Empowering Leadership Through Effective Organizational Systems
Summary
As we embark on a new year, it's an opportune moment to delve into the critical topic of organizational systems. While systems may not be the most glamorous subject, they are undeniably essential for effective leadership and organizational success. Systems are the backbone of any organization, dictating behaviors and ultimately shaping the culture. They are the invisible forces that either propel us forward or hold us back.
Many leaders, especially those with an entrepreneurial spirit, may find themselves resistant to systems, viewing them as constraints. However, the right systems do not impede creativity; they enhance it. They fuel innovation and sustain change. Every organization is perfectly designed to get the results it is currently achieving. If the results are unsatisfactory, it is often not a matter of changing people but of examining and adjusting the systems in place.
To begin this process, leaders should ask three fundamental questions: What's working? What keeps breaking? What's in the way? Identifying areas that function smoothly can provide insights into successful systems that can be replicated elsewhere. Conversely, recognizing recurring problems can highlight systems that need reevaluation. Additionally, understanding what hinders progress can reveal unwritten or outdated rules that need to be addressed.
Systems and organizational culture are intrinsically linked. Systems determine behaviors, and behaviors define culture. Therefore, to cultivate a desired culture, leaders must implement systems that reinforce the behaviors they wish to see. This involves creating environments that facilitate collaboration, innovation, and feedback. For instance, establishing spaces for personal interaction can foster a culture of collaboration, while robust feedback systems can ensure that employees feel heard and valued.
Ultimately, the systems we create will either propel our organizations forward or hold them back. As we start the year, it's crucial to evaluate both personal and organizational systems to ensure they are aligned with our goals and set us up for success.
Key Takeaways:
- The Importance of Systems: Systems are the foundation of organizational success. They dictate behaviors and shape culture. The right systems enhance creativity and fuel innovation, while the wrong ones can impede progress. Leaders must recognize the critical role systems play in achieving desired outcomes. [03:18]
- Evaluating Current Systems: Leaders should regularly assess their systems by asking what's working, what keeps breaking, and what's in the way. This evaluation helps identify successful systems that can be replicated and problematic ones that need adjustment. [09:41]
- Systems and Culture: Organizational systems and culture are intertwined. Systems determine behaviors, and behaviors define culture. To cultivate a desired culture, leaders must implement systems that reinforce the behaviors they wish to see. [15:17]
- Facilitating Innovation and Feedback: Systems can facilitate innovation and feedback by creating environments that encourage collaboration and open communication. For example, establishing spaces for personal interaction can foster a culture of collaboration, while robust feedback systems ensure employees feel heard. [20:51]
- Continuous Monitoring and Adaptation: Systems require constant monitoring and adaptation. What works today may not work tomorrow. Leaders must implement systems to continuously monitor behaviors and ensure they align with organizational goals. [22:19]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:15] - Introduction to Sponsor
[01:18] - Starting the New Year with Systems
[01:40] - Importance of Systems in Leadership
[02:42] - Systems Enhance Creativity
[03:18] - Systems Sustain Change
[04:36] - Systems and Organizational Results
[05:28] - Learning from Effective Organizations
[06:15] - Identifying Systemic Issues
[07:26] - Systems in the Home
[08:05] - Hiring Systems
[09:41] - Evaluating Systems: Key Questions
[12:05] - Learning from Success
[13:23] - Unwritten and Written Rules
[14:36] - Systems and Culture
[16:38] - Systems for Innovation
[19:07] - Creating Collaboration Spaces
[20:51] - Feedback Systems
[22:19] - Continuous Monitoring
[24:50] - Evaluating Systems for Success
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Proverbs 16:9 (NIV) - "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."
2. 1 Corinthians 14:40 (NIV) - "But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way."
3. Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV) - "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
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Observation Questions:
1. According to the sermon, what are the three fundamental questions leaders should ask to evaluate their systems? [09:41]
2. How does the sermon describe the relationship between systems and organizational culture? [15:17]
3. What example does the sermon give to illustrate how systems can facilitate innovation and feedback? [20:51]
4. In the sermon, what is said about the role of systems in sustaining change within an organization? [03:18]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How might Proverbs 16:9 relate to the idea of organizational systems and the role of leadership in planning and execution?
2. In what ways does 1 Corinthians 14:40 support the sermon’s emphasis on the importance of having orderly systems within an organization?
3. How can Colossians 3:23-24 be applied to the concept of evaluating and improving systems in both personal and organizational contexts?
4. The sermon suggests that systems can either propel or hold back an organization. How does this align with the biblical principle of working wholeheartedly as for the Lord? [24:50]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a system in your personal life or workplace that is not yielding the desired results. What steps can you take to evaluate and improve it? [05:08]
2. Consider a time when you felt restricted by a system. How can you shift your perspective to see systems as a means to enhance creativity and innovation? [02:57]
3. Identify an area in your organization where collaboration is lacking. What practical steps can you take to create spaces or systems that encourage collaboration? [19:32]
4. Think about a recurring problem in your life or organization. What might be the underlying system causing this issue, and how can you address it? [12:23]
5. How can you implement a feedback system in your personal or professional life to ensure that you are continuously improving and aligning with your goals? [21:11]
6. Reflect on the culture within your organization or family. What systems are currently in place that shape this culture, and how can they be adjusted to better reflect your desired values? [15:17]
7. As you start the new year, what personal systems can you put in place to ensure you are working wholeheartedly as for the Lord, as mentioned in Colossians 3:23-24?
