4 Lessons Learned from the Church for Personal and Organisational Growth

Today I was reading about the Executive shakeup at the Commonwealth Bank. I was reminded of a book I read earlier this year about a Global Church founded over 30 years ago, that has the same leadership team that has grown and moved around the world with them! So I pulled out the book again to remind myself of the lessons I’ve learned from the Church that have helped me personally and in business.

One of the oldest organizational structures in this world is the Church. It has had its good guys and its bad guys and before you stop reading, consider, what lessons can we learn from “The Church”? It is clearly one of the oldest establishments that has withstood many market falls and wayward leaders.

In March this year, my Pastor released a new book – Stay the Path. Bobbie Houston outlines lessons learned on her own leadership journey and how she chose to Stay the Path. Most will have heard of Hillsong. Bobbie and her husband Brian Houston are the Founding and current Global Pastors. Not many companies in Australia keep their senior leaders for more than 30 years. And not just the founders, most of the senior leadership team have been in place for more than 20 years. Imagine keeping your leadership team and key staff through the various changes, losses and ultimate global growth of this “organisation”.

So whether you are a church-goer or not, consider what organisational lessons might be learned from this global success story. Hillsong’s 2016 Annual Report tells of weekly attendance growing (in a CHURCH!) to now 80 affiliated churches in the world, 27 in Australia. I have been a part of Hillsong since 2000, now at Hillsong Wollongong, and have watched it grow and change.

 Here are the tips I have gleaned that kept me focused

1.     Be a person of conviction – Know who you are and where you are headed. Another one of my favourite books is The One Thing by Gary Keller. Focus. Choose a path and stick to it. Avoid “shiny object syndrome”. Decide what you believe, determine your core values and keep them. In business and in your personal life. This life has much to offer, but what will you say NO to? When you feel like giving up, what will stop you from quitting?

And how will you know if you need to quit something that goes against your values?

2.     Know what compels you – Why do you get out of bed in the morning? What energises you? What gets you through the dark days and nights of life and business? What holds you strong and keeps you from chasing the shiny objects? If you don’t have an anchor in your life, find one! I found my anchor over 30 years ago and it drives all my decision making. My second anchor (no ball and chain jokes!) keeps me strong. I am not doing life alone and my faith and my family compel me to continue each and every day.

3.     Stand on the Front Line – once you know what you stand for, stand! The front line in battle is hard, but your battles are not nearly as hard as some face today. Keep it all in perspective and acknowledge that great feeling of victory when you take ground. Taking ground in business is hard work and there are sacrifices involved. Most entrepreneurial stories are not overnight successes. They came with years and years of hard work. Yet we hear the success stories and we want to have arrived – without the battle. But if you want to take ground, you’ll have to fight for it. Make good choices each day, and when you make a mistake or fail (and you will), remember to get up and keep moving forward.

No army won without defeat along the way.

4.     Find your inner strength and keep dreaming – only you can keep your vision alive. What dreams did you once have that you let go of because it just seemed too hard? I recently had to let go of a part of me I loved, but just because I lost that battle doesn’t mean my dream is dead. I took some time and found the strength within me, recovered my dream and am ready to get back on the front line. I have to keep dreaming. I have to Stay the Path. It’s one of my convictions – to never give up J Whether personal or business challenges, we all face them. But we all have amazing dreams. You may dream about having a global business or a global reach, or you may dream about seeing your children lead happy successful lives. Whatever YOUR dream, it’s important and you need to stick at it.

Be focused. Stay the Path.

Churches today are varied in theology and practice, but the institution remains strong. Because the Church is the people within the walls, and those people have conviction, know what compels them, stand on the front line and have an inner strength and vision for the future. I encourage you to visit a church near you and see it from a new perspective.

Read more about Hillsong’s Vision and history on their website and pop in on Sunday!

If you need help back onto the path or want to expand your reach and vision, I provide consulting and coaching services to support businesses and people with real vision and desire to grow, lead and influence.

Feel free to email me at [email protected] or visit www.uniqueleaders.com.au

Michelle Blicavs - Founder, Unique Leaders Network