I found another wonderful vision about what a servant leadership is and how to measure organizational health (this is the first time I talk about this second topic) in OLAGroup website.
This group is working towards creating more healthy Organizations, and this is what they write about it:
"The Healthy Organization is an organization in which the characteristics of servant leadership are displayed through the organizational culture and are valued and practice by the leadership and workforce. This is a healthy, servant organization. One that puts the needs of others first and through that gains incredible strength and power throughout the Organization".They define in their website six key areas to work in order the get more healthy Organizations, as well as six different levels of organizational health.
Six key areas of a healthy Organization
I just transcribe below what is written in OLAGroup website about the six key areas to work in order to have a healthy Organization (there is nothing mine in next lines).
1.- Display authenticity
Open & Accountable
Leaders will resist the tendency to protect themselves at all cost. When they make mistakes...they will admit them. They will recognize that they are accountable to others and not just those who are “over” them. People in a healthy organization can fully risk being open with each other due to the high levels of trust.
Willing to Learn
People in a healthy organization gladly accept the role of a learner. Leaders know that they have much to learn and that each person has something important to teach them. Leaders don’t always know what is needed and what to do. They are willing to listen before making suggestions. They ask questions...and are sincerely interested in the answers.
Honesty & Integrity
Healthy organizations refuse to cut corners on the truth. When they make a promise they do everything possible to fulfill it. People learn that they can trust what is said and that in this organization...the actions fit the words
2.- Value people
Serve others first
People in healthy organizations put others before themselves. They focus on the needs of others and how they can best meet them.
Believe & Trust in people
Leaders are willing to give trust...to believe that others can do the job and have positive intentions. They work to envision the potential of people while looking beyond the immediate externals to find the true value others.
Listen receptively
When leaders truly listen to others they will hear them if they listen non-judgmentally. They listen to learn...to understand. They listen because they know that it is one of the best ways to show that they value others.
3.- Develop people
Provide for learning
Healthy organizations offer people opportunities for new learning. They provide an atmosphere where mistakes can lead to new insights. Leaders join them in learning and are never satisfied with the status quo.
Model appropriate behavior
Leaders don’t just tell others what to do. They model it for them and do it with them. They help people to develop by working alongside them so that can learn from their example.
Build up through affirmation
Healthy organizations encourage others...honor others...accept others...build up others. They catch others doing it right. Leaders recognize accomplishments and celebrate creativity. They speak words of encouragement and intentionally affirm.
4.- Build community
Build relationships
Leaders and workers need the time and space to be together...to share, to listen, to reflect. They need to get to know one another. Healthy organizations don’t encourage lone-ranger success over team accomplishment. Instead, they encourage friendships to emerge.
Work collaboratively
Healthy organizations don’t allow the natural competitiveness between different individuals to characterize the atmosphere of the group. They don’t want to some to “win” at the expense of the Team. Leaders work alongside the others to model a dynamic partnership of collaborative work.
Value differences
Leaders respect and celebrate differences in ethnicity, gender, age and culture. They are aware of their own prejudices and biases. They confront these boldly so that no individual or group feels less valued or set apart from the team
5.- Provide leadership
Envision the future
Healthy organizations are future oriented. They look ahead to envision what could be, and should be. The leaders recognize that they serve as partners with other leaders throughout the organization who also are looking ahead to the future. This organization shares their vision openly with the goal of creating a new and shared vision with others.
Take initiative
Leadership takes action. It doesn’t hold back in order to protect the leader from making mistakes. Leaders move out in order to serve others...and to serve the agreed upon mission of the organization.
Clarify goals
Healthy organizations are clear on where they are going. Leaders use clear and open communication to point the direction that the group is committed to pursue. The leader encourages accountability to the goals set...for themselves and for others.
6.- Share leadership
Share the vision
Healthy organizations know that the vision of an organization does not belong to a single leader. A clear vision of the future, shared by the entire group, becomes a powerful magnet drawing together all of the resources, skills and abilities of the total team. Vision comes to leaders who see, and a shared vision occurs when the collective vision aligns toward a compelling and agreed upon future.
Share the power
Power has been described as the ability to do...to act. In organizational terms it represents the ability to make important decisions, allocate resources...moving people and projects forward to make things happen. Shared leadership empowers all people to act, for the good of the group and the mission of the organization.
Share the status
Leadership is not position, status or prestige. Leaders in healthy organizations resist the strong tendency to accept the special perks and privileges of leadership position. They know that all people throughout the organization need to be affirmed and recognized for their inherent value and for what they contribute to the success of the whole.
Six Different levels of Organizational health
You can check here the explanation about each one of the six levels and how each one of those "prototype" Organizations work the five topics (workers, leadership, team, culture and outlook).
PS
the six key areas - OLAGroup
1.- Display authenticity
Open & Accountable
Leaders will resist the tendency to protect themselves at all cost. When they make mistakes...they will admit them. They will recognize that they are accountable to others and not just those who are “over” them. People in a healthy organization can fully risk being open with each other due to the high levels of trust.
Willing to Learn
People in a healthy organization gladly accept the role of a learner. Leaders know that they have much to learn and that each person has something important to teach them. Leaders don’t always know what is needed and what to do. They are willing to listen before making suggestions. They ask questions...and are sincerely interested in the answers.
