Servant Leadership Workplace-Meaning Prosperity Joy

Want More Meaning, Prosperity and Joy?

What happens when a workplace embraces servant leadership?

I can answer that question in three words: meaning, joy and prosperity.

Meaning. 

Work can be meaningful – significant with an underlying value. Or work can be meaningless – just a way to pay the bills. In my experience and the experience of many others, workplaces practicing servant leadership are “meaning-driven.” They provide things beyond a paycheck, things that people – especially millennial people – value very deeply. Meaningful things like purpose, belonging and personal growth.

Prosperity.

There is plenty of anecdotal evidence – and an increasing amount of hard evidence – that organizations practicing servant leadership outperform their peers economically. For businesses, that means higher sales, profits and stock prices. For nonprofits, it means higher donations and lower mission costs. Servant-leaders often keep an eye on social as well as economic bottom lines.  But they fully understand that prosperity is an outcome of servant leadership.

Joy. 

Do you look forward to going to work in the morning? Do you like being with your colleagues? Does your workplace provide you a feeling of happiness? If the answers are yes, then lucky you! That’s joy. It’s hard to measure joy, but you know it when you feel it. I believe that servant-led organizations are inherently joyful (not that every day is perfect). Why? Because servant-leaders, by definition, are committed to the well-being of their followers and others they serve.

So, want more meaning, joy and prosperity in your workplace? Try an extra dose of servant leadership. Be a better servant-leader yourself. Help others be better servant-leaders. I bet you will be pleased!

What do you think? Did we miss something? What other benefits do you see servant leadership bringing to the workplace?

Thanks!

As always, we appreciate your views.