Organizational
Life Cycle
Organizational life can be as unpredictable as the weather, but it
is somewhat predictable in stages of development. Like the human life
cycle from birth to aging and death, some organizations have a comparable
life cycle. Unlike the human life cycle, which moves for everyone through
physical stages, the organization cycle is not inevitable. We use this
metaphor to help leaders understand what can happen, usually as a result
of inappropriate leadership.
To grasp the nature of an organizational cycle, imagine climbing a
mountain. As you start at the bottom of the mountain, you begin to climb
through the "Infant Stage" then you proceed to the "Growth Stage" and
then to the "Prime Stage." As you descend on the other side, you find
the "Aging Stage" and then "Dying."
Leaders who understand this potential sequence of change are in a good
position to help the organization avoid deterioration. Describing typical
stages and understanding how they develop helps leaders increase in
confidence and effectiveness.
The Infant Stage.
This stage begins with a dream, vision and opportunity. Almost every
church starts with a person, or group of persons, who has a vision.
In their mind and spirit they see the potential, visualize plans, and
the church is birthed.
The infant church is characterized by strong commitment and purpose.
Although they may feel uncertain about the future, the attitudes of
those involved are positive and supportive. The young church requires
much nurture and attention. Members are interdependent, totally involved
and willing to work together. Those who don't share the dream and aren't
willing to get involved will leave. The infant organization is action-oriented,
opportunity-driven, and vision-focused.
During the infant stage action is more important than opinions. Promotion
and recognition comes to persons who produce. The higher the risk involved
in starting the church the greater the commitment required. Conflicts
may arise over the need for more administration and better management.
Leadership and members alike in the infant organization tend to have
excessive commitments and overbooked schedules. As the organization
strives to grow, its leaders tend to be extremely attentive and responsive
to people's needs and complaints. Leaders and members are personable
and caring.
Organizational structure at this stage is minimal and informal. Programs
and ministries are basic and spontaneous. There are few policies, systems,
or procedures, and limited budgets. Management by crisis can become
the primary method of operation and this hinders growth. The organization
may be highly centralized. There may be no system for recruiting, developing
or evaluating volunteers. There are few official titles, no organizational
chart, or hierarchy.
Changes are easy and quick to make. There is little resistance to suggestions
from a founding leader. Decisions are usually unanimous because each
member feels a high degree of ownership in the group. There is a strong
focus on experimentation with ministries and ideas. The church isn't
large enough to do many ministries so it tends to have a short-term,
one ministry orientation. This can lead to an event or activity centered
ministry which will hinder development of leadership and people-building
processes.
Morale in the group is high while identity and self-esteem are being
developed. The excitement however, is tested by the realities of getting
an organization going. The church is vulnerable because a little problem
can quickly become a major crisis.
The infant stage requires a strong visionary leader who can maintain
a high degree of commitment. The leader must maintain control and have
significant input into the infant organization. It is normal at this
stage that the leader be more hands-on and in control with little or
no delegation, but if the work is to survive he must be willing to listen
and include people. It is essential that the leader's family be supportive
of him and the infant church, and that the larger organization to which
the church is affiliated be supportive and provide external intervention
and help as needed.
The Growing Stage.
At this stage the church's beliefs, values, goals, structure, and actions
become more formalized. The beliefs provide a doctrinal agreement for
organizational action. The goals extend the organization's shared dream
and the structure organizes the action. In this stage members tend to
share a strong sense of mission and purpose. There is a high level of
goal ownership by both leaders and members. Everyone feels involved,
committing time and resources to the church. Volunteers are easily found.
The scarcity of space because of rapid growth is a common characteristic
in this stage.
The early phase of the growing stage is marked by excitement. A negative
result may be a tendency for leaders and members to become complacent.
The new church may be like a baby that gets into everything and has
trouble because it is uncoordinated. It may face a severe crisis precipitated
by fast growth combined with lack of systems, finances, policies, and
structure. Then it may experience a kind of second birth. As it was
birthed physically the first time by the founding leader now it is being
born emotionally apart from the founder. This second birth is more prolonged
and painful than the first.
As the growing stage progresses conflict and inconsistency may become
increasingly evident. The conflict arises on several fronts. As new
people begin to get involved a conflict between the "old-timers" and
the newcomers erupts. This can lead to an "us versus them" mentality.
Conflict may build between the founding leader and those who see the
need for more control and administration. At this point the church may
become like a teenager striving for independence.
During the growing stage changes are suggested from all levels of membership
and are easily adopted and integrated into congregational life. As the
church progresses through this stage, however, change becomes more difficult.
The church's morale and momentum are easily affected by circumstances
and short-term successes and failures. Morale begins to suffer toward
the later phase of the growth stage as tension and frustration mount
over goals, procedures, and the issue of who is in control.
At this stage a founding leader must learn to share control as well
as assign responsibilities. Sometimes a leader becomes arrogant and
unwilling to allow anyone else to be involved in leadership. He may
find it difficult to decentralize the organization and delegate authority
because a suitable control system has not been established. Delegation
without the proper controls leads to chaos. Leadership style must change
from more entrepreneurial to more managerial.
