 |
| Courtesy of Google Images |
Ijust read a book on church culture, Cracking Your Church's Culture Code:Seven Keysto Unleashing Vision and Inspiration by Samuel R. Chand.
Dr.Chand has observed many organizations, those with a healthy culture, and those whoare sick. He says, “Many leadersconfuse culture with vision and strategy, but they are very different. Visionand strategy usually focus on products, services, and outcomes, but culture isabout the people—the most valuable asset in the organization. The way peopleare treated, the way they treat their peers, and their response to their leadersis the air people breathe. If that air is clean and healthy, people thrive andthe organization succeeds, but to the extent that it is toxic, energy subsides,creativity lags, conflicts multiply, and production declines.”
It occurs to me that a lone teacher is notlikely to change the entire culture in a school, but each of us has an area ofinfluence, and we can make our influence count for something that matters. Hereis what you and I can do, interacting with our peers, to create an inspiringculture in our own little corner of the school:
- · When working on aproject, give clear directions.
- · Show that you valuethe input of every person.
- · Share responsibility,thereby authority.
- · Cultivate anatmosphere of trust and respect by being trustworthy and respectful.
- · Give specifichigh-fives to show that what each individual accomplishes does matter.
- · Illuminate apurpose for your team, something nearly impossible, then set about to fulfillit.
- · Help one another.Provide your expertise freely.
- · Keep relationships positive. Stay in closecommunication.
- · Rewardinnovation. Learn from failure.
Teams that follow these practices not onlyshine in their own area, their students benefit from the overflow. And whoknows, maybe somebody at the top will notice.
