Subsidiarity, your secret 🗡️
𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆: A big word you need to know
Jeff Schiefelbein—a friend of SENT and speaker at the last SENT Summit shared this quote on his linkedin last week:
“Subsidiarity is my favorite concept in building great organizational culture.
Subsidiarity, a principle of Catholic social doctrine, is the original version of today’s leadership initiatives concerning empowerment and employee ownership.
The principle of subsidiarity means giving real power and responsibility to employees and lower groups within an organization, with the whole organization having an understanding of, and respect for, the common good. Higher groups should neither absorb nor prevent anything that can be done by lower groups.
I’ve watched firsthand how subsidiarity transforms individuals and entire workplace cultures.”
This concept is vitally important for employers and managers to understand, especially considering the massive shift in employee engagement in the last two years.
In May, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that “Even as overall hours worked increased 5.5%, output from the average American worker dropped 2.4%.” Additionally, a report by Apollo recently showed that despite the return to office drive by many CEO’s, “72% of workers now prefer a flexible work model over returning to office full-time.”
As employers and managers, these statistics can be disconcerting, but we believe the social doctrine of the Catholic Church offers us an unfair advantage. As Spirit-led founders, we can lean into our faith to build cultures that work with these changes and improve quality of life and output.
The bottom line is that the “get in line, work yourself halfway to death, get paid a big bonus, and make your way up the food chain,” kind of management culture is no longer satisfying employees who are prioritizing flexibility and autonomy in their career decisions.
If you want to keep employees happy, productive, and engaged, apply the principle of subsidiarity in your work.
A Drop in The Bucket
“See, the nations count as a drop in the bucket, as a wisp of cloud on the scales,” (Isaiah 40:15).
Like these recent shifts in employee outlook, changes in the workforce and other aspects of life can challenge our ability to adapt and be flexible. Events and circumstances that don’t meet expectations or turn out differently than how we envisioned can disrupt our peace and our relationships with others.
In order to be flexible, we need to consider that our first instincts, or simply “the way things are and have always been” might be incorrect or inadequate. Growth in flexibility requires us to be humble and ultimately to trust more in God than in ourselves.
Here’s a tip for you. You can always count on Psalms and Proverbs for some hard-hitting advice. These books really don’t pull any punches.
“The way of fools is right in their own eyes, but those who listen to advice are the wise.” Proverbs 12:15.
Maybe you’re feeling stretched thin by challenges to your ideas and your expectations, whether these challenges from teammates, mentors, family, or circumstances.
Rather than allowing these moments to damage your confidence or momentum, ask for humility before rushing to a judgment or decision. The results may surprise you.
“He guides the humble in righteousness, and teaches the humble his way. toward those who honor his covenant and decrees” (Psalm 25:9).
This Week’s Member Highlight
New month, New SENT Fellows! Meet Ryan Stout of Arsenal, the first AI powered photography assistant and the most crowdfunded camera gadget ever!
Learn more about Arsenal 2 in the video below.