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One body, one spirit, one mission: uncovering the essential elements of empowering a collaborative ministry team
This paper is the result of an action research study of a small collaborative ministry team working within a large Catholic religious institution. The research explores the experience of group members as collaborators through a systems psychodynamic perspective in an attempt to uncover what enables and what disables collaboration. Findings suggest that collaboration is enabled when the primary spirit is clear in the minds and hearts of all members of the collaborative ministry team; mutual recognition and encouragement of difference override the need for strong external boundaries; hierarchical structures become minimal.
Difference is not only accepted but encouraged and subsequently
brings life, creativity, energy and inspiration into the group. In
contrast, collaboration is disabled when mutual recognition is not
present, inequitable influence in the management and access to resources
enters the group stirring up anxiety, fear, and in turn activating
hierarchical structures that inhibit creativity and encourage collusion.
Bernadette Miles MAppSc (Organisation Dynamics) is the Director of
the Campion Centre of Ignatian Spirituality, Melbourne. She trained in
spiritual direction and theology after twenty years of computer
consulting and business management. She has a special interest in the
formation of apostolic leadership and applying the concepts of Ignatian
Spirituality to organisational development.
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