Pinnacle Leaders Podcast: Top Tips from Kingdom Leaders — Building a Team Culture

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ABOUT THE EPISODE

Building a team environment of trust and loyalty is an essential, mission-critical component of creating a healthy, productive organization. A team that can work together with a spirit of unity, mutual respect and trust perpetuates a work culture that encourages high-performance and collaboration. In our latest episode of the Pinnacle Leaders Podcast, Building a Team Environment, Curt Williams, Founder and Executive Director of Youth-Reach, shares Biblical wisdom for how he has successfully built non-profit ministries supported by teams that are committed to each other and the mission of the organization.

TODAY’S GUEST: CURT WILLIAMS

Curt Williams is the Founder and Executive Director of Youth-Reach, a non-profit organization with locations in Texas and Alabama dedicated to building strong men through Christ-centered, residential ministry.

Curt began Youth-Reach as an outreach to the young homeless street kids of downtown Houston in 1984. In 1985, he formally chartered Youth-Reach Houston and moved the boys into a donated home. Later, in 2008, Youth-Reach Gulf Coast was established on a 81-acre campus in Summerdale, Alabama.

Today, Youth-Reach has served over 3,000 boys and young men ages 12-17 at the Texas campus and 18-22 at the Alabama campus. The young men served and their families are never charged for the 24/7 services received.

EPISODE OVERVIEW

At Youth-Reach, the staff operates very uniquely – with all of them living on-site. This organizational structure offers some very specific benefits and, likewise, challenges with encouraging trust and loyalty among our team members.

Creating a unified, positive team environment starts with the hiring process. Youth-Reach hires with the idea that they are not just hiring an employee, but adopting a family member.  The goal is to re-create Biblical New Testament community. Real Biblical community protects each other, lives purposefully together and serves together.

Most all leaders have heard of the three C’s of hiring: character, competency and chemistry. These attributes are particularly important to developing a strong team culture as you consider “adopting” new team members.

The 3 C’s: 

• Character: Staff have to be aligned with the mission and vision of the organization and must have the character to walk out supporting those values.
• Competency: Staff have to have the skills and gifts necessary to get the job done.
• Chemistry: Staff have to be able to enjoy, interact, communicate and fit well within the context of the team.

It’s important to be slow to hire to help provide the time needed to prayerfully determine whether someone is the right fit for your organization. Some key considerations during the interview process include:

• Does this person have the ability to be flexible, adaptable and easily shift with the priorities of our organization?
• Is this person “set in their ways” or do they have a teachable spirit?
• Teams consist of people with different values, opinions and principles. Will this person respond respectfully to ideas that are different from theirs?
• One thing you can’t impart to people is passion. You either have it or you don’t. Is this person passionate about the mission of your organization?

Subscribe to the Pinnacle Leaders Podcast with Dr. Langley to listen this episode and others for more Biblical wisdom on the areas of lordship, leadership and lifestyle.

QUOTES & SCRIPTURE TO REMEMBER

• “Creating a unified, positive team environment starts with the hiring process.” ~ Curt Williams
• “Youth-Reach hires with the idea that we are not just hiring an employee, but adopting a family member.” ~ Curt Williams
• “Real Biblical community protects each other, lives purposefully together and serves together.” ~ Curt Williams
• “One thing you can’t impart to people is passion. You either have it or you don’t.” ~ Dr. Randal Langley
• “Hire people that you like and want to be around. The culture that you create is going to do much for building a productive team that you like to be with.” ~ Dr. Randal Langley

RELATED READING

• Relational Teambuilding (PT690) – This online course available through Christian Life School of Theology Global (CLSTG) provides practical strategies and principles for building synergistic relationships in the workplace and in the Church. Learn more about this course by visiting: https://clstgo-clstglobalonlinelearning.talentlms.com/catalog/info/id:615
• Leaders Under Construction (PT136) – Learn about the facets of ministry and leadership in today’s church. Topics include team ministry, discipline and restoration, promotion in the kingdom, reproducing leadership, the nature of leadership, the leader’s preparation, and the call of leadership. Get started with this online course today at: https://clstgo-clstglobalonlinelearning.talentlms.com/catalog/info/id:274
• Youth-Reach Houston Website – Learn first-hand how Youth-Reach operates and about the mission that guides this ministry by visiting their website at: https://www.youthreachhouston.org/

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