Human beings are social. Thanks to this sociality we learn and develop, thanks to it we have survived as a species.
The workplace is no exception. In the pursuit of purposeful work and quality cooperation that will yield results, we need strong relationships with our colleagues, managers, and customers.
For this reason, to this day, I cannot understand how thousands of companies tolerate toxic crops that have an extremely negative impact on the well-being of their employees, effective teamwork, productivity, and, ultimately, their profits.
Overcoming the problem of toxic work culture goes through a fundamental step – building the so-called “servant-leaders” (servant-leaders), which sets the tone of corporate culture and creates a positive and inspiring work environment.
Dr. Jim Laub, a leadership expert and one of the pioneers in the development of the concept of the leader-servant, has conducted extensive research to answer the question: “Why do leadership structures and corporate cultures fail so often?”
Whether it’s a startup or an established company, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself to see if you can get the most out of your employees. Laub offers 10 questions to answer honestly:
1. I trust my employees
2. I create an environment that promotes learning and growth
3. I allow my employees to decide in which direction to direct our team
4. I can be trusted
5. I work to maintain positive relationships
6. I do not hesitate to provide guidance when needed
7. I allow my employees to make important decisions
8. I provide the necessary support and resources so that my employees can achieve their goals
9. I am open to criticism and suggestions from others
10. I use my power and authority for the benefit of my workers
If for most of them the answer is “often”, “almost always” or “always”, then you can be a high-level leader.