One of the most consistent indicators of long-term success in camp and retreat ministry is a strong organizational culture. Camp programming is socially intensive. It relies on teamwork, presence, and adaptability. Because of that, culture is not just a nice addition — it is one of the biggest drivers of program outcomes.
But what exactly defines a strong culture? And how can leaders shape one that endures?
A useful way to think about culture is as the space between two boundaries:
the lowest behavior you allow and the highest behavior you celebrate.
The strongest cultures have the smallest gap between those two.
Many business and leadership thinkers describe the lower bound of culture as “the worst behavior a leader is willing to accept.” In a weak or drifting culture, harmful or low-effort behavior gets tolerated — and that tolerance sets a new, lower bar for everyone else.
Think of a staff member who regularly shows up late or is inconsistent in supervising campers yet remains on the schedule. Over time, others notice. Expectations drift. Performance follows.
The lower bound matters. But it’s only half the story.
The upper bound is just as influential. It’s defined by what leaders — both formal and informal — choose to praise.
Formal leaders include directors, assistant directors, and program staff.
Informal leaders include returning counselors, specialists, or volunteers whose voices carry weight.
Celebration can be formal, like an award or recognition, or casual — a story told at lunch, a quick affirmation during staff meeting, something overheard during transition time.
Those moments shape the real culture just as much as policies and consequences.
Picture the first week of staff training. Returning staff naturally start sharing stories from past summers. You overhear someone retell a disastrous campout — a night with leaky tents and half-cooked food. If the focus stays on the chaos, that story reinforces a culture of “surviving the mess.”
But if the same story highlights how the group pulled together, problem-solved, and supported one another, it becomes a story about resilience, teamwork, and mission.
The events didn’t change.
The meaning did — and meaning is what forms culture.
New staff will always chase whatever is celebrated most loudly.
If the lower bound (what you allow) and the upper bound (what you praise) are close together, your culture is cohesive.
Expectations and aspirations align.
That is what we mean by a “narrow” culture.”
A narrow culture isn’t rigid. It’s clear. It helps your staff understand both what’s expected of them and what you hope they become.
Policies might say staff must stay within eyesight or earshot of campers.
A high-expectation culture says staff remain fully engaged — learning every camper’s name, noticing emotional cues, and initiating connection.
Leadership during staff training and throughout the summer should be hands-on. Address behaviors early, long before resentment or confusion grows.
Most of the time, a simple, supportive conversation creates clarity.
When needed, hold staff accountable — including making hard decisions to let someone go. Protecting culture is protecting your campers.
Invite returning staff into the process on day one.
Ask questions like:
• “What kind of culture do we want this summer?”
• “What stories do we want new staff telling by week three?”
Their influence is enormous — direct it intentionally.
Staff rise to the level of purpose they can see.
When leaders clearly state what they want this summer to mean, staff begin to shape their behavior toward that vision.
Culture does not happen accidentally.
It forms every time you correct behavior, celebrate effort, share a story, or set a standard. The narrower the gap between what you expect and what you celebrate, the stronger your team — and your impact — will be.
We’re cheering for you as you step into the season ahead. Your campers are counting on the culture you build.
