In the past I have written about organizational culture. Organizational culture is the makeup of all the regular, repetitive practices of those inside your organization. These practices will determine your fruitfulness or lack thereof. In most organizations (business or churches) the culture is not premeditated or developed by leadership. It forms certain practices on its own developing as it morphs. Like yeast in a ball of dough. If your existing culture is not producing as desired or needed, it can be changed, but change is slow.
In the church, you can claim your church is an evangelistic church, but if the practices of your people are not demonstrating an evangelistic fervor, you are not an evangelistic church. That is not in your culture. Likewise many churches consider themselves to be caring, yet few truly care across the board to members and all members of the community alike. These churches culture demonstrate the following: “We are a caring church for those we like and are close to, not to everyone.”
Observe highly productive and fruitful organizations and you will find an organizational culture that drives the organization to fruitfulness (success). Observing these fruitful organizations, you will see certain principles in place, but each organization will have its unique culture. In other words, no two organizational cultures are exactly alike. There is not one size fits all when it comes to organizational culture.
Developing a fruitful organizational culture will take time. To have a new, vibrant culture ingrained in the organization will take three to five years. You start with slow, small steps and slowly, but intentionally move forward. The following are three concepts to consider when trying to implement a new culture within your organization.
1, What do we as an organization value most? How should these values be demonstrated day in-day out? Have you set down and seriously thought (prayed) through the true core values of your organization? It is not a good practice to search the internet for core values. Those are not yours, they belong to someone else.
2, What consistent behaviors of our members will demonstrate the high performance to fulfill these values? Leaders need to identify the behaviors that will demonstrate high yield and then identify current behaviors keeping your organization from being a high-yielding, fruit bearing entity.
3, What would you like the number one talking point to be about your organization both from your members and the community you serve? Does the community know you exist? Do they know why you exist? How can you better assist them in understanding who you are as an organization and why you exist?
Transforming the organizational culture is not for the faint at heart, but the results can be 30-60- or even 100-fold. For the church that is Kingdom fruit bearing. And it is our mandate. Will you begin praying today about the culture within your organization (church) and pray for your part in the transforming of the organizational culture?
George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.