Have you ever wondered "how do I incorporate my faith into my organization?"
For the significant majority of Christians, most of who work outside the church setting, this question is challenging. But, despite the complexity of being an authentic Christian in today's workplace culture, integrating your faith into your work may be easier than you think. Here are three small things you can do to make a big difference in developing a vibrant Christian culture.
Every good leader knows that the individuals they bring onto their team can make or break the success of the entire organization. As a Christian leader, you should always keep an eye towards hiring key players who have a deep faith in Christ. This doesn't mean you have to hire a 100% Christian workforce. We don't recommend that. We recommend that the core individuals on your team believe and live out your core beliefs. When a great environment is created by hiring the right people in leadership positions, the time you'd previously spent is now spent on developing a healthy culture. Be selective!
Consistency is the most overlooked and underappreciated quality of every Christian business leader. Consistency is not flashy, and yet it is one of, if not the most important quality of a leader. When leading any number of people, the best way to create a healthy culture is by building trust in every level of the organization. Leadership flows from the top down, so therefore a bridge of trust must be built all the way from the executives to the laborers. Trust takes time to build. There's no shortcuts to creating a trusting environment. This is why consistency is so important for any business leader. The only way to build trust in an organization is for it's leader to exercise the qualities of a consistent leader. Every. Single. Day.
The next question becomes, "Where does our consistency come from?" For every follower of Christ, our consistency is found in the hope that we have. Whether things are good, bad, or otherwise, we have a strong foundation that surpasses anything that can shake our faith. Our hope leads to our consistency, so without our hope, consistency becomes a result of our own strength. When we rely upon ourselves, our muscles are simply too small to withstand the challenges of everyday life. So, find your hope in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and little by little, day by day, be consistent. You'll find that things will begin to change.
The third and final action to incorporate your faith into your work is prayer. Often there are subtle and sudden opportunities to impact people in the daily rhythm of life. Keeping your eyes open and your heart prayerful is the best way to capitalize on moments you can help make Jesus real to people. Ask God to open your eyes to see people the way he does. Suddenly, a struggling employee, an angry manager, or even a local mission can become opportunities to make an impact. A wise person once said, "life is a space full of opportunities, and our future is dependent on what we do with each one of them." So, pray to God for opportunities, and when he reveals them to you, take full advantage to use the influence you have and make a positive difference.
Small things can make an impact, the sooner you develop your faith and making it known in your business/organization, the bigger the impact will be.