What Senior Leadership Needs to Know

Servant Leadership

Having expanded the Employee Resource Group (ERG) since the pandemic began, Johnson sees the company consistently reaping benefits from an increase in open conversations, which, in turn, has led to barriers being broken down. “We now have a This is Faith ERG with members of all faiths,” he says. “Members celebrate different religions and holidays, and people come to the table not to discuss religion but more to focus on the fact that another’s faith is not an intrusion on their own. We respect everyone for what they believe and celebrating that diversity of thought is making the company stronger.”

Johnson believes executives’ conversations about faith give subordinates tacit permission to do the same. “Leaders must simply challenge themselves and ask: If I’m a Christian, why don’t I act that way in the workplace? This is Faith has given me the opportunity to speak about my faith rather than feeling like it is almost an obstacle to my work.”

Internal and Beneficial

In the big picture, he says, inclusion is about retaining talent and driving value. To be effective leaders, executives must appreciate and leverage the diversity of their team members. While individual groups may focus on a single point of view, Johnson takes a broader view, exclusive of appearance or other external factors. “I want to know a person’s background how or where they were raised, or whether they come from the private or public sector because diversity of thought is what drives the value in a business. I appreciate D&I and I love where we are going with it, but I also recognize that the point of embracing diversity is not celebrating what people look like but how they think.”

Overcoming Challenges

For owners and executives who wish to replicate these programs, Johnson’s advice is focus on servant leadership. “If someone asks why they should do this, you don’t answer. You ask, ‘Why wouldn’t you?’ Ask them to weigh what they consider to be a potential downside against the benefits to be gained by giving people purpose in life.”

The “Why?” is allowing people to bring their whole self to work and not just clocking in and out. I want their whole being to be there, so I will provide a rewarding environment for them to work in.

To take first, or next steps, Johnson recommends meeting with the Endeavor Team, who can provide a template to start the process and Endeavor will follow alongside. He explains, “We want other businesses and churches to join us in this movement. Servant leadership is good business for everyone.”