4 Ways to Regain Organizational Traction as You Gear Back Up

The headline in the May article of Nonprofit Quarterly begs the question:

“Are Nonprofits Ready to Reopen? What Do We Need?”

The story by Martin Levine quickly shifts to the unwelcome reality:

“As states ease their restrictions, nonprofit leaders at all levels face some unsettling questions.

• Have we reached a point where we can safely open our doors?
• Is the virus sufficiently under control, and are we convinced we will not be adding unnecessary contagion opportunities by resuming ‘normal’ operations?”

How will faith-based organizations, including churches, parachurch ministries, and Christian-led companies re-set and move forward through this unprecedented “new normal?”

With near certainty:

• the answer will look different for each organization;
• one steep challenge will be the tension people feel as they return to work and change the new habits they’ve come to appreciate from working at home;
• how leaders handle these changes will have a long-term impact on the organization, whether good or bad...;
• if an organization wants to pivot and move forward it must reclaim the importance of life-giving work in employees to fulfill the mission of the organization.

To achieve this, Christian organizations will need to shift on the fly and gain traction as they:

1. Pause and reassess what is and is not working in the current and recent phases;
2. Reinforce its commitment to be sure each person is aligned with the organization’s purpose and how it connects with each job;
3. Re-connect people as they return to the workplace. Though many will still be working from home, this will cause another shift in managing the team and building a new sense of teamwork;
4. Innovate and continue to reinvent the workplace vs. dusting off well-worn routines;

It all adds up to improving your employee engagement and workplace culture. Culture builders create new rhythms and new ways of working that bring your people together—in both physical and virtual spaces—for the good of those your organization serves.

And here’s the built-in bonus: Regaining organizational traction in this critical hour can improve your organizational culture and any employee’s personal character. Growth on the inside results in thriving on the outside. In his recent podcast, “Four Things I Wish I’d Known Before the Pandemic,” Michael Hyatt said it best:

“The thing I’ve been struck by with this crisis is how much these always give us a chance to stress-test our character and give us the opportunity to grow.

“The great thing about a pressure-filled stress test like this is you find out where you still have some work to do and where you need to polish not only your business but your own character.

“So, don’t waste this crisis, either for your business or for yourself. Use it as an opportunity to improve.”

For every leader and organization committed to furthering God’s Kingdom here on earth, that opportunity is now.

Additional Resources

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