Russ Gehrlein is a longtime friend of NIFW, author, and multi-time Contributor to the NIFW Blog.
“We have a great team!”
I have gotten into the habit of saying this. It’s true that we have a great team–but make no mistake–we do not just happen to have a great team. We have built this team, and many others before it.
I have only been successful in my current position as a Department of the Army civilian because of the great work of the noncommissioned officers (NCOs), officers, and civilians who have been part of our operations team. You may find it hard to believe, but over one hundred thirty employees have worked for me over the past fourteen years. (I can actually name them; I have a list!)
I have had many experiences in team building in this job. I have had to constantly fine-tune my efforts as the members of our team change several times a year as new people come in and others get reassigned. What started out as a challenge has become a strength over time and by the grace of God.
Based on the experiences that God has graciously given me, let me share some basic principles and wisdom learned by experience, sometimes the hard way, that may help you build your teams. Despite the obvious fact that there are many kinds of teams that need to be built, and a variety of approaches to developing them into productive units, I am hoping that what I have to offer will be helpful and applicable to you whether you are a brand new manager or have held this position of leadership for a long time.
Build your team by showing dignity and respect
Let me break down the diverse groups that are represented in our Operations team: we have military and civilian, male and female, officers and enlisted soldiers, young and seasoned, chemical and military police, active duty, reserve, National Guard, and all from a variety of racial backgrounds. This team of unique individuals brings their various strengths to the table and works extremely well together.
When I give my orientation brief to new members of our organization, I ensure they all understand that this will be a safe place to work. There will be no tolerance for sexual harassment or racial discrimination. Every member of the team will be treated with basic human dignity and respect. We make an effort to let all know that everyone is appreciated and is a valued member of the team.
We also do not tolerate disrespect to those who work above us in our higher headquarters or below us in our subordinate units. Allowing yourself or your employees to make jokes or say negative things about leaders or staff members in any organizations you regularly work with will inevitably come back to bite you. It is simply gossip, which is destructive and cautioned against (Prov. 18:8). When you openly despise “those guys”, it is counterproductive and destroys the kind of quality teamwork that you are trying to develop. It would be hypocritical for me to emphasize the importance of treating the people right in front of me with dignity and respect but then doing the opposite to the folks who work down the street or upstairs, even if they never find out about it.
How does this sound business practice that we take for granted in the military relate to what God has called us to do concerning how we treat others? How does it align with the gospel message?
Two things come to mind. First, we are made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). This gives all human beings value in God’s eyes. No one demographic is superior or inferior to another. The second is based on the Golden Rule that Jesus taught, which is closely aligned with the greatest commandment, to love our neighbor as ourselves. We are to simply treat others as we would like others to treat us.
Servant leadership
I have heard it said that all leaders bring joy to their workplaces. Some leaders do it when they step into the office. Other leaders do it when they leave the office. I know which kind of leader I want to be. I want people to feel good about working on my team. It is not about winning a popularity contest. It is about creating a positive environment where all my employees are treated with dignity and respect.
Bill Pence, in his book, Called to Lead shares this sobering observation: “Leaders will always have an impact on their team members, either a positive one or a negative one. A good leader of course wants that impact to be a positive one. A bad leader will often cause a team member to become so dissatisfied that they will leave the team, and perhaps even the entire organization.” That is tragic.
How does this approach to leadership line up with biblical principles? This is what Jesus taught: Jesus said in Matt 20:26, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” In Matt. 23:11 the Lord stated, “The greatest among you will be your servant.” (See Mark 9:35 and Mark 10:43.) Jesus illustrated servant leadership when He washed the disciples’ feet, and, in the ultimate way, in dying for our sins.
Manage relationships, not just workers
I have a theory that my job as a supervisor is to manage relationships on my team, not just manage people. Every relationship needs to be monitored by the leader. The chain is only as good as its weakest link. Everyone must relate to each other, not just to the boss. I am responsible to facilitate, improve, and maintain relationships between employees and not just my relationships with them.
“I have a theory that my job as a supervisor is to manage relationships on my team, not just manage people. ”
As I reflect on this topic a little deeper, it occurs to me that building a team by intentionally caring for the relationships between members is a way of fulfilling the creation or cultural mandate. (See Gen. 1:26-28). God blessed Adam with the responsibility to cultivate, expand, and complete what He began. Just as Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden to work with God as his co-worker, we too have been placed by God in our own respective figurative gardens to fulfill God’s purposes there.
Those who are called to full-time pastoral ministry are often reminded of their roles as shepherds of the flock. However, as I look at my own role as a supervisor/manager, I am also called to be a faithful shepherd of the team that God has placed me over, as long as I am in this position. Let me share some Scriptures on being a good shepherd which I firmly believe can apply to any leader in any setting.
Shepherds who want to be wise are exhorted to pay close attention to their flocks (Prov. 27:23). The prophet Jeremiah spoke often about shepherds. He mentions that God will once again provide faithful shepherds after His own heart, who will lead with knowledge and understanding (Jer. 3:15). Later, he criticizes Israel’s leaders for being senseless and letting the sheep be scattered (Jer. 10:21). I do not know if sheep relate to each other much. They probably do to a certain degree. But people do, and if we are to be attentive shepherds of our team, we need to ensure they get along with each other.
Communicating with your team
So far, I have shared the importance of treating the members of our teams with dignity and respect. I discussed how to approach the leadership of our team and care for the individuals in it with a servant spirit. I presented my radical concept about managing relationships, not just individuals on your team. Lastly, I would like to offer some ideas about how to talk with your team to develop them.
Here are some of the things I have done to develop my team of Soldiers as a civilian supervisor:
I thank them as individuals or as a group when they have gone above and beyond for their dedication and hard work in supporting a major event
When necessary, I criticize sparingly; always in private; never in public
Whenever I see it, I make a point to highlight when someone clearly demonstrates the seven Army values (loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage)
I take advantage of teachable moments to mentor the individuals on my team or as a group
I take the time to share something that I have learned, something that we all need to do to improve or to focus on the positive that may have come out of a negative situation
Pray for your team, that they would see Christ in you, and that God would open up doors
I genuinely care for my people. I take an interest in their personal lives, their families, their health, and their careers. I ask how people are doing; I really want to know. I listen. When they leave the unit, I want to ensure each member of my team knows how much they were appreciated, so they know what right looks like. When they go to their next unit, I am hoping they will do likewise.
I trust that as you engaged with this post, you found at least one or two things that you can do to better manage and build your team in a wise, loving, and Christ-like manner, in whatever field God has called you to serve. These things have worked well for me, by the grace of God, as I have attempted to be the leader He called me to be - a shepherd who faithfully cares for those He has entrusted to me.
Russell Gehrlein is the author of "Immanuel Labor - God's Presence in our Profession: A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Approach to the Doctrine of Work." Russ is a former youth pastor and a junior/high school math and science teacher. In 2006, he retired from over 20 years active duty in the US Army in the rank of Master Sergeant. He currently works as a Department of the Army civilian at the US Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear School in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
You can read more of his work on his blog, “Reflections on Theological Topics of Interest”, at www.regehrlein.wordpress.com.
