We might not like to admit it, but there’s often more than a grain of truth in a stereotype. Take the typical “leader.” You can find leaders in almost every organization because every time a group of people gets together to accomplish something someone inevitably attempts to take the lead. The stereotypical observation about the person stepping forward to take control is that they’re a Type A personality. Research, moreover, shows that there’s more than a grain of truth in this gut-level impression. Recent studies show 66 percent of CEOs and business leaders have Type A personalities, compared to roughly 27 percent of the general workforce.

But there’s more here than meets the eye. The relevant question is, or should be, Do Type A personalities make the best leaders? Marcel Schwantes thinks he knows the answer to this question. Based on the idea of servant leadership, Schwantes wrote Humane Leadership: Lead with Radical Love, Be a Kick-Ass Boss. He summarizes what his book is about in an article for Inc.com. “Leadership boils down to people, trust, and relationships,” he writes. “And the simple truth is still the same today: Great leaders lead by serving. They focus on what their people need to succeed — clarity, coaching, safety, and support — not on protecting their own ego or authority.”

Before all the Type A personalities take issue with this approach, take heart in other recent research into the subject. It indicates that truly effective leaders combine Type A and B personality strengths. Ideally, a person uses a low-stress Type B management style combined with high-standards and strong results-orientation (typical Type A traits) to inspire effective teamwork.

The trick, of course, is putting these ideas into practice. To do that, Schwantes offers three tips to become a “servant leader.”

“Build trust through real, intentional caring.” Before a budding leader attempts to follow Schwantes’ first tip, a little self-reflection might be in order. People eventually spot phoniness even if it takes a while. That means that you can’t or shouldn’t fake it. Leaders need to truly care about their team. As Schwantes says, “This isn’t ‘soft.’ It’s emotional engagement — and it’s one of the biggest drivers of performance and retention… When employees feel their leaders genuinely care, confidence rises, performance follows, and career paths become healthier and more aligned with their strengths.”

“Use empathy to connect with others and drive results.” Research often reveals surprising insights about human behavior, whether it’s in personal or professional relationships. One perhaps surprising observation comes from fairly recent research indicating that empathy is the strongest single indicator of a leader’s successful performance. This, though, is another attribute you simply can’t fake. Schwantes offers another way to state this insight: “Empathy isn’t a strategy you perform and it doesn’t come from a to-do list. It shows up in how you listen, how you check in, and how you respond to someone’s reality — even when their experience is different from your own.”

“Be radically transparent.” This is another case where anyone can understand professional behavior by thinking about their behavior in personal relationships. Healthy relationships depend on being open and honest, with your friends and especially with your partner or spouse. This can be described as being transparent, particularly in work environments.

What are the benefits of transparency? They are manifold. “A transparent culture builds trust and fosters collaboration,” Schwantes says. “When people feel safe voicing their thoughts, it deepens engagement and creates a more resilient, trustworthy team dynamic.”

Building a caring, empathetic and transparent culture is no easy task. But with genuine effort, leaders can create that culture and reap the benefits.