Organizational Disciplines for Long-term Success

“Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11).

Organizations come and go, few ever make it beyond a century of existence. While this post is not going to provide you with a surefire method of sustaining your company over the long-term, it will give you some ideas on how to set it up for success.

First, maintain a Kingdom focus by making disciples. In business, that means training people who can and will train others. Making disciples is much more than simply equipping one to be excellent at utilizing their skills. The key for any leader to disciple-making is setting a good example and clear standards.

Second, rely on God for direction, resources, strength, and courage. This means staying flexible and open to change, realizing that culture and markets are constantly in flux. Self-reliance based on past experience and personal knowledge is limiting and can prove to be ultimately futile.

Third, achieve unity by being “with” your people. This means taking time to personalize encouragement with each individual (direct reports) and making time for celebrating successes created by the team.

Fourth, measure and reward fruitfulness. People need to know that they are accountable—high expectations lead to high performance. And never forget to hand out appropriate awards and give praise where/when praise is due.

Fifth, inspire, teach, and reinforce organizational values by telling stories. Leaders collect examples of people in their organizations who get it right. They look for practical stories of ordinary people living out their values in extraordinary ways.

Sixth and last, equip and release leaders. This reminds us of our first point as leadership development is the heartbeat of discipleship. If you have an idea that will change the world, inspire, equip and empower others with that same idea. You can change the world!

[Next week we will look at how to determine your leadership philosophy.]