Fix the Environment, Not the Leader

Fix the Environment, Not the Leader

When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.
—Alexander Den Heijer

This quote speaks to the core of what we believe at FORMED Leadership.

Too often, we look at underperforming leaders, worn-out volunteers, or unfulfilled callings and assume the problem is with them.

But what if the issue isn’t the seed?
What if the issue is the soil?

The Parable That Changed My View of Leadership

In Matthew 13, Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower, a story not about the quality of the seed, but the condition of the soil.

Some seed fell by the wayside. Some on stony places. Some among thorns. Some on good ground… Only one produced fruit.

Jesus was teaching about how people receive the Word, but there’s a leadership layer to this as well.

God is still sowing seeds, seeds of calling, passion, purpose, and Kingdom leadership.
But not every church or ministry environment is ready for what God is planting.

At FORMED Leadership Group, our mission is simple:
We don’t sow the seed. We cultivate the soil.

We’re not here to call leaders, appoint pastors, or anoint ministers; only God can do that.
But what we can do is help churches build healthy, structured environments where the seed of calling can actually bloom.

❌ What’s Killing the Seed?

Even the most gifted, anointed leaders can wither in the wrong environment.
Here are some of the “soil issues” we see repeatedly in churches and ministry teams:

1. Shallow Ground (Heart Issues)

❌ A culture of fear or control
❌ Emotional wounds that go unhealed
❌ Burnout from unrelenting expectations

The 3H Model begins with the Heart because spiritual formation and emotional health are foundational. Leaders can’t grow in toxic or traumatic environments. We help create a culture where people feel safe to be real and grow.

2. Thorny Ground (Head Issues)

❌ Confused vision and misaligned values
❌ No leadership pipeline or path to development
❌ Ministries that feel scattered, reactive, and disjointed

The Head in the 3H Model represents clarity and strategy. We bring tools, shared language, and vision alignment that cuts through the confusion so that everyone can pull in the same direction.

3. Exposed Ground (Hands Issues)

❌ No systems for delegation or development
❌ Overworked leaders with no support
❌ Constant activity but little transformation

The Hands reflect the systems, skills, and support needed to turn momentum into movement.
We help build teams, not just fill tasks.

✅ What Makes Good Soil?

In the parable, only one type of soil allowed the seed to grow. It was deep. It was clean. It was ready.
This is the kind of soil that multiplies; thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold.

Every church has seeds.
Not every church has soil.

At FORMED Leadership Group, our 6-week Leadership Sprint is designed to help you:

• Recenter your team spiritually

• Clarify your vision and align your leaders

• Build systems that actually support growth

The 3H Model (Heart, Head, Hands) isn’t just a theory, it’s a transformation tool.

Let’s Cultivate Growth Together

You don’t have to push harder to get results.
You just have to fix the environment.

Let’s build a culture where the calling God has planted in your leaders can actually take root.

Want to evaluate the leadership soil in your church? Get instant access to our FREE 3H Self-Assessment tool and start building the environment leaders need to thrive.