’re the one championing your students, clients, or patients, but when it comes to championing your own goals, it’s a different story. Many of us struggle to see ourselves as leaders. Running a whole school, heading a division, or managing an organization might feel out of reach, even though we advocate fiercely and effectively every day.
This mindset isn’t just a personal limitation; it’s a missed opportunity for the organizations in which we work. Imagine if more helping professionals stepped into leadership roles. We’d have leaders who truly understand frontline challenges and bring unmatched de-escalation and problem-solving skills to the table. This shift could transform the business landscape and improve countless lives.
My Journey: From Social Worker to Education CEO
I’ve been in your shoes. When I started as a social worker, I never imagined I’d one day lead one of the largest private education companies in the U.S. or launch an online teletherapy platform. Today, I run my own special education management and consulting company with my partners, both of whom also started as and identify as helpers, not businesspeople. My journey has taught me that advocating for yourself doesn’t mean abandoning your mission to help others—it means amplifying it. Leadership gave me the platform to drive systemic change on a much larger scale, reaching a wider expanse of people in need.
How You Can Start Fighting for Yourself
If you’re ready to take your first steps toward leadership, here are some of the strategies that worked for me:
- Plan Early and Intentionally
From day one of any role, start preparing for your next career move. Identify the skills and experiences you’ll need to achieve your long-term goals and take measures to move toward them. - Make Your Ambitions Known
Don’t keep your aspirations a secret. Clearly and consistently communicate your desire to advance to your supervisors and managers. They can’t support you and groom you if they don’t know where you want to go. - Immerse Yourself in Learning
Leadership requires a particular skill set. Read books, listen to podcasts, and follow blogs that can help you understand management, strategy, and organizational dynamics. - Take on Leadership Roles
Volunteer for committees and initiatives at work and step up to spearhead them. This will give you hands-on experience and demonstrate your leadership know-how. - Invest in Professional Development
Take continuing education classes or enroll in workshops and seminars that build your leadership skills. Courses or trainings in organizational oversight, team building, financial management, corporate vision and culture, and public speaking are all great topics to pursue. - Find a Mentor
Seek out someone whose career path inspires you. A mentor can provide invaluable guidance and encouragement as you travel your envisioned path.
Why 2025 Is the Year to Start
The challenges of today’s world demand leaders who are compassionate, resourceful, and resilient. As a caring and devoted helping professional, you already exemplify these qualities. By stepping into leadership, you can enact policies, influence innovation, and create lasting change for the people, communities, and causes to which you’re dedicated.
Advocating for yourself, for your own advancement, is not selfish. It’s a necessary step to broaden your impact. The same determination you bring to fighting for others can propel you toward your own aspirations. And as you rise, you’ll inspire others in your field to do the same.
Take the First Step
If you’ve ever thought, “I’m just a teacher,” it’s time to change that narrative. You have the skills, the grit, and the heart to lead. Start small, but start now. Whether it’s signing up for a leadership workshop, volunteering for a new responsibility, or simply telling your supervisor about your goals, every step counts.
Let’s make 2025 the year for helping professionals to take their advocacy to the next level—for others and for themselves.
About the author
Michael L. Kaufman, MSW, PhD, author of Doing Good & Doing Well: Inspiring Helping Professionals to Become Leaders in Their Organizations, has the heart of a helping professional and the head of a business executive. He rose from being an in-the-field social worker to the CEO of one of the largest private education companies in the country. He currently runs the special education management and consulting company he founded, dedicated to effecting positive societal change and improving the future prospects of K–12+ students with exceptional needs. To learn more about his work and mission, visit michaellkaufman.com.