Honesty & Integrity
Healthy organizations refuse to cut corners on the truth. When they make a promise they do everything possible to fulfill it. People learn that they can trust what is said and that in this organization...the actions fit the words
2.- Value people
Serve others first
People in healthy organizations put others before themselves. They focus on the needs of others and how they can best meet them.
Believe & Trust in people
Leaders are willing to give trust...to believe that others can do the job and have positive intentions. They work to envision the potential of people while looking beyond the immediate externals to find the true value others.
Listen receptively
When leaders truly listen to others they will hear them if they listen non-judgmentally. They listen to learn...to understand. They listen because they know that it is one of the best ways to show that they value others.
3.- Develop people
Provide for learning
Healthy organizations offer people opportunities for new learning. They provide an atmosphere where mistakes can lead to new insights. Leaders join them in learning and are never satisfied with the status quo.
Model appropriate behavior
Leaders don’t just tell others what to do. They model it for them and do it with them. They help people to develop by working alongside them so that can learn from their example.
Build up through affirmation
Healthy organizations encourage others...honor others...accept others...build up others. They catch others doing it right. Leaders recognize accomplishments and celebrate creativity. They speak words of encouragement and intentionally affirm.
4.- Build community
Build relationships
Leaders and workers need the time and space to be together...to share, to listen, to reflect. They need to get to know one another. Healthy organizations don’t encourage lone-ranger success over team accomplishment. Instead, they encourage friendships to emerge.
Work collaboratively
Healthy organizations don’t allow the natural competitiveness between different individuals to characterize the atmosphere of the group. They don’t want to some to “win” at the expense of the Team. Leaders work alongside the others to model a dynamic partnership of collaborative work.
Value differences
Leaders respect and celebrate differences in ethnicity, gender, age and culture. They are aware of their own prejudices and biases. They confront these boldly so that no individual or group feels less valued or set apart from the team
5.- Provide leadership
Envision the future
Healthy organizations are future oriented. They look ahead to envision what could be, and should be. The leaders recognize that they serve as partners with other leaders throughout the organization who also are looking ahead to the future. This organization shares their vision openly with the goal of creating a new and shared vision with others.
Take initiative
Leadership takes action. It doesn’t hold back in order to protect the leader from making mistakes. Leaders move out in order to serve others...and to serve the agreed upon mission of the organization.
Clarify goals
Healthy organizations are clear on where they are going. Leaders use clear and open communication to point the direction that the group is committed to pursue. The leader encourages accountability to the goals set...for themselves and for others.
6.- Share leadership
Share the vision
Healthy organizations know that the vision of an organization does not belong to a single leader. A clear vision of the future, shared by the entire group, becomes a powerful magnet drawing together all of the resources, skills and abilities of the total team. Vision comes to leaders who see, and a shared vision occurs when the collective vision aligns toward a compelling and agreed upon future.
Share the power
Power has been described as the ability to do...to act. In organizational terms it represents the ability to make important decisions, allocate resources...moving people and projects forward to make things happen. Shared leadership empowers all people to act, for the good of the group and the mission of the organization.
Share the status
Leadership is not position, status or prestige. Leaders in healthy organizations resist the strong tendency to accept the special perks and privileges of leadership position. They know that all people throughout the organization need to be affirmed and recognized for their inherent value and for what they contribute to the success of the whole.
Six Different levels of Organizational health
The analysis of the different levels of Organization's health measures five different topics related to them (NOTE: I also transcribe word by word what is written in the OLAGroup website, nothing is mine here either):
The Workers: Motivation, morale, attitude & commitment, listening, relationships vs. tasks
The Leadership: Power, decision-making, goals & direction
The Team: Community, collaboration and team learning
The Culture: Authenticity, integrity, accountability, creativity, trust, service, communication
The Outlook: Type of workers attracted, action needed
So there are six different levels of Organization health, depending on how those topics are managed in the Organization:
1.- Toxic organizational health
2.- Poor Organizational health
3.- Limited organizational health
4.- Moderate organizational health
5.- Excellent organizational health
6.- Optimal organizational health
The Workers: Motivation, morale, attitude & commitment, listening, relationships vs. tasks
The Leadership: Power, decision-making, goals & direction
The Team: Community, collaboration and team learning
The Culture: Authenticity, integrity, accountability, creativity, trust, service, communication
The Outlook: Type of workers attracted, action needed
So there are six different levels of Organization health, depending on how those topics are managed in the Organization:
1.- Toxic organizational health
2.- Poor Organizational health
3.- Limited organizational health
4.- Moderate organizational health
5.- Excellent organizational health
6.- Optimal organizational health
You can check here the explanation about each one of the six levels and how each one of those "prototype" Organizations work the five topics (workers, leadership, team, culture and outlook).
PS
I was trying to find some more details about organizational health, and I found a method called OHC (Organizational Check Method). This method measures and provides a global analysis about the health of an Organization.
I've found it in IMX website, you can enter it and get off a sample PDF about how to do it (in Spanish).
I've found it in IMX website, you can enter it and get off a sample PDF about how to do it (in Spanish).
OHC graphic
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