How healthy is your team? Go ahead. Rate it from 1-10.  

Now, think about the criteria you used.

Size? Success? Talent? Appearance? Popularity? Any or all of these may have popped into your mind, but to truly evaluate your team’s health, you’ll have to use a different set of measurements.

Ask Yourself These Five Questions:

#1 – Does our team have true character or do we just assume it’s there?

Too often, we rely on assuming character exists rather than examining whether our leaders actually have it. Character is not guaranteed, yet we often believe it naturally comes with Christian upbringing, charisma, or an ability to get results. Nothing could be further from the truth.

#2 – Is our team actually healthy or are we justifying and compensating for unhealthiness?

When we like others, see good in them, or simply want the talents they bring, we often make up for shortcomings in behavior and character. We may convince ourselves it’s not that big of a deal or try to make up the difference for another leader’s unhealthiness, such as being extra nice to make people feel better after an aggressive outburst. Stop settling when things could be so much better.

#3 – Do we see every Fruit of the Spirt or have we given an exemption to some qualities?

It’s so easy to give ourselves a pat on the back when we show extravagant kindness or when we practice self-control. But, we don’t get a pass on some Fruit of the Spirit when others are obvious. They come as a package deal, in us and in our teams.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

#4 – Does our team actually trust each other or do we just get the job done?

We can still lead people to Jesus without trusting each other, but the consequences of mistrust will slowly seep into the fabric of our culture. Silos develop. Sides are taken. Suspicion fills in missing gaps of information. Implosion awaits. Trust must be the foundation.

#5 – Do we treat each other like Jesus when the doors to the meeting rooms are closed?

When stress is spilling out of us and we are tired, it’s easy to make excuses for each other. And when it’s only our team who bears the consequences of someone’s irritability, inappropriate jokes, or impatience, it’s easy to ignore the check in our spirit to speak up. We must treat each other like Jesus in public and private.

Don’t just assume your team is healthy. Take the opportunity to act on the nagging awareness you’ve had about a few holes that exist in your team’s health. Walking through Staff Experience together will lead to trust, unity, and resilience on your team and across your organization.