Cooperation Without Compromise

In May of 2023, the final episode of Ted Lasso dropped on Apple TV. If you made the journey through all of the episodes, you know the show was not primarily about soccer or football. It was about the formation of a team upheld through two foundational pillars; commitment and diversity. If commitment is present, the team can weather adversity, change, and opportunity. If diversity is present, individual members have a team role to contribute their innovation, creativity, and talents. These two components are the heart of an organization, community, team, relationship, and the list goes on.

I had the opportunity to witness the importance of commitment and diversity on my deployment to Kosovo in 2022-2023. As the US Senior Command Chaplain for Kosovo, I found the other NATO Chaplains often working in isolation. We called a meeting and discussed merging as a team. Some were hesitant due to fear of infringement on their faith tradition, others were new to chaplaincy and timid about contributing their voice to the group, and a few were worried about status and position being diminished. Yet through much discussion, we agreed to form the Kosovo Forces NATO Chaplain’s Team. The team committed to cooperate without individual compromise. The fruit of our labor was immediately noticed within NATO forces and within the religious communities of Kosovo. We achieved more, expanded our sphere of influence, experienced memorable moments, and deepened friendships. All because we remained committed to our team while maintaining our diversity.

At National Church Residences, Chaplains encourage all lines of service and communities to be committed to the mission of our organization while maintaining our diversity. All of us can cooperate without compromise for the greater good of our employees and residents. I ask you to renew your commitment to our mission and to each other today. I also ask you to be the gifted, innovative, and talented person that you are because we need your impact.

Chaplian (MAJ) Paul Girdley was recently deployed to Kosovo from 2022-2023. He returned to National Church Residences in September of 2023 as the Chaplain for Bristol Village.

Find out which senior living options are in your area or give us a call at 844-465-6063 to talk to one of our friendly staff members today.