Accountability, Innovation, and Stewardship

 

               

           Accountability in any organization has to start from the top. A leader’s example will dictate how rules and authority is received and adhered to by everyone else. Simply stated, leaders cannot live above the rules. I have unfortunately been a part of multiple organizations where this wasn’t true. At one place it was with company resources and time. The leader would routinely work less than everyone despite everyone being on salary and expected to work forty hours. He would also use company resources to accommodate himself but rarely offered or allowed it to be given to employees. This led to a disrespect for the rules among some individuals in the organization because if the boss didn’t have to follow them, why did they? It also led to some people, like myself, to become disillusioned with the leader because of his seeming lack of integrity and ethics. A second piece to fostering accountability is by being approachable. It’s good to have rules and goals that must be reached and followed, but if a leader really wants to succeed, there must be others within the organization who can call them out without fearing their job or retaliation. It’s unrealistic to think that we will always be aware when we need to improve or do things differently. Being humble enough to receive feedback or correction is incredibly important if we want to be leaders who continually grow organizationally and personally.

        Pumping in oxygen for innovation within a tradition mired organization can be extremely hard. On a very basic level, leaders should always listen and explore new ideas, even ones they think are stupid or a waste of time. If a team watches a leader shoot down a new idea immediately, what is the likelihood that they will propose a new idea? Plus, by working through an idea, those involved may think of other ideas that are more plausible or just become more equipped in exploring ideas and solutions. A leader can also set the tone within an organization by being willing to try new things. This may not always be at an organizational level initially, but there should always be a sense within the culture of a willingness to take risks and be innovative to excel and grow within the ministry. When it comes to implanting innovation within a stale organization, I’ve learned that resistance to change often stems from the loss it creates. Leaders may find better results if they deliver change by focusing on what individuals are gaining through the experience rather than just saying it’s better than the old or it’s going to improve the ministry. There must be something tangible that others can see and resonate with. Additionally, whenever change is being approached, it’s vital that leaders also show how the change will benefit the organization in living out their vision and core values.

        Stewardship and service tie directly into how biblical accountability and innovation are lived out within a ministry. In regards to accountability, living below expected standards will lead to wasting time, resources, and energy, all of which are being a poor steward. Alternatively, taking unnecessary risks to try new things or refusing to become more effective and efficient by not innovating are also signs of poor stewardship. All of these scenarios will also defect in one’s ability to serve internally and externally for the ministry. Remembering that everything we have has been entrusted to us by God should bring a different outlook into how we use our time and possessions within a ministry. While a bit more extreme than most situations, a friend of mine was someone who understood this well. He served as an elder within his church a few decades ago and it came to light that the pastor was embezzling money from the church by not paying the church’s taxes. When this was discovered, the church hadn’t paid taxes in seven years. My friend took responsibility for the poor stewardship that occurred under his watch and not holding the pastor more accountable. He made the decision to personally pay for the overdue taxes rather than see the church have to take on the burden. One could argue whether this was fully necessary, but nonetheless, he stands in my eyes as one of the greatest examples of accountability and integrity that a leader can have.