Dave Ferguson, lead pastor at Community Christian Church, wrote an excellent article on the secrets of great team leadership. I’m convinced that our movement building teams would be much more successful if we could embrace the secrets of “cause, community, chaos, and culture.”
The Secret About the Cause
“We are committed to the cause first and each other second.”
Dave writes that great leadership teams are always clear about the cause. A lot of other stuff may get fuzzy, but the cause is always very clear.
Causes are most often embodied in mission or vision statements. For example, within Campus Crusade, we’re committed to building movements everywhere so that everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus. At its heart, this statement reflects our commitment to building the kingdom of God, to helping “change the world” as Dr. Bright used to challenge us.
If we want to change the world, this cause must be more important than the organization we serve or those with whom we serve.
Dave suggests that if the cause is not compelling and the culture of our movements weak, organizations like Campus Crusade or churches are tempted to make policies to achieve our ends. But policy is what happens when we can’t get people to do what we want them to do because people are not championing a clear cause.
In Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith’s great book, Wisdom of Teams, they make it very clear: “The primary objective of the team must be performance results (cause), not becoming a team.” One of the great mistakes is forgetting that the cause is what creates community or team. Ask yourself, “Why do men always remember athletic teams or army platoons as the place where they experienced the most genuine community?”
Answer: because a clear cause created community. The cause of winning a game created a team. The cause of defeating a common enemy created a team.
The Secret about Community
“We don’t know when we are working and when we are playing.”
Dave says working with his lead team is like taking recess.
Sure, there are times we fight about who gets to go down the slide first; but it’s still a playground, and it feels a lot more like recess than school. In my 14 years as a part of the leadership team I don’t remember one day (literally) that I looked at my watch thinking, When is it going to be 5 o’clock so I can leave work? It sounds trivial, but being a part of our leadership team is just plain fun! Working and playing feel the same!
Does working with your campus or community team feel like play? It’s hard to build movements when you don’t like standing shoulder to shoulder with those you’re working, er playing, with.
Dave suggests that leadership teams are built around the three C’s of character, competency, and chemistry. At the top, however, is chemistry. For us, chemistry is always the first priority.
We have a chemistry test that a prospective team member must pass. We call it the “parking lot test.” The “parking lot test” is comprised of one question we ask ourselves before we put someone on our staff team: “When we drive up, are we glad to see their car in the parking lot?” If we are excited about seeing their car and knowing we will find them inside, they pass — there is chemistry! If we feel our stomach sink knowing they are inside, they fail — no chemistry!
What contributes to the chemistry of a great team? First, complementary gifts help create the chemistry. Second, chemistry comes when we all buy into a common strategy. And third, chemistry happens when the esprit de corps is so strong that members can’t imagine doing anything else.
The Secret about Chaos
“We may look crazy to you, but there is a method to our madness.”
Dave writes that one of the secrets of a great leadership team is that in their relentless pursuit of the cause they become a community with unique characteristics according to how God made them. This may appear crazy or chaotic to the outsider, but there is a unique method to their madness.
These characteristics are often paradoxical. Here are some of the paradoxes Dave finds in his diverse leadership team.
Highly Collaborative AND Very Competitive
Every person in our lead team is very competitive. We want to win in basketball, and we want to win the argument. But at the same time we know if we are going to win our part of the world for Christ (back to the cause that creates community), this will take collaboration. So we collaborate on everything.
Very Compassionate AND Comfortable with Conflict
Patrick M. Lencioni, in his book, Five Dysfunctions of a Team tells us that healthy teams are comfortable with conflict. Dave admits that his team is definitely comfortable with conflict — confronting, challenging, debating, and sometimes yelling (and later apologizing). But, he knows that when he needs the group to rally around him, they will be there for him. He never doubts that his team loves him.
Loves Spontaneity AND Wants Accountability
“Lead with a yes” is a saying Dave loves to hear expressed. He loves to have his team flexible and spontaneous enough to default to yes at each new idea. Such spontaneity however is balanced by desire for accountability. Dave says:
We want accountability for how we are doing versus the goals we set for ourselves a year ago. We want and expect accountability for the ministries we oversee. We want accountability for our budget areas.
The Secret about Creating Culture
“We REALLY are going to change the world.”
Dave believes that the leadership team of a church or movement will create the culture and the ethos for that church or movement. When the lead team is clear about the cause, willing to die for the cause, and where serving together feels like recess, you’ve created a culture where people start to believe that we really are going to change the world!
Tremendous sacrifice is normal where cause, community, chaos, and culture come together to create the belief that this church or movement is up to something big and special. And it all starts with the leadership team. It is the microcosm of the rest of the movement.
They are very clear about the cause and willing to die for it. When they serve it feels like recess, and together they believe that they really are going to change the world!
As you think about your campus or community team, how are you doing? Is the cause first and your team members second? Is the chaos of diverse, talented people held together by play and by a group chemistry? Do you have a sense that you really are helping to change the world?