Change is inevitable, but it can also be challenging, stressful, and disruptive for your team. As a servant leader, you have the opportunity and responsibility to inspire purpose in your team during change, and help them navigate the transition with confidence, clarity, and commitment. How do you do that? Here are some tips to guide you.
One of the first steps to inspire purpose in your team during change is to communicate the why behind the change. What is the vision, the goal, the benefit, or the problem that the change is addressing? How does it align with the mission, values, and culture of your organization? How does it impact your team, your customers, and your stakeholders? By answering these questions, you can help your team understand the purpose of the change, and how it connects to their own work and aspirations.
Within the servant leadership framework, igniting purpose amid change is pivotal. Effectively doing so reflects your dedication to both the team's well-being and the project's success. Commencing by articulating the change's "why" resonates with servant leadership's emphasis on communication and understanding. Clarifying the vision, benefits, and alignment with values establishes a foundation of transparency. Conveying how the change affects the team, customers, and stakeholders echoes the philosophy's empathetic core. By intertwining these elements, you empower your team with a profound understanding of the change's purpose, linking it to their roles and aspirations, and fostering a culture of purpose-driven collaboration.
Servant Leadership is more often than not mistaken to be an oxymoron. One of the main reasons for this perception is the myth that servant leaders are not visionary leaders. The reality is on the contrary. Servant Leaders need to set a really inspiring vision for the team, a purpose, a higher purpose than short term gains. In the Servant Leadership framework we follow, Our DEEP BHC behaviour framework starts with the behaviour of Demonstrating Conceptual Skills. Dream Big and Bold is the clear message. When there is an inspiring vision, and the vision is not self-centered or inward looking, but is about changing the world and making others better, the team will rally around you and change will become a lot easier.
Another way to inspire purpose in your team during change is to involve them in the process. Ask for their input, feedback, ideas, and concerns. Listen to their perspectives, acknowledge their emotions, and address their questions. Empower them to make decisions, take actions, and contribute to the change. By involving your team, you can show them that you value their opinions, skills, and contributions, and that they have a meaningful role to play in the change.
Engaging the team in the change process aligns with servant leadership's core tenets of collaboration and empowerment. Soliciting input, feedback, and ideas fosters a culture of inclusivity and shared ownership. Attentively listening to their viewpoints and addressing concerns echoes the philosophy's empathetic stance. By granting decision-making authority and encouraging contributions, you underscore the team's value and contribution, cultivating a sense of meaningful involvement and purpose within the change.
A third way to inspire purpose in your team during change is to support them throughout the transition. Provide them with the resources, tools, training, and coaching they need to adapt to the change. Recognize their efforts, celebrate their achievements, and appreciate their strengths. Encourage them to collaborate, learn, and grow. Be available, accessible, and responsive to their needs. By supporting your team, you can help them overcome the challenges, embrace the opportunities, and achieve the outcomes of the change.
Sustaining the team through a transition epitomizes servant leadership's value of support and empathy. Equipping them with resources, training, and coaching fosters adaptability and competence. Recognizing their endeavors and celebrating achievements resonates with the philosophy's emphasis on valuing contributions. Encouraging collaboration and growth aligns with servant leadership's dedication to empowerment. Being accessible and responsive underscores your commitment to their success. By offering unwavering support, you empower the team to surmount challenges, embrace opportunities, and ultimately realize the positive outcomes of the change.
A fourth way to inspire purpose in your team during change is to model the way. Demonstrate the behaviors, attitudes, and values that you expect from your team. Be transparent, honest, and accountable. Show enthusiasm, optimism, and resilience. Share your stories, lessons, and insights. Lead by example, and inspire by influence. By modeling the way, you can set the tone, build the trust, and create the culture that fosters purpose in your team.
Leading through example is a hallmark of servant leadership, embodying the values you seek. Demonstrating transparency and accountability resonates with the philosophy's emphasis on authenticity. Portraying enthusiasm, optimism, and resilience echoes the servant leader's role as a source of motivation. Sharing personal stories and insights aligns with the value of openness and mutual learning. Your actions, as a model, become a powerful source of inspiration, a key aspect of servant leadership's influential approach. This role you embody not only sets the tone but also fosters a culture of trust that lies at the heart of servant leadership, ultimately cultivating purpose within the team during times of change.
A fifth way to inspire purpose in your team during change is to connect to a higher cause. Help your team see how the change contributes to a larger vision, a greater good, or a social impact. Highlight the positive outcomes, the benefits, and the value that the change creates for your customers, your community, and your society. Inspire your team to think beyond their own interests, and to serve a higher purpose. By connecting to a higher cause, you can motivate your team to make a difference, and to feel proud of their work.
Guiding the team to perceive how the change contributes to a larger vision, greater good, or societal impact resonates with the philosophy's ethos. By illuminating the change's value for customers, community, and society, you cultivate a sense of purpose beyond individual roles. Encouraging the team to serve a higher purpose echoes the philosophy's value of selflessness and collective achievement. This approach fosters a deep connection to meaningful work and drives motivation by demonstrating the positive difference the team can make. Ultimately, connecting to a higher cause within the context of servant leadership inspires the team to take pride in their contributions and find purpose amid change.
A sixth way to inspire purpose in your team during change is to review and reflect. Monitor the progress, measure the results, and evaluate the impact of the change. Solicit feedback, learn from mistakes, and celebrate successes. Acknowledge the challenges, the achievements, and the learnings of your team. Help your team reflect on their growth, their contributions, and their purpose. By reviewing and reflecting, you can reinforce the meaning, the relevance, and the significance of the change for your team.