I previously wrote, Bad Culture Eats Good Vision. It doesn’t matter how strong your vision is…you can have the greatest strategy, but if the culture is bad…forget it. You aren’t going to be as effective as an organization as you could be.
Working with a couple of churches recently, I discovered some more ramifications of bad culture. It was obvious from an outside view.
Bad culture:
Corrupts – the organizational structure.
Controls – the growth potential.
Confuses – the team’s communication.
Collides – with good vision.
Curtails – any future momentum.
Contaminates – good team members.
Condemns – the team to mediocrity.
As leaders, we try to make our organizations bigger and better. The truth is, however, that many times, it’s the culture that is holding the team back from growing. It’s the culture that keeps things from being healthy. It’s the culture that’s frustrating people and causing burnout.
Do you want to improve the organization’s effectiveness?
Most often, you’ll need to improve the organization’s culture.
Many times, it’s the culture that is holding the team back from growing. It’s the culture that keeps things from being healthy. It’s the culture that’s frustrating people and causing burnout.
Have you ever worked in an environment of bad culture?
Great post, Ron. I believe that culture is the collective character of your team. Maturity levels, character deficiencies, personal dysfunction, sin, Absalom’s spirit, hyper-competitiveness… all these things enter into the stew of who “we” are. Doesn’t take much to poison the locker room.
In the church, we need have men and women of integrity, humility, and character or all the culture-talk becomes meaningless.
Blessings.
Bill
Good stuff. Thanks Bill