Churches spend thousands—sometimes millions—of dollars upgrading audio, video, and lighting systems. But what happens when the equipment is great, yet the team behind it is struggling? Can better gear really fix poor communication, a lack of trust, or an unhealthy culture?
In Episode 99 of The Tech Arts Podcast, host David Leuschner sits down with Mike Dias, a 20-year pro audio industry veteran, to tackle one of the most overlooked challenges in church production: building a team and culture where people thrive.
Mike challenges the way we think about technology, leadership, and relationships. One powerful takeaway? Technology should support the mission, not become the mission. But putting that philosophy into practice isn't always easy.
What does a truly healthy tech culture look like? How do you turn a group of volunteers into a high-performing team? Why do some teams consistently deliver excellence while others struggle despite having the latest equipment? And what is Mike's concept of the "Infinite Team"—and how could it completely change the way you lead?
David and Mike dive into these questions and more, sharing real-world experiences, challenging conventional thinking, and exploring some surprising truths about leadership, accountability, trust, and the power of relationships.
Whether you're a technical director, worship leader, volunteer, or church leader, this conversation may challenge everything you thought you knew about building a successful tech ministry.
Because at the end of the day, the most valuable thing in your tech booth isn't the equipment. It's the people behind it.
Listen or Watch now to Episode 99: Team & Culture with Mike Dias.
See all resources at https://techartspodcast.com
Special thanks to our sponsors Digico, Shure, Paragon 360, Resi and AC Americas for making this episode possible!
Check out their special BONUS segments on this podcast!
#DiGiCo #Shure #Resi #Paragon360 #ACAmericas
#TheTechArtsPodcast #TeamAndCulture #MikeDias #ChurchTech #ChurchProduction #TechMinistry #VolunteerLeadership #ChurchLeadership #TeamBuilding #PeopleOverGear #WorshipTechnology #LeadershipMatters
Timestamps:
00:00 Start of Podcast
00:16 Tease of Podcast
01:15 The Tech Arts Podcast Intro
01:25 Welcome and Intro Mike Dias
03:15 Manufacturer Mis-Match & How to apply it to churches
07:09 When things align, what does that unlock? #How
09:03 I'm not aligned, how do I fix this? #problemsolving
11:59 Alignment of Trust - People Over Product #people
16:51 Let's talk culture
17:22 The Why - Answer That First #resi resi.io
23:10 shure.com
23:25 Who is AC Americas? acamericas.com #AudioVideoLighting
28:39 digico.biz
29:43 Need Consulting or Training DGCM audiovideolighting.com
30:39 The Paragon Angle: Hype vs Reality #integration
37:19 Culture 101 #cultureshift
35:45 Define Excellence
40:00 Why do people come to my service? #themessage
41:44 People can make a difference
42:50 Healthy Tech Culture #purpose for being on the team
49:41 How do I shift my culture? #accountability
51:01 THE LEGEND! #thebest #goat
52:21 Volunteer Levels Explained #template #success
54:10 How do I re-enforce a people first culture? #workethic
56:14 Mistake Tracking - Getting Better and Listening
58:30 Make room for making the event better #ideas
1:02:23 What is the secular world doing? Use that to get better!
1:04:05 The infinite team #building
1:08:08 Practical ways to build your network #developmentprogress
1:10:46 Market what you are doing #meetpeople
1:13:44 What is the difference between practice and rehearsal
1:17:15 You Don't Rise to the Occasion - You Fall To Training Level
1:18:01 Let's talk #team #vision #inspire
1:20:07 How to stay busy or how to be inspired? #thedifference
1:21:26 mis-alignment #hitfactory
1:22:51 One piece of advice for every church tech leader! #awesome
1:26:14 How to get in touch with mike-dias.com
1:27:59 The Tech Arts Podcast Close