Many churches are stuck because they have ignored the importance of organizational health. I’m sure that they never intentionally plan to create an unhealthy environment but I see it happening pretty frequently. Churches quickly find themselves in a place where there are ministry silos operating independently of one another. Competition, jealousy, lack of passion and focus are frequent occurrences in unhealthy organizations.

In The Advantage, Patrick Lencioni says that organizational health should begin with the senior leadership team.

It’s kind of like a family. If the parent’s relationship is dysfunctional, the family will be too.

This principle can also be applied to the church. If the relationship between the pastor and the leadership team is dysfunctional, the church will be too.

So, how does a church turn this around? In The Thank You Economy, Gary Vaynerchuk shares 5 basic building blocks to establish a healthier organization.

  1. Treat your team like adults – Until people prove that they can’t be trusted, allow them to manage their job as they see fit.
  2. Strive to meet individual needs – Some people have kids; others don’t. Some people have family that lives nearby; others have to travel long distances to visit loved ones. Everyone is not the same.
  3. Ensure that your team has the resources necessary to solve whatever problems they encounter – Your team wants to succeed. Make sure they have the resources necessary for accomplishing their goals.
  4. Give your team members the freedom to experiment with new ideas – Reward team members for taking innovative risks.
  5. Make huge investments to develop your leadership team – Many leaders do not make significant investments in team members because they are afraid of losing out when those team members leave. If your church develops a reputation for investing in leaders, the best and brightest will flock to your team.

Churches with excellent systems and strategies are still stuck because they are ignoring organizational health.

How do you make this a priority in your organization?