(1) Offer gratitude for specific accomplishments – big and small.
A dozen years ago, I started an all-firm email that I would send over the weekend. That “Why We Love Mondays at Innovest” notes extraordinary effort and accomplishments by members of our team. It often includes milestones like promotions, employment anniversaries, and birthdays. New clients and prospects are mentioned and celebrated. Significant contributions by individuals working on behalf of clients or each other are highlighted.
(2) Tithe and volunteer.
There is no team building exercise that does more multiple “goods” than working for those that are less fortunate. Although many faith-based organizations set up various opportunities for their volunteers, many do not create opportunities for their employees to volunteer outside their organization.
(3) Encourage attending family events.
Our people go beyond the call of duty. We do not want them missing special family events. Ball games, dance recitals, sports tryouts, swim meets, and spelling bees are all important. We know that their work will get done, and together with their close teammates, they will figure out how to solve any problem.
(4) Evaluate your fellow workers with comprehensive peer reviews.
We believe that anonymous peer reviews are another key to our culture. By nature, many churches and faith-based companies are hierarchical. For that reason, it is especially important that those at the top of the organization are evaluated. This will create trust and accountability throughout and, most importantly, illuminate things that can help you improve. These peer reviews are shared with managers and help form a basis for manager reviews as well.
Innovest is over 25 years old. We recognize that some of our tactics are easier for larger firms than smaller firms. We do things today that we could not do in the beginning. But pursuing a strong culture cannot be dismissed as a function of size. Culture is always a key element of any organization’s success – and often a key contributor to failure as well.
