Three Ways Joni and Friends Builds Culture

True or false: Nothing is more important than your organization’s vision and mission.

The answer is “false.” According to Doug Mazza, President and COO of Joni and Friends, your vision and mission statement can be stellar and your ministry will still struggle unless you pay attention to this missing essential.

Challenge

“Focus solely on mission and vision and your organization will never be all that God intends,” says Mazza. “How you execute your mission and vision—through a healthy, flourishing workplaceculture—is what’s important. Think of vision and mission as the vehicle that advances the distinctive Kingdom outcomes of your organization. Culture is the engine that drives your vision and mission.”

“The Best Christian Workplaces Engagement Survey really drove home this fact for Joni and Friends. Prior to taking our first survey in 2006 our senior leadership couldn’t identify—much less address and improve—what makes up a healthy, flourishing culture. Today, the survey is one of our four core pillars that enable us to drive our vision (to accelerate Christian ministry in the disability community) and our mission (to communicate the Gospel and equip Christ-honoring Churches worldwide to evangelize and disciple people affected by disabilities). Here’s where the rubber met the road. . . .

Strategy

Joni and Friends strengthened its culture through pragmatic, creative initiatives that gave employees that sizable and significant “little extra.” Three examples:

• Global gatherings. “A top, ongoing priority is to close the gap between our field staff and our home office. So, in 2011, we raised the funds to fly every one of our international staff to Agoura Hills. It was an unqualified success. The investment of 3-4 days together increased the overall productivity far more than the cost of airline tickets. The “us vs. them” mentality that had simmered between field staff and home office disappeared. People networked like crazy. Total transparency with ministry goals and budgets got everyone on the same page. Our worship, prayer and meals deepened unity and strengthened our culture.
• TGIM Breakfast. To affirm and reach out to the entire staff, senior leadership rolled out “Thank God It’s Monday,” a free, fresh and healthy breakfast for all employees on the first Monday of each month. “At the start of the first week of each month, the message we’re sending is ‘All things are possible at Joni and Friends.’”
• Getaway Sabbath. “Many on our staff, myself include, come home to a child with severe disabilities. These responsibilities, on top of one’s work demands, drove us to offer long weekend getaways for couples and individuals. We provide the lodging and meals so people can unplug and enjoy one another and leave work demands and emails behind.

Flourishing results

“For us, the biggest common denominator of our culture is laughter—as in laughing not at, but rather with each other. Our stories and jokes are a sign of our care, respect and love for one another. When we laugh together, we’re really communicating genuine mutual acceptance and trust in one another. That kind of culture can take your vision and mission a long way.”