3 Ways To Immediately Improve Culture
“Culture trumps everything…. You can get more things accomplished by doing the wrong things in a great culture than doing the right things in a bad culture” -Chris Hodges
I completely agree with Chris Hodges, even though I don’t pastor a church of 300,000,000,000 like he does in Birmingham, AL (Check out Church of The Highlands if you’ve never heard of him). Nothing makes a team, ministry, or organization posses that special something, like having a great culture.
In my world of youth and young adult ministry, culture is EVERYTHING. You can dream big, plan ahead, staff appropriately, and execute flawlessly; but if the culture is bad, an event or service you've spent hours organizing, will be a dud. No one will bring their friends next time. That sucks! Don't let this happen to you!
On the other hand, you can "fumble the ball" in matters of preparation and exuction, but if culture is great, it won't be a HUGE deal. Whether you forget the order of the service, have microphone problems, have the video transition muted for the first 15 seconds, and have a rough time remembering the next point your sermon; if culture is great, students and leaders will have the best night of their lives. They’ll bring their friends and look forward to the next meeting. I’m not promoting lazy leadership or half-butt preparation, but, I do want to let you know that CULTURE MATTERS BIG TIME!
So, here’s there easy ways to start improving the culture of your team or ministry TODAY!:
1. Get the right people around you
The people that you surround yourself with and pour the most energy into not only need to be the highest level capacity leaders available, but they also need to be able to carry the desired culture that you’re trying to nurture into the areas they lead. Think of your inner circle as a little flower pot where you grow the great aspects of culture from seed form into what will one day be a giant tree! Even if it’s just a few people; nurture the desired culture within your inner circle.
You might have to fight against the grain of culture “out there”, but you should never with the ones you surround yourself with.
2. Communicate Values with Emotional Language
People need to know what culture is supposed to FEEL like. Find moments in pre-game or planning meetings to expose your leadership team to the feelings and response that you want everyone who attends to experience. Your team needs to know what good culture is supposed to feel like.
3. Fight for good culture
When people behave contrary to how you’re trying to steer culture, you must confront the behavior. Not fun, but necessary. And remember: you’re not attacking anyone personally, but protecting the group as a whole. Wisdom will show you which battles to choose fight, but what you don’t confront will become what’s “normal” in your ministry.
Don’t let bad culture become normal!!! This is probably one of the most important things you and I can do!
Creating good culture is an uphill journey. As soon as you stop moving, things will begin to slide downhill. But again, it is one of the most important things that we can invest time and energy into.