When we started our ministry, we realized very quickly that it was going to be unlike any experience we had in ministry up until that point. We always said we weren’t afraid of hard work, and this new venture was to be the true test of that statement. We have been challenged, stretched, and amazed by all that has happened since founding Invest Leadership Initiative almost two years ago; it has been the ride of a lifetime. There is one lesson that we needed to learn right out of the gate, however, and that was this: only healthy things grow. No matter how hard we worked or how clear our vision, we knew that we would be unable to move forward if we did not make the health of our team and our organization the greatest priority. It was true for us and it is true for you: if you want to experience growth, you must first invest in health. Vision, commitment, and your work ethic are all incredibly important; they will keep you going on days when you feel stuck. But at some point, you will need to build enough momentum to carry you to the next level. Momentum is not built by sheer force of will; momentum is built when your team, projects, and organization are healthy enough to sustain themselves. Your leadership should add to the health of your team, not define it. The health of a team is not built on any single member. Instead, it flows out of community and trust. [bctt tweet="Your leadership should add to the health of your team, not define it." username="dukematlock"] Patrick Lencioni, author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, recently did an interview in which he discusses this very issue. Lencioni is an expert in the development of healthy organizations. In this article, he says that healthy organizations are not always well-known or experiencing incredible numerical growth; many of the healthiest organizations are smaller, run by leaders and teams that are simply committed to their mission and their customers. These teams are made of people that trust one another and are fully committed to the vision of the organization. Healthy teams aren’t always famous, but they are always effective. [bctt tweet="Healthy teams aren’t always famous, but they are always effective. " username="dukematlock"] We spend a great deal of time trying to discover the keys to growth and success. But perhaps the better question is in reference to the health of our organization. Is your organization healthy? Is your team healthy? Are you healthy? If the answer to any of these questions is no, you will find it nearly impossible to experience growth. Just as you could not expect to see positive results in your body unless you were to begin exercising and eating well, you cannot hope to see positive results in your organization unless you tend to the needs of your team. Just as an unhealthy tree cannot bear fruit, an unhealthy organization cannot experience growth. I truly believe that the key to unlocking potential and building momentum is a healthy environment. Cultivate health; devote yourself to becoming the best possible version of yourself. Before you hope to see external results, check the internal heartbeat of your organization. Commit yourself to the pursuit of health and you will be amazed at the growth that inevitably follows. Keep growing strong, friends. [bctt tweet="The key to unlocking potential and building momentum is a healthy environment." username="dukematlock"]
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