The Shadow Mission

'The biggest concern for any organisation should be when their most passionate people become quiet.'

Almost every church and organisation now has a 'mission statement.' Its a statement of purpose and intent. Mission statements should bring clarity and transparency - 'this is what we are about, this is who we are and this is what you can expect.'

But often behind the soaring rhetoric and high ideals there can be a different story. Manipulation, abuse, power games and bullying are sadly all too common. It happens everywhere but when it happens in churches that claim to have high ideals, it can be far more devastating. Often it comes out in subtle but toxic ways; micro-management, criticism, anger, gaslighting and power being increasingly centred on the overall leader. Sometimes it is only seen by a small group of people who try and sound the alarm but who are often silenced and who eventually leave. They don't get with the programme and don't worship at the feet of the pastor so no longer fit.

In a healthy, thriving organisation people are trusted and there is clarity of purpose. People have a clear sense of mission and feel they are all working to clear priorities. Successful organisations are values driven and see people as their most precious asset and prioritise culture. Staff who feel safe and valued are more invested in the organisation and committed to excellence. This creates a culture where people are not just committed but passionate and this comes out in every aspect of the company. You hear it when people answer the phone, you see it in the customer care and your see it in the commitment and dedication of the staff. The organisation does not orbit round the leader but around the purpose and mission. That is why some of the best pastors and leaders are unknown. They serve, they are faithful and they never seek power or position.

So what is the shadow mission? This is what happens behind the shiny mission statements and values that are on the wall of most organisations and churches. Staff are no longer trusted and empowered. Instead of clarity there is confusion and manipulation. Instead of people being the focus, the focus is on politics and power. Trust is undermined as leaders micro-manage staff. The mission becomes incoherent as the statement on the wall and the soaring rhetoric on the website doesn't match the behaviour in the office. This has sadly been seen in so many church leaders whose toxic behaviour undermines their public persona.

So how to make sure we don't create a shadow mission?

1. Trust - the key to creating a great culture is trust. Hire staff who are passionate about the job, clarify the role and trust them to complete the tasks that have been asked of them. If they are not performing, chat about this in a supportive and clear way.

2. Integrity - there needs to be high levels of integrity in a team for people to thrive. People need to see that there is coherence between what is said externally and what is practised internally. Can people challenge leadership if it falls below this standard? If not you have a problem.

3. Consistency - organisations often start to fall apart when leaders are inconsistent. We need to be the same person at the kettle as we are in the team meeting. People pick up on small inconsistencies and we need to be leaders who practice what we preach.

4. Clarity - people need clarity, even when things are bad. I have recently watched an organisation in complete crisis but they failed to communicate this and seemed to be in complete denial. If you are going through a difficult patch communicate this to your staff. Clarity helps with coherence: 'we are going through a difficult patch at the moment but we'll keep you informed and we will strive to come through this together better and stronger.' Leaders need to be vision casters and story tellers - they need to be on the business not in the business. They need to be driving not shouting and criticising from the back seat.

The shadow mission creeps in to organisations and senior teams. Gradually a leader starts to change and over time there is an incoherence between reality and rhetoric. Humility is critical. We all make mistakes but we need to acknowledge them and have the confidence that our staff will pull us up when we overstep the mark. Organisations need passionate people who will speak up when things are not right and call them out. The problem for so many organisations if that those people get beaten down and demoralised and then leave. Have the passionate people in your organisation gone quiet? That should be your biggest concern.