During many years as a consultant to churches and ministries worldwide, one of the most frustrating challenges I’ve discovered within Christian organizations is an overemphasis on loyalty. I know: we all grew up with the understanding that loyalty was good – one of the most important virtues. I was an Eagle scout, and number two on the Boy Scout law was loyalty. That’s probably why so many churches and ministry organizations value loyalty far more than expertise – to the extent that they would rather hire or promote an extremely loyal person over someone more qualified. Call it a loyalty obsession. As a result, many churches and ministries are filled with employees who are very loyal, but sadly, incompetent as well. That’s why I think it’s time we took another look at the concept of loyalty, particularly as it relates to employees.
How employees view their jobs has changed dramatically over the last 10-20 years. My father’s generation were the “men in the gray flannel suits.” They were team players, and kept their jobs for life. Most of my family worked in cotton mills throughout North Carolina, and worked at the same company their entire lives. It was understood that corporate loyalty overshadowed their own personal sense of fulfillment.
Is Your Leadership Hindered by a Loyalty Obsession?
But different generations view their working life through a far different lens. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average worker currently holds 10 different jobs before age 40. Job tenures now last less than four years. Some estimate that today’s youngest workers will hold 12 to 15 jobs in their lifetimes. For a generation that’s grown up with technology upgrades and media change, multiple variations of work environments comes easily. The bottom line? Especially since the pandemic, the world of work has changed dramatically in this culture, and as a result, employee expectations are different as well.
Today, employees care less about loyalty to an organization, and more about accomplishment. Finding a place where they can grow, utilize their gifts and talents, and pursue significance, are far more important than blind loyalty. That doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t value their employer – they just value accomplishment far more.
So in the new world of work, how can a pastor or ministry leader change their attitudes toward employee loyalty, and overcome their loyalty obsession?
5 Keys to Overcoming a Loyalty Obsession
First
Understand that when an employee leaves your organization, it’s not necessarily about you. He or she is not being spiteful, shunning your friendship, or disrespecting your authority. Today, only the most insecure ministry leaders should feel hurt when employees move on to another church or organization. In fact, one pastor I know takes pride in the fact that his employees leave. He feels like he’s training a new generation to go out and grow other churches and ministries.