The primary focus at the early part of the growing stage is on people's
needs and getting new people involved. Since the growing church is flexible
there is quick response to human and organizational needs which accelerates
growth. Abnormal development occurs when the church needs administrative
systems and policies but the leader still wants to run a one-man show.
Another potential problem is that a growing church may get into too
many areas of ministry. It may get overextended in both personnel and
resources.
In the later phase of the growth stage it is normal that some conflict
between decision makers and between the administrative and entrepreneurial
styles begins to develop.
Pathology occurs when the conflict ends in a critical loss of mutual
respect and trust among with the formal and informal control of the
decision-making process. This may result in premature organizational
aging. The church may continue running on momentum for a while but it
wit never reach the next stage, or its prime.
Moving to the next stage depends on the development of policies and
rules on what and what not to do. Leadership must learn to delegate
authority not just responsibility. The growth stage may require a crisis
to cure arrogance and push the church on to experience maximized effectiveness.
The church must be able to focus its energies and resources and find
the delicate balance between managing the organization and continuing
to take risks.
The Prime Stage.
The prime stage is still on the upside of the life cycle. It extends
from about two-thirds of the way up to the peak. This stage is characterized
by high visibility for the church. A strong understanding of its common
purpose and mission continue to energize and drive the church. It knows
what it is doing, where it is going and how to get there. It makes plans
and then follows up on those plans. Members are enthusiastic and willing
to get involved. New members are exceed and quickly find a place to
become involved. The vision of the organization is becoming a reality
as the organizational structure and functional systems are working to
maximum efficiency. A strong results orientation increases the satisfaction
of the members and newcomers. The church reaches out to others, developing
its members, and living out its dream in Christian love.
Structures and ministries are now created in response to new needs.
Positive and effective delegation begins while new roles and responsibilities
are created allowing more people to become involved. The church excels
in performance and effectiveness in ministry. As a result it starts
new ministries and programs.
To initiate and implement changes is a major responsibility of leadership.
New suggestions and proposals are seriously considered. There is a willingness
to listen, learn and grow.
Morale at the prime stage is the highest. The church is confident and
secure. People feel positive. Because confidence is strong and morale
is high goals are easily reached and success is the normal expectation.
Leaders must continue to maintain the delicate balance between creating
and managing. It is easy during this stage to get caught into doing
what is customary, but forgetting the reason for doing it. This may
lead to rigid clinging to something no longer suitable. A method may
become more important than the mission it was meant to accomplish. An
activity may be maintained and presumed sacred even though it has lost
its effectiveness.
In the normal development of the church in the prime stage there will
not be enough well-trained people for the ministries. Although there
is excitement, momentum and a willingness to volunteer, there are few
who have been adequately trained. Training must become a major focus.
The greatest challenge is for the organization to stay in the prime
stage full of vision and creativity while managing effectively and continuing
to train people for leadership. Abnormal development occurs if the church
does not redream the dream and allow creative minds to work. The prime
stage church feels alive and senses little need. This can lead into
a maintenance mode. Since it is easier to administrate or manage than
it is to be entrepreneurial the church has a tendency to begin to run
on autopilot. Taking risks is replaced by playing it safe. When the
church loses its entrepreneurial spirit, it begins to age.
The Aging Stage.
This aging stage is characterized by a decline in the members' understanding
of and commitment to the church's purpose. New members do not sense
ownership of the church's purpose. They assume others to be responsible,
so there is decline in involvement. To compensate for this decline more
paid staff are needed.
As the aging stage progresses, the church moves from nostalgia to questioning.
In the nostalgia phase the group reflects on and longs for a comfortable
past. You know the church has reached this phase when you hear: "I remember
when." "We can't do that." "We've tried that and it didn't work."
In the questioning phase, members initially question within themselves,
concerning leadership and church problems. Then the questioning becomes
more intense as groups begin to discuss problems. At this point, either
the organization redefines itself and is revitalized by its dream, or
its rate of decline accelerates. A polarization phase develops, characterized
by a climate in which members mistakenly view each other as enemies,
and conflict erupts.
In the aging stage expectations for growth are lowered. There is little
interest in development of new ministries or new methods. The church
starts to focus on past achievements instead of future visions. People
who follow directions are valued more than people who take risks and
demonstrate creativity. The entrepreneurial visionary spirit is lost.
Money is spent on control systems, leaders' and members' benefits, and
facilities. Emphasis is on how things are done rather than what and
why they are done. Procedures and policies are kept in place even though
they are no longer relevant. Individuals are concerned about the church's
vitality, but the operating motto is "Don't make waves." Changes are
viewed with suspicion and met with increasing resistance. Fewer changes
are proposed, and no change that radically departs from status quo or
disrupts the peace is considered. Congregational morale and self-esteem
increasingly decline. Morale tends to polarize with some feeling positive
about the church and others feeling very negative.
