This past weekend, I completed a home improvement project that I had dreaded for about a month: hanging our television on our wall.
I know that successfully mounting our TV does not qualify me as accomplished. Similarly, I realize that most people tackle this type of work in short order. Give the typical person an hour and it would be finished.
But, my hesitation stemmed from a belief of mine about my abilities to do just about anything with tools: I am not handy.
This hesitating belief, along with a series of other events from last week, got me thinking about something that I do think I'm good at: organizational culture and what it takes to build a successful one.
First, at a recent meeting, an educational leader talked about a disciplinary situation involving a kid that "wasn't a bad kid". This comment made me bristle. Behaviors are good or bad; people are gifts from God.
Second, I read through and approved a posting for a faculty position that listed out the school's beliefs: "The ideal candidate for this position believes: Students are granted individual gifts and talents by God to do his work."
Third, my family and I watched Inside Out 2 (on our freshly attached TV) in which the main character, Riley, behaves in a manner consistent with her evolving beliefs: I am a good friend, I am brave, I am talented.
Fourth, the Gospels from both this past Sunday and Monday present Mark's and Luke's accounts, respectively, of these beliefs of Jesus:
- Whoever isn't against us is for us.
- Be okay with shared leadership and others doing good work in the name of God. Their successes do not equate to your failures.
- Children are gifts.
- They should occupy a prime position in our lives. There have been a number of Gospel passages of late that remind us of the sanctity of childhood.
Strong organizational cultures stand firmly upon a core set of principles/ideas/beliefs that provide both stability for the group and a compass for adaptation. Similarly, strong organizational cultures experience tight alignment between what they say (mission, beliefs, values, etc.) and what actually takes place across the organization (policies, programs, procedures, actions, words).
As written in the Letter of James, "So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2:17).
Even the most beautifully written mission, belief, and/or value statements carry little significance or meaning if not coupled with action.
Conversely, our actions reveal what we truly believe. Sr. Helen Prejean famously quipped, "I watch what I do to see what I believe."
Given the importance of aligning our works to our faith, consider the underlying beliefs that inspire your words and actions. Think about the number of times that you hesitate because of an underlying belief of inadequacy or act from a belief that limits yours, others, and/or God's potential.
As you recognize these principles that cause you to speak and act, think about the beliefs worthy of our God and therefore worthy of aspiring to: every person is a gift from God; excellence happens on purpose; collaboration is a force multiplier; leadership matters; I can try again.
Then, commit to believing your beliefs and act. Whereas you might end up with a TV on the floor, you might also end up with it ascending and adhering to new heights on your wall.
Aligning your actions to your beliefs might also cause a group of students, teachers, and your entire school community to ascend to new heights as well and maybe even beyond anything that we could hope for or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
Perform works that demonstrate your faith.
Believe and act.
