Transitions - The Open Door Is The One You Walk Through.

Prayer Journal: 8-9-12. Thank You for the staff who've been bold in their concerns regarding morale and order.

When I returned back from Uganda in July of 2012, the directors and pastors began studying a book: FISH! A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results. Don't let the marketing title fool you.  Although, it is a very helpful book, there is a lot required to take action upon it.  And, it's not easy.

For some time, staff morale had been less than positive on the whole.  As this transition began, I felt strongly that we had to do something about it.  Ignoring it would not make it go away.  So, as we read this book together, an idea developed that would be both difficult and refreshing.

We assigned two of our administrative team to gather the staff in teams of 4-8 and guide them in a conversation of "What are the strengths and needed areas of growth here on staff at Central?".  The teams were purposely mixed across the ministries and offered an interesting blend of perceptions.  And, we made sure that senior leaders were not leading the sessions - especially, me - so that the feedback had a high probability of candor and transparency.

After all the groups met, we discussed the results as a leadership team.  Now, as a senior leader who had been here for nearly five years at that point, it was SO hard to listen to the results.  Why? Because of the temptation I fought to take every criticism personally.  I have for some time adopted this leadership principle: "How did I let that happen?"  Rather than blame others for failings, I needed to look in the mirror and ask that important question.

So, learning from the past, we looked at the present and the future.  The question: what can we do about it, now?

Here are some lessons:

• Celebrate the strengths and the areas of growth. As was implied in my prayer journal entry, thank God for the feedback and the courage of those who voiced their concerns.
• Develop a plan to respond. The last thing we were to do is gather feedback and call it a day.  We documented the feedback, discussed it as a leadership team, and built a plan.
• Implement the plan.  There were aspects of the plan we implemented well.  Other parts that fell to the side as the tyranny of the urgent ruled more days than we'd like to admit.  However, all-in-all, morale did improve as we focused on key elements like: clarity and frequency of communication, more times of fellowship, shared decision making, e.g.
• It takes time.  In these exercises especially, we are all from Missouri.  In other words, "Show-Me"!  It takes time to demonstrate that what we heard was important enough to act upon over the longer term.  How long?  Long enough.

I read something recently that reflects what we did in this exercise.  Growing up in my adult working life at Hewlett-Packard, I have been well-versed in the "Open Door Policy."  As a leader, the open door is the one I walk through as I reach out to those in my team and get to know them, listen to them, and express to them that I really do love them in Christ.

As a leader, the Open Door is the one I walk through.