Leaders face a mounting challenge. As the aging stage progresses the
tension between leaders and members builds. There is the increasing
awareness that something is wrong but nobody knows what it is. Leaders
are frustrated and seek to find answers. In an attempt to bring life
the leader may suggest a new program or ministry and begin to implement
it. The new ministry is placed into the existing structure of the church
and brings some excitement and success, but soon the group is back at
nostalgia and aging again.
This cycle is repeated but each time with less excitement and effectiveness.
The group moves from enthusiasm to frustration, to apathy and then to
burnout. When this happens the leader's credibility is lost. The challenge
for such a leader is not just to get a good idea for a new ministry
but to redream the dream and somehow stimulate revitalization of the
whole organization. The only hope is if leader and people can find a
way to return to the birth stage and pray for a new vision.
The Dying Stage.
This fifth stage is characterized by the total loss of purpose and
hope. The mission is not understood. As questioning and polarization
increase, the emphasis shifts to who caused the problem, rather than
what to do about it. There is the assumption that finding the who is
solving the what. Conflict, back stabbing, and infighting abound. This
polarization leads to either a splintering away or a split in the church.
Paranoia freezes the church and everyone is lying low. Focus shifts
to the internal turf wars while the unreached and the newcomer are seen
as a nuisance and ignored. The church disassociates from its community
and the people it should reach and focuses mostly on itself.
Due to the lack of interest and participation, programs and ministries
are eliminated. It is difficult to find volunteers with only 10 percent
of members doing 90 percent of the work. There is no sense of control,
and people are doing whatever they feel is their right. Spiritual growth
is nonexistent within the group even though a few individual members
may be growing. The church is dying but doesn't know why.
Programs, structures, and ministries are deleted for lack of funds
and involvement. The primary goal is preservation and survival. Although
there are many traditions, practices and procedures in place, they serve
little to reach and develop people and to fulfill the mission of the
church.
Changes are nearly impossible. Excuses and rationalizations are made
for why something can't be done. While dying is frightening, changing
is more so. Any suggested change tends to fuel the fire of polarization.
Morale declines to a deep low. Few have any sense of hope and optimism.
No one knows what to do about the problem, but everyone thinks that
it is the other person's fault.
Leadership is extremely frustrated to the point of despair by not knowing
how to stop decline and the infighting in this stage. Frequently the
leader is perceived as the problem which may or may not be the truth.
Leadership takes many hard hits in the dying stage, particularly if
the primary influencers do not support the leader. If the leader is
visionary, creative and aggressive, he will likely not last long in
the church or the group. if the leader is passive and maintenance oriented,
he may make the patient comfortable while it continues to die.
Few churches or groups ever truly recover at the dying stage. If they
do it is because new leadership is able to revive the church with a
vision and strategy. This requires also that the remaining members be
willing to allow a heart transplant and add new life through new members.
Approximately 80 percent of the churches are plateaued or declining.
They are in the aging stage of the life cycle. However falling into
the aging or dying stages of the life cycle can be avoided.
- First keep the vision alive and fresh. Ask God what He wants to
do in your church this year. You can't live on yesterday's dream.
You can only discover God's vision when you are willing to make the
changes necessary to see it fulfilled.
- Second, avoid spiritual decay. Generally the reason the church moves
into the aging stage of nostalgia and question is because leadership
gets there first. Our own spiritual lives can become routine and not
alive. The Jerusalem church in the Book of Acts kept five priorities.
They were committed to: Scripture (Acts 2:42); one another (Acts 2:42,44,46);
prayer (Acts 2:42); praise and worship (Acts 2:43, 47); outreach (Acts
2:45-47).
- Third, avoid maintenance mentality. Don't allow yourself to settle
into the status quo just maintaining the program or ministry. Continue
to press forward and look for new opportunities to move ahead.
- Fourth, refuse to become exclusive in ministry and leadership. Intentionally
include new members in the ministries and decision making process.
Don Bennett, a Seattle businessman, decided he wanted to climb Washington's
Mount Ranier. It's a stiff climb to the 14,410-foot summit, but so many
individuals have reached the summit that it no longer merits getting
one's name in the newspaper.
For Don Bennett, however, the climb was a remarkable achievement, and
papers nationwide carried the news of the first amputee ever to reach
Mount Ranier's summit. Bennett made the climb on one leg and two crutches.
Asked to share the most important lesson he learned from his celebrated
achievement, Bennett spoke of the team of individuals who helped him
attain his dream, and commented, "You can't do it alone."
The same can be said of leading a church through the organizational
life cycle. You can't do it alone. It starts with understanding the
waterway but requires the insight and wisdom of the Holy Spirit to see
through the fog. Accept the challenge, love the people, trust the Lord,
and you can navigate the waters of your organizational life cycle with
success. (James M. Kouzes & Barry Z. Posner, The Leadership Challenge.
San Francisco: Jossey: Bass, 1987) p.23.
