Organizational Unity By Vicki Harris

By Vicki Harris~

Success  happens if you have organizational unity and everyone is working towards the same mission and goals. It is the true essence of Christianity and a dynamic example of how unity and humility will bring continued blessings.

Creating and maintaining unity takes a great deal of effort. We are committed to do all we can to maintain unity within our ministry. This past year, we were able to travel to the various countries to connect with the regional offices, country directors and leaders to conduct a general overall assessment of the management policies, practices and procedures for each individual country. We wanted them to know that we respect and celebrate their unique cultures.

I was able to provide training and development sessions for our U.S. leaders as well as leaders and staff members abroad. I began with a reminder of Our Daily Bread’s mission, vision and values — and our Oneness Policy. I also held sessions involving communications, leadership principles, team building dynamics and HR disciplines. This endeavor was a huge success for our HR department, as we were able to build authentic relationships and trust with leaders and employees worldwide.

With the executive leadership in these offices, we discussed and determined ways we could work together to maintain balance between ministry principles and the individual country’s laws. We were able to do so by standing firm in who we are as a ministry and making sure that how we treat our employees remains in alignment with our guiding principles.

The key objective that we foster and strive to model as HR professionals in our organization is to nurture and create an atmosphere and culture where everyone is thriving. No matter what role they are currently in, everyone adds value and works together to advance the kingdom. Some other critical values we cultivate with our employees and leaders are excellence, interdependence, collaboration, character, respect, diversity, innovation and being servant leaders/employees who are gifted, godly and globally minded. To achieve our goal of developing new and existing leaders who are globally focused, we seek to improve their capacity to provide efficient and effective global reach and service.

The key to moving any organization or ministry forward lies not in promoting competition or independence but in winning employees’ complete cooperation, trust and loyalty.

In order to do this, leaders must foster an atmosphere of trust that secures collective participation among employees at all levels. Actively supporting cooperation, built on interdependence, is the most effective strategy for creating and sustaining strong collaborative employees.

The central theme for our global HR department is maintaining alignment with the individuals who advance the ministry, as well as alignment with the organization. It begins with caring, expressed by L.O.V.E. —

Lasting

Outstanding

Visionary

Employees.

LOVE is the foundation to global HR excellence.

Organizations committed to building effective leadership, maintaining a biblical foundation for managing and developing leaders, investing in and empowering future leaders, and promoting diversity, will build ministries that thrive on the strength of their employees’ gifts, talents, energy and creativity. This all leads to great organizational unity.

####

Vicki Harris is vice president of global human resources at Our Daily Bread Ministries. She has more than two decades of leadership experience in human resources and organizational development and is passionate about serving her local community and ministry.

Want to learn more about what L.O.V.E. has to do with it?

Register for the Outcomes Conference, April 19-21,2016, and plan to attend the Workshop being taught by Vicki Harris titled,  L.O.V.E: (Lasting, Outstanding, Visionary, Employees).  This is one of many learning experience Christian Leadership Alliance has prepared to advance the leader in you!

www.OutcomesConference.org