How do you demonstrate accountability and transparency as a servant leader? (2024)

Have a specific Policy Manual that outlines the organizational Vision, Mission, SMART Goals ideals, Plan of Action, and Daily Agenda expectations for everyone, including myself as the leader. These also are my personal five elements of success. Additionally, I list in the policy manual personal and organizational Core Values, i.e. moral and ethical behaviors that are based, not on social idealogy, but on standards of the Natural Law Theory of people. See my website: www.compass-means-leadership.com. Secondly, I walk the talk, I perform and behave by my standards and organizational expectations, holding everyone accountable through mentoring, training, and servant leadership principles.

As a servant leader, practicing accountability and transparency involves clearly defining expectations. Communicating the team's roles, responsibilities, and project goals creates a foundation of understanding. Sharing the reasoning behind decisions, as well as the context, promotes transparency. This approach supports an environment where team members know what is expected of them, how their work contributes to the larger picture and how their efforts align with the organization's vision. In doing so, the servant leader reinforces their commitment to openness, encourages collaboration and builds trust among the team.

Open and transparent leadership behaviors create a team's trust and build teamwork. Manage/lead by walking about, mentoring and training on call when interacting with employees. Be open with ideals, take notes when people give feedback and recommendations. Evaluate the recommendations, then give feedback as to the feasibility of the idea and possibility of incorporating the recommendation.

Demonstrating accountability and transparency involves actively sharing feedback. Providing honest and constructive feedback helps team members understand their strengths and areas for improvement. This practice encourages an open dialogue, fosters continuous growth, and promotes a culture of learning. The servant leader emphasizes their commitment to transparency and creates an environment where team members feel valued and supported in their professional development journey by openly discussing successes and challenges.

As I was told by one of my Navy Commanding Officers, "Only one person who ever walked on this earth was perfect, we all make mistakes." The idea is to admit the mistake and correct the problems it caused. Be Humble, apologize if necessary, and move forward.

Exhibiting accountability and transparency as a servant leader means acknowledging mistakes. When a servant leader makes a misstep, openly admitting it creates a culture of honesty and trust within the team. This behavior sets a positive example for accountability, encouraging others to take responsibility for their actions. A servant leader supports an environment where learning from errors is valued and continuous improvement becomes a shared goal by addressing mistakes openly.

Servant Leaders never hoard their ideals and practices. It erodes trust and harms teamwork. It also sends a message that you are not interested in the growth of others.

Leaders cannot be everywhere, all the time. Mentor and Train team players how to analyze situations, teach them decision-making principles and procedures, allow them to make mistakes without angry repercussions.

Leaders don’t just delegate tasks out to their employees, rather you should work with them to find out what kinds of things they love to do and help give them tasks that are in their wheelhouse. The servant leader provides guidance and support while allowing team members to exercise their judgment and expertise.

One of the most valuable practices I follow is to religiously and daily reflect on my performance throughout the previous work day. This way I was able to evaluate, analyze, reason, and make necessary changes to improve and/or change my performance. Change is necessary for growth and betterment. One of my favorite quotes is by Henri Bergson: "To exist is to change. To change is to mature. To mature is to recreate oneself endlessly." Creative Evolution, 1907.

Read, research, and ask Professor Google to enable personal growth and intelligence. More specifically, study Philosophy for ideas from the past. It is all part of being a life-long learner. Maintain a Servant and other leadership philosophies library. Mine has grown to around 35 different leadership books and a half-dozen Philosophy books. LinkedIn can be a great source. One of my favorite contributors is Andre van Heerden, who posts weekly leadership articles. My computer leadership folders contain over 100 articles that I have downloaded from various sources. These assist greatly with my writing of articles and my current book, including a Reference List. My Motto: "Keep the Servant Leadership Quest Alive"

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Transformative Servant Leadership for accountability and transparency version 42Lead by Serving: Put the needs of others before your own. Champion Justice: Stand against any form of corruption or misuse of power, promoting fairness and transparency in all your actions. Encourage Growth: Just as the parable of the talents teaches, foster an environment where growth and development are encouraged. Hold individuals accountable for their contributions while supporting their progress. Lead by Being Accountable: Be the transformation beacon you want to see in others. Demonstrate accountability and transparency in your own actions, and others are more likely to follow suit. Listen, empathize, and be transparent.