High Standards, Healthy Souls: Leading with Excellence Without Crushing People

As leaders, we carry the responsibility to uphold a standard.

We’ve been entrusted with resources, people, and moments that matter—especially in the Church. Sundays aren’t just routines. They’re sacred. And because of that, excellence matters. Faithfulness matters. Being prepared matters.

But here’s the tension:

How do we hold people to a high standard without slipping into perfectionism or burnout?

It’s not always easy to compute. Because we want to serve the Lord with everything we’ve got—but not at the cost of joy, health, or grace. So how do we lead teams with both conviction and compassion?

Let’s unpack it.

1. Stretch ≠ Strain
Being tired from serving isn’t automatically bad. Growth always costs something. But there’s a difference between being stretched and being strained.

Stretch (Excellence)	Strain (Perfectionism)
Grows capacity	Depletes energy and joy
Feels meaningful	Feels pressured or performative
Makes room for recovery	Punishes failure
Invites feedback and learning	Demands flawlessness

As leaders, our job is to calibrate the environment.

We don’t eliminate all tiredness—we just make sure the tiredness leads to growth, not burnout.

That means building in rhythms of rest, check-ins, and clarity before and after the assignment.

2. Excellence Honors God and Inspires People

This isn’t just a helpful idea—it’s one of our core values in the Creative Team Handbook. And it matters.

We don’t bring our best to be impressive.
We bring our best because He is worthy.

We pursue excellence not to prove our worth, but to reflect His. Excellence becomes an act of worship—a response to who God is and a way to love people well.

So when we coach someone, correct a miss, or call the team to prepare better—it’s not about control or nitpicking. It’s about stewardship.

Try saying this to your team:

“This isn’t about getting it perfect. It’s about honoring God with our best. And our best includes preparation, humility, and growth.”

3. Use a Loop, Not a Ladder

Some teams operate with a ladder mindset:

• You hit the standard? You’re in.
• You drop the ball? You’re out.
  
  

That builds fear.

But a loop mindset creates growth and safety.

The Excellence Loop:

• Call up to the standard
• Coach what’s missing
• Care for the person
• Commit to another rep
  
  

Let your team know:

“I’ll always care more about your response to feedback than your ability to crush it the first time.”

This creates a culture where people grow toward the standard, not strive to earn their place.

4. Say This Out Loud as a Leader

Set the tone. Don’t assume people know your heart—speak it.

“We will be a team that pursues excellence with faithfulness—not perfection with fear.

So yes, we aim high.
 If you miss the mark, we’ll coach it.
 If you’re tired, we’ll care for you.
 But we won’t lower the bar.
 We’ll raise our support.”

Final Thought: The Equation of Healthy Leadership

High Standards + Low Grace = Burnout
Low Standards + High Grace = Drift
High Standards + High Grace = Growth

That’s the kind of culture we’re building.

Clarity + Care.
Conviction + Compassion.
Challenge + Support.

That’s how we help our teams—and our souls—grow.


By Joseph Rangel
Campus Pastor, Colorado Springs Campus, Reach Church Network