Devotional
Day 1: Systems as the Foundation of Success
Systems are the unseen structures that guide the behaviors and culture within an organization. They are essential for achieving desired outcomes and can either enhance or hinder progress. While some may view systems as restrictive, the right systems actually foster creativity and innovation. Leaders must understand the pivotal role systems play in shaping the results of their organizations. By recognizing the importance of systems, leaders can ensure that their organizations are designed to achieve success. [03:18]
"For by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory." (Proverbs 24:6, ESV)
Reflection: What system in your life or work do you currently view as a constraint, and how might you reframe it to see its potential for fostering creativity and success?
Day 2: Evaluating and Adjusting Systems
Regular evaluation of systems is crucial for organizational success. Leaders should ask themselves what's working, what keeps breaking, and what's in the way. This process helps identify systems that are effective and can be replicated, as well as those that are problematic and need adjustment. By continuously assessing systems, leaders can ensure that they are aligned with organizational goals and are conducive to achieving desired outcomes. [09:41]
"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (2 Corinthians 13:5, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one system in your personal or professional life that is not yielding the desired results. What steps can you take this week to evaluate and adjust it?
Day 3: Systems and Culture Interconnection
Organizational systems and culture are deeply intertwined. Systems dictate behaviors, and these behaviors, in turn, define the culture. To cultivate a desired culture, leaders must implement systems that reinforce the behaviors they wish to see. This involves creating environments that promote collaboration, innovation, and feedback. By aligning systems with cultural goals, leaders can foster a thriving organizational environment. [15:17]
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, ESV)
Reflection: Consider the culture you wish to cultivate in your community or workplace. What specific system can you implement or adjust to reinforce this desired culture?
Day 4: Facilitating Innovation and Feedback
Systems can be powerful tools for facilitating innovation and feedback. By creating environments that encourage collaboration and open communication, organizations can foster a culture of creativity and ensure that employees feel heard and valued. Establishing spaces for personal interaction and robust feedback systems are key to achieving this. Leaders must be intentional in designing systems that support these goals. [20:51]
"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:4, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent situation where you felt your voice was not heard. How can you create or advocate for a system that ensures open communication and feedback in your environment?
Day 5: Continuous Monitoring and Adaptation
Systems require ongoing monitoring and adaptation to remain effective. What works today may not work tomorrow, and leaders must be vigilant in ensuring that systems continue to align with organizational goals. By implementing systems for continuous monitoring, leaders can proactively address issues and make necessary adjustments to propel their organizations forward. [22:19]
"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." (Proverbs 4:23, ESV)
Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you have become complacent. What steps can you take to actively monitor and adapt this area to ensure it aligns with your personal or professional goals?
Quotes
The right systems actually enhance. They don't impede creativity, and they definitely fuel innovation And then help sustain innovation. They help change, and then the right systems help sustain change because at the end of the day, we say all the time, organizations do what they're organized to do. [00:03:10]
Every organization is perfectly designed to get the results it's currently getting. So if you don't like the results, you have to address it, not just at the personality level. We'll talk about that in a minute because that's always the first thing. We need a new president, we need a new manager, we need a new team, we need new people. [00:04:40]
Three questions to keep it simple. What's working? What keeps breaking? What's in the way? What's working? What keeps breaking? Where am I like that again, that again, that again, didn't we already talk about that? We just spend three hours solving that problem. And then number three, what's in the way? [00:09:49]
What's working what in our organization or what department or division, what requires so little maintenance? We almost forget about it. It's just invisible, it's just happening. I'll give you an illustration here. We're an events organization. I mean, we're a network of churches, but end of the day, we're in events. [00:10:09]
Organizational systems and organizational culture are definitely joined at the hip. I don't think you can separate those, everybody, including me. We love to talk about organizational culture, but again, you can work to increase or improve organizational culture, but if you don't address the systems behind it oftentimes is' an exercise in futility. [00:14:48]
Systems actually determine our culture because our culture, organizational culture is how we behave. A culture is this is how we do it here. This is how we communicate here, this is how we meet here, this is how we begin meetings here. This is how often we meet here. I mean, all of that is culture. [00:15:13]
So in an organization that depends on or that thrives on, or its profitability, depends on innovation. We have to ask the question, what organizational behaviors facilitate the discovery of innovation and facilitate innovation? And then back up and say, what can we put in place in the organization that creates those behaviors? [00:16:44]
We shifted the conversation and we came up with six behaviors. So then we had to ask the question, if this is how we want people to behave at work, and when I say behave, I'm talking about both the practical work stuff and the personal stuff. Take it personally. Take it personally, make it better, make it better. [00:17:48]
We want there to be cross-pollinization of ideas and personalities. We want people to have a best friend at work. We want people to enjoy work. Okay, that's a value. Alright, then what are the behaviors that facilitate that? Well, there needs to be collaboration space. So what can we do systematically to create the potential for collaboration that results in the friendships and the on and on and on we go. [00:19:21]
We also want to know what people are feeling. Very few people are willing to walk into their boss's office and say, lemme tell you what I'm feeling. Because it's so tactile. Those one-on-ones are so practical at times. So again, if we want good relationships on staff, then we need to know what's going on other than just anecdotal evidence. [00:21:12]
Every organization has feedback loops. They're not always healthy, but they are there. And if you want a robust, helpful feedback loop, that is a system you create. And once people understand the system and begin to participate in the system, that's a behavior that then creates an output that facilitates progress. [00:21:42]
The systems that we create will either propel our organizations or they're going to hold us back. So now as we start, the year is a great time to evaluate our personal and organizational systems to make sure they're setting us up for success this year. [00:24:46]
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