How to Achieve Servant Leadership in 2024
August 30, 2023
In today’s work climate, we need new leadership patterns to truly excite and motivate the workplace. This article is meant to enable companies to utilize Servant Leadership. When staff are treated as leaders themselves, the result is an engaged workforce no matter where they work – in an office or at home.
Learn how to apply Servant Leadership to your business using tools, recognition, and values. Learn more in general about Servant Leadership here.
What is Servant Leadership?
Servant leadership is a management philosophy that prioritizes the needs of employees and customers above the interests of the company or its leaders. Using today’s latest business collaboration tools and recognition programs, leaders can further ability to be servant leaders.
What Staff Require to Work Autonomously
- Tools
- Guides on how to use tools
- Decision trees
- Code of conduct
- One hour of freedom to do whatever they want
Here are three ways to accomplish servant leadership using modern HR and leadership ideas:
1. Use Collaboration Tools to Empower Employees
Modern business collaboration tools have revolutionized the way employees work together. By using tools such as Slack, Trello, Notion, Microsoft Teams and Asana, managers can delegate tasks, communicate with employees, and monitor progress. This empowers employees to take ownership of their work and encourages collaboration.
Make sure staff are provided with the necessary tools and guides to get work done on their own accord. Make sure they are supported and put them first as the primary philosophy of Servant Leadership.
Implement a collaboration tool, such as Trello or Notion, to track employee tasks and progress. Provide training to ensure employees understand how to use the tool effectively.
2. Recognize Employee Achievements
Recognition programs are powerful in how they make staff feel and thus promote servant leadership. By acknowledging and rewarding employee achievements, managers can show that they value their employees contributions. Recognition programs, such as Recognize, can take many forms, such as employee-of-the-month awards, bonuses, and public recognition. Recognize is a value-driven program that can positively reinforce Servant Leadership concepts, such as empathy, listening, stewardship, and collaboration
Establish an employee recognition program that rewards outstanding performance. Consider creating a peer recognition program that allows employees to nominate their colleagues for recognition.
3. Foster a Culture of Servant Leadership
To truly achieve servant leadership, foster a culture that values the needs of employees and customers first and foremost. Accomplished this by setting goals and values that prioritize the well-being of others, and by communicating these goals and values clearly to employees. See Recognize’s badges for company values here.
Set these expectations on the quarterly with monthly check-ins with their manager. Utilize the Code of Conduct, Values, and their KPIs. All of which should reflect the philosophies of Servant Leadership.
Discover your company values through a series of collaborative steps with your leadership. Complete the Recognize Company Value Exercise
By using collaboration tools, recognition programs, and a culture that prioritizes servant leadership, companies can create a work environment that values the needs of employees and customers. This can lead to increased employee satisfaction, productivity, and profitability.
Check out this article on servant leadership from the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.