Time well spent: Learn the values of the organization you lead
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Perhaps you are new to leading your church or organization. Perhaps you have been there a couple years. Maybe you are a fixture. No matter how long you've been in your post, a valuable exercise for all leaders is to examine and reexamine the values of the organization you lead. Being able to effectively communicate the values the organization holds dear is crucial to building an organizational culture.
Simply stated, Milton Rokeach defines the term "values" as the "enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct…is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct."
Every organization has them—beliefs that undergird the behaviors of those closely associated with the organization. Leaders are expected to model these values. To accomplish this, take time to simply ask what the values are. Asking as many stakeholders as possible will not only give you a list of values, but it will also unify stakeholders in the values they express.
When I was a new pastor, I met with every ministry team, every small group, and all the staff to be sure we were all on the same page about the central values of the church. I started by asking each group to brainstorm a list of what the church valued. Some groups had more than others, but there were at least 20 values listed each time. Then, I asked the group to consider the list carefully. I told them they could each vote for three values.
Their votes highlighted the non-negotiable values of the church. Which of the values had to be named or the fundamental nature of the church would change? Which of the values were good, but were not central to the church's identity? Something interesting happened. Every group voted and the majority of each group chose the exact same three values each time.
When this value experiment was finished, I was very confident that I understood the values of the church. I wrote about these values over and over again. Our pastoral staff included them in sermons preached. We reminded the church of these values because they informed our culture. These values also served to unify members of the church. If the three non-negotiable values of the church did not align with members of the church, they found themselves looking for a new church! Conversely, the church attracted people with a similar value base.
In addition, understanding the values of the church made it easier for leaders to know what behavior was expected. One of the three values the church chose was "relationship." Because the church was so highly relational, leaders of the church were expected to invest in several members of the church as mentors.
Communicating the values of the church helped everyone understand its mission, its identity, and its unique place in the community. It helped members feel a part of something bigger than themselves, and it helped leaders confidently move the church forward.
We found that reexamining the values every year was highly advantageous to keep the church moving forward. The same is true in other organizations. Learning the values of the organization you lead is time well spent.
 | Andy Zawacki, a former pastor and teacher has a passion for developing leaders who will change the world. He serves as the Head of School at Arborbrook Christian Academy. He is married to Michelle and is dad to triplets, Josh, Anna and Christie. Learn More » |
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