How can healing be used to promote servant leadership?

“Hurt people hurt people”. This doesn’t stop because we walk into a workplace. Many leaders are carrying out effects of trauma, shame, guilt, insecurities, overwhelm and fear and placing these effects onto their team or coworkers, when really the culprit (and opportunity to heal) lies inside of each of us. Leaders must take time to do the inner healing, self-leadership work required to step outside of ourselves and serve others. When we’re full of our own fears and trauma, we cannot hear what others need. To be a truly effective servant leader, we need to empty ourselves of our own hurt; the more we can listen the more we can hold space for others. I call this “healing centered leadership,” a must for any leader who wants to thrive.

Servant leaders can encourage mindfulness and self-reflection practices among their team members. This promotes self-awareness and enables individuals to understand their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement, fostering a continuous learning and development mindset. Moreover, self reflection needs time, hence, servant leaders realize the importance of work-life balance and practices that prioritize well-being, self-care and stress management. Servant leaders demonstrate genuine care and concern for their team members, empathize with them, understand unique circumstances, and support them during difficult times, fostering a sense of community and trust, which encourages collaboration and cooperation within the team.

Healing in leadership is about creating a compassionate and supportive environment for creating a ripple effect of positivity and growth. Echoing Tech That Han's insight, seeing and healing one's own wounds with compassion is the first step. This self-awareness and self-compassion allows leaders to empathize with others' struggles, aiding in their healing. Conversely, a leader who hasn't embraced their own wounds may struggle to foster a nurturing space, as unresolved pain can inadvertently perpetuate a cycle of hurt, creating negative ripple effects in the organization.

Healing in leadership is defined as making meaning of a life event and insightfully allowing yourself to use it for greater good- empowering others to do the same through vicarious resilience

Acknowledge, Heal, Lead! ???? I'd recognize the individual and collective pain, creating a safe space for open dialogue and vulnerability. Offering guidance and resources demonstrates a commitment to team well-being. Promoting reconciliation and fostering forgiveness heals interpersonal wounds and strengthens trust. By nurturing well-being and resilience, I empower individuals to overcome challenges and grow stronger. Just like Nelson Mandela's leadership through reconciliation, servant leaders facilitate healing, turning past pains into powerful lessons for a compassionate and cohesive future.

To create a safe squad Establish Ground Rules, such as: 1. Team have the right to “pass” on activities/questions that feel uncomfortable. 2. It is all right to feel embarrassed or not to know answers to everything. 3. Everyone’s opinions are to be respected and treated equally. 4. All questions will be addressed appropriately by all team members. 5. Be discreet in group discussions.

Most people are at their place of work (in person or remote) more than they are at home. They will spend more time with their colleagues and leaders than their actual family. So the workplace has to be a place where they can be themselves, mess up, and recover. No one will be on their A game all the time and this should not be expected. People need to feel like they can “live” at work versus just work.

Practice the art of communication. Active listening & intention is key in creating a safe space. People want to feel heard & understood. Listen with your ears, eyes, & heart. Avoid judgement. This part is hard. Check your bias at the door. After you (believe) you understand the request for help at a genuine level, ask follow up questions to confirm your clarity. Only then should you give your advice/perspective/relatable story. Genuinely understanding someone’s pain doesn’t necessarily mean you relate to it. Leaders have a responsibility to develop empathy skills. Empathy and sympathy are not the same. Make a space that is inclusive whether you are there or not. That’s the art of building character and future leaders.

Ensure ergonomic furniture and equipment to support proper posture and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal issues. Foster open communication about safety concerns, encouraging employees to report hazards promptly. Implement regular safety training and awareness programs to educate staff on best practices and emergency procedures in the workplace.

Safe space is needed for people to be themselves. One of the reasons people feel at ease in home is because it's a safe space for them. If we need people to open up, speak out and express their thoughts, ideas and emotions, then we need to create a space similar to their home. Safe space promotes vulnerability. We want people to feel at ease because we want them to be themselves at work. Only when they feel themselves, they won't feel a need to play politics. Be it healing or helping someone, we need them to speak out in which case they need to have trust. Vulnerability is the base for trust. In order for someone to be vulnerable, they need a safe space.

Schedule regular team meetings to provide guidance, share updates, and address any questions or concerns. Create a centralized online platform for accessible resources, ensuring team members have easy access to information. Foster a culture of mentorship and encourage experienced team members to offer guidance to newer members, promoting knowledge sharing within the team.

In some moments, the best guidance is simply asking the right questions and encouraging thorough contemplation. Before someone can heal or find the best path forward in their healing journey, they often first need to understand the situation, and their reaction to it, more in-depth first.

Create culture of healing in an organization … don’t just leave it to CEO … create a culture that promotes well-being, resilience, growth of individuals & communities in the face of adversity, trauma, injustice. Creating such a culture in an organization requires the commitment of leaders & employees at all levels : - Review wellness policies, practices - Create well spaces - Empathize, communicate, listen - Create dedicated sessions to check-in with employees to share their feelings, concerns, frustrations - Engage in dialogue and action to address the root causes - effects of systemic injustice, oppression, discrimination - Recognize and celebrate the strengths, achievements, contributions of employees - Create a shared vision - purpose

Es recomendable que quien guie o ayude a alguien a liberarse de su emoción destructiva tenga la preparación y entrenamiento adecuado para no caer en errores que podrían empeorar la emocionalidad del individuo que necesita la sanación.

