RESOURCES
A starling blueprint for Implementing Servant-based Leadership in Your Organization
"Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it."
- Marian Anderson -
Servant- based leadership is a transformative approach to leadership that prioritises the well-being and growth of individuals within an organisation. By focusing on serving the needs of others, empowering employees, and fostering a culture of collaboration and trust, servant-based leadership can create a positive and inclusive work environment that drives success and innovation.
The starling blueprint explores the key principles of servant-based leadership and provides practical strategies and resources for implementing servant-based leadership into your organisation.
1. Understanding Servant Leadership
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As a leader, firstly define the core principles of servant leadership for your business
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Be vocal on what is and what its not
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Explore the history and philosophy of servant leadership, and its impact on organisational culture and performance.
Best Reading recs for Servant- Based Leadership
On becoming a leader - Warren Bennis
Leaders eat last - Simon Sinek
Dare to lead - Brene Brown
Servant leadership in action - Ken Blanchard
Permission to screw up - Kristen Hadeed
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Using the table above, schedule time at all leadership levels discussing the ROI of adopting a servant leadership approach, including increased employee engagement, loyalty, and productivity.
2. Assessing Organisational Readiness:
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Evaluate your organisation's current leadership style and culture to determine readiness for implementing servant-based leadership.
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Hold listening sessions for staff at all levels, ask open ended questions on how they experience their leader.
Be sure to ask:
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Can you talk about the company vision
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Can you tell me the why behind the vision
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Can you tell me how the work they do contributes to the vision.
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Identify potential barriers or challenges to adopting a servant- based leadership approach and develop strategies to overcome them.
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Engage key stakeholders and leaders in the organisation to build buy-in and support for the transition to servant-based leadership.
3. Building a Servant-based Leadership Mindset:
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Using the model above, share the understanding of servant-based leadership principles and values among leaders, managers and employees.
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Provide training and development opportunities to help leaders cultivate empathy, humility and a focus on serving others.
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Encourage open communication, collaboration, and feedback to foster a culture of trust, respect, and accountability.
4. Empowering Employees:
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Work with your leaders to create opportunities for employees to take on new challenges, develop their skills, and grow professionally.
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Ensure your leaders are delegating authority and decision-making responsibilities to empower employees to make meaningful contributions to the organisation.
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Support and mentor employees to help them reach their full potential and achieve their goals.
5. Building Strong Relationships:
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Foster open communication, active listening, and empathy to build strong relationships with employees.
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Encourage collaboration, teamwork, and mutual support to create a sense of community and belonging within the organisation.
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Recognize and celebrate the contributions and achievements of individuals and teams to show appreciation and build morale. Find ways to do this genuinely and authentically. There is nothing worse than forced fun.
6. Leading by Example:
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Using the models provided,demonstrate servant leadership values and behaviours in your own actions and interactions with others.
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Model humility, integrity, and a commitment to serving others to inspire and motivate your team.
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Encourage and support leaders at all levels of the organisation to embody servant leadership principles in their leadership approach.
Key Takeaways
Implementing servant-based leadership in your organisation requires an openness to listening to your people,
Servant-based leadership fosters a collaborative and inclusive workplace
Remember, this style of leadership focuses on the growth and wellbeing of their people and the communities that surround them.
This is your opportunity to leave a true leadership legacy.
Want to know more about how to implement a culture of servant- leadership? Get in touch with us..
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