Successful Ministry requires People who learn to work together In Teams

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

This passage emphasizes the benefits of working together and supporting one another. It highlights the idea that a team can accomplish more together than each individual can separately, and they can provide mutual assistance and encouragement in times of need. The imagery of a cord of three strands suggests that when individuals join forces with others, their collective strength is even greater, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and teamwork.

This is Blog 6 on reflections for the church based on Peter Senge's book, The Fifth Discipline.

Imagine listening to a great orchestra. The sound is exquisite; all musicians seem to share the same voice. The cellos, violins, harps, and wind instruments work together to achieve what individual musicians, on their own, never could. A good orchestra is a perfect example of a team working in alignment. An individual musician may get lost in their own work, practicing their own personal mastery, but everyone remains highly attuned to each other in an orchestra. 

In the workplace, such alignment is rare. It’s much more common to see teams of talented people trying very hard but getting nowhere. Why? Because people are actually working in silos and often in opposition to each other! 

So, how can we master team learning, an approach that encourages people to complement each other’s skills? Well, the most important thing is to practice new ways of communicating. We’re all prone to what Harvard researcher Chris Argyris calls “defensive routines.” These are fixed behaviors that we employ to avoid threats. For example, if a colleague challenges us, we may try to appease him to avoid conflict. Or we may launch a counterattack, going all-in to prove our point. But both responses prevent team learning because neither of these actions genuinely allows us to communicate with each other. 

It’s possible to deal with these defensive tactics. But, to do so, we need to learn to enter into a creative dialogue, a type of conversation where we lay aside all our assumptions. In a previous blog, I mentioned challenging our mental models. That is essential training for this style of communication. 

We also need to practice “deep listening,” in which we listen to what our team members say. 

Of course, like any new skill, team learning will take a lot of practice. Great orchestras appear to play effortlessly, but stellar performance requires countless hours of strenuous rehearsal. Churches are similar. To become great at team learning, we must practice it daily. Dialogue sessions with clear ground rules can be a beneficial exercise. And, of course, church organizations also need a healthy appetite for critical reflection.