é importante que o líder tenha habilidades conceituais, técnicas e humanas , isto posto, para que possar oferecer um apoio mais focado naquilo que é a raiz da dor, e que saiba ter a empatia, sensibilidade e compaix?o de poder ajudar da melhor maneira possível.

I experience in my life that healing and deliverance plus a life of prayer is the key factor of healthy and spiritual living and relationships that creates a driving force in transforming and edifying a servant-leader which can potentially heals one's self and one's relationship to others. Usually leaders who dictates and are not a servant or doesn't want to be a servant have broken spirits and have suffered from a variety of mental illness like anxiety and emotional hurts in life. A Servant-Leader can be open and admit mistakes and accept the storm of life as strong as the Great Servant-Leader Jesus Christ.

Express Genuine Appreciation: Regularly acknowledge and appreciate team members for their contributions, fostering a positive and motivating work environment. Encourage a Culture of Forgiveness: Emphasize learning from mistakes rather than blaming, promoting a culture where team members feel comfortable admitting errors and learning from them. Lead by Example: Demonstrate forgiveness and recognition by openly acknowledging your own mistakes, showcasing humility and reinforcing the importance of growth and improvement.

Promoting forgiveness and reconciliation in an organization or community requires careful leadership … Prioritize Psychological Safety … Build an environment where individuals feel safe to express vulnerabilities, admit mistakes, and seek support without fear of judgment or repercussions. This trust is crucial for open communication and fostering forgiveness.

Reconciliation asks, "what changes need to be made to promote correction, harmony, and healing?" Forgiveness says, "I release you from judgement." We address wrongdoing and maintain accountability, but we also recognize that we need a way forward to preserve unity and minimize conflict. In promoting forgiveness, we create a culture that focuses on restoration of relationships from the damage that can often happen from acting under stressful situations in the workplace.

It takes courage and grace to truly forgive. The ego’s default setting is to avenge.Apologizing verbally is an easy gimmick, but forgiving without ever bringing it up again is a tough act. When one embraces forgiveness, the reward is resiliency in the face of hardships. Practicing forgiveness opens doorways to success and happiness. And more importantly it gives others a chance to reform and grow.

Support employees in maintaining a balance between work and personal life, promoting overall well-being and resilience. Offer access to mental health resources, such as counseling services or workshops, to help employees cope with stress and build resilience. Foster a Supportive Team Culture... Cultivate an environment where team members feel comfortable seeking support from colleagues, fostering a sense of community and resilience in facing challenges together.

Nurturing well-being is not just about feeling good; it's about building a solid foundation for resilience … it's an investment to live a fulfilling life. By prioritizing physical, mental, and social well-being, we equip ourselves with the tools and resources to withstand challenges, overcome obstacles, and thrive in the face of adversity …

In nurturing health in a wholeness way (not focusing on only one part of your life), it’s vitally important to be principle-centered. If we’re listening to and following opinions of people who, while good intentioned, do not have a straight line THEY are following, we can easily find ourselves floating on a proverbial cloud of fluff that disappears with the first heartache. Our healing must be focused on principles that stand the test of time, not “fady” ideas that sound good but have no evidence of long-term success. Our leadership must include provision for training on principles and connection with coaches and mentors; in the future, leaders will add “Coaching” to their benefit packages because they will see the value of outside help.

Simply put we lead by example. You set the tone by prioritizing, cultivating and maintaining your well-being. Through that, and with less effort, the rest will follow. There are solutions you will encounter like Get MotiVETed on your journey that you can easily share and genuinely advocate for after you’ve experienced your own breakthroughs.

Since I can remember, I've always sought the advice of my older, wiser self--the one I'd love to become in all her glory, grace, and generosity. Taking a moment to meditate and meet her in time and space (relativity!) helps me navigate my current circumstances with more patience, security, and faith in myself and my intentional future. To be the best servant leader I can be, I also work with a coach who helps me stay true to my best self. She's like an anchor who steadies me in stormy bays, or the keel who reminds me to ground when life gets choppy, or the telltales on the sails when I'm ready to stretch and let the best winds to push me faster and farther. Every obstacle is a gift. The faster I find it, the more the gift multiplies.

Healing can be used to promote servant leadership through exemplifying the power of forgiveness; we all fail, and it is the few who model ‘failing fast and failing forward’ who rise to the top through exemplifying forgiveness. Forgive yourself for your failures and let the healing begin… and forgive your teammates for their failures while helping them learn from your own failures, and then you are leading with a servant’s heart.

Two of the most profound lessons I have learned in my journey as a servant leader are: You cannot pour from an empty cup. Especially when seeking healing, self care isn’t just important, it’s critical. Never underestimate the potential of every interaction. Sometimes moments we don’t even remember, simply by being kind, present or encouraging, can be life changing for another.

Neuro-diversity is more prevalent than we realize. I suspect it is more neuro-normal to be neuro-diverse, and many people still don't realize all of the accommodations they're making to be 'normal' instead of feeling fully alive through their perfectly functional, natural selves--in a different way. Our educational and cultural work systems have yet to adjust at the rate of human evolution. I believe servant leaders and gentle parents are the guides we need to see for a wave of wellness to sweep through society and help people realize how whole they already are and feel free to unleash their creative beings with their specific needs to succeed, such as clear written communication, direct feedback, quiet focus, time to reflect...