Diary : 4 Dec 2011

For the past 2 months, I've been giving much thought to how to strengthen our organisation.

You see, right now we employ people from all walks of life, experienced professionals to new degree grads to people who have never had the opportunity to have access to education.

Though this approach sounds noble, but reality can sometimes paint a very different picture.

Over the last 4 years, our work has been small and cozy; likened to a family.

Everyone knows their roles and slowly as our outreaches grew bigger, we employed more people to help balance the workloads. However instead of seeing the organisation scale up, we see a plateauing into complacency. The staff now talk about "work scope" and if its not theirs, though necessary, it will be left undone. Slowly but surely this nonchalant attitude spreads amongst the staff as we were probably too reluctant to use the rod. Soon the staff are going by doing just the basics, nothing more.

For example, 2 senior staff came back from Phetchabun after 3 weeks on the field and arrived in our head office close to 10pm at the office and being on the road for 7 hours. When it was time to have a freshen up, there it was- a nicely written note on the toilet bowl. "The toilet is clogged"

When we checked with our admin staff, they told us that the "toilet has been like that for 3 days"
And nothing was done because he "did not know what to do"

I'm not trying to be mean, but come on. What kind of reason is that ? It doesn't take a PhD graduate to know that it was time to call a plumber if the toilet is clogged.

Admittedly their salaries are below average, but this does not justify coming to work with such an attitude, not especially when its a ministry. And we have been pushing very hard to ensure that the staff are being paid on par.

While I'm compelled to just "sack and re-hire", I keep telling myself that they lack experience and exposure, so give them a chance and probably that will help them realise.

But after 4 years, I'm tired of trying to accommodate the excuses of some of these staff at the expense of the ministry. I'm not saying that they did not contribute and yes, we have grown significantly. But what more can we accomplish with a more motivated and driven workforce.
 My co-directors tell me that I've been too patient, and yes I guess after 4 years of laying the ground work, its time to really scale up. So looking ahead in 2012, its not going to so rosy for the staff.

Pray alongside me that God will give me the wisdom to strike the balance between stewarding lives and stewarding the ministry.