Someone shared an article with me by Raymond P. Rood entitled “How Then Should Organizations Live”. (http://www.humantechnologies.com) In the article Rood makes the point that every organization has three basic needs. They are growth, maintenance, and development.  For an organization to thrive it must do all three well.  Yesterday at our all day staff retreat we expanded our thoughts on these three needs as they relate to the life of our church and each individual area in which we serve.

Growth: Rood says “growth needs focus on productivity and expansion.”  The growth of any organization is vibrant and fast-paced and requires lots of energy and attention. It’s a world of numbers and percentages of increases.  Without growth, the organization will eventually die, but if an organization only grows and never matures, that growth will not sustain itself for long. 

Maintenance: According to Rood, “maintenance needs focus on order and the reduction of problems.”  The more an organization grows, the more it needs a structure in place to manage the growth; that’s maintenance.  Some people love the maintenance world.  It’s my least favorite, but it is extremely necessary for the organization to remain healthy.  Still, if all an organization does is maintenance it will become dull, boring, legalistic, and uninspiring.  (Did I paint that well enough?)  Some organizations, and even churches, die because they live in the maintenance world.  They become one large bureaucracy of rules and regulations designed with good intentions to sustain the organization’s growth.   That leads to the third basic need of organizations:

Development: Rood writes that “development needs focus on organizational quality.”  The development needs of an organization are designed to take it to the “next level” of success.  This is where an organization really matures, develops lasting principles and values, and prepares itself for years of growth and success.  Without developing an organization it will eventually wither and die. 

My experience leads me to believe that every person in an organization prefers to live in one of these basic needs.  Some prefer to always focus on growth, some on maintenance and others on development.  I’m a development guy.  If that’s all I had to do, I’d be happy.  To be an effective leader of Grace Community Church, however, I must discipline my time to focus on all three needs.  I can specialize in one, but I must be committed to playing a part in each area. 

Considering these three basic needs, consider your own organization or area of responsibility.  Which of these are missing in your equation?  Which do you prefer doing?  Should you discipline yourself in the other areas so you can be a healthier organization? 

Related posts:

1. 3 Activities Every Organization Must Have For Success
2. Don’t Confuse Critical Thinking With Negativity
3. 10 Characteristics of a Healthy Organization or Team
4. 2 Critical Needs For Building a Healthy Team in Your Organization
5. Planning for Sustainment Within an Organization