Summer’s up, the interns are going…
July 9, 2008
Summer brings a flurry of activity, particularly in the preschool through youth ministry of a church. Camps, VBS, daycamps, sport-camps, white-water rafting…whew! Thank goodness for young interns who are ready to learn and engage in energetic ministry. This summer we have been blessed with a number of interns from around our area, and also around the world.
So what will they take with them?
Yes, interns are here to learn. Thank the Lord for the ministers who took me under their wing to literally watch them work. I have been shaped greatly by those early encounters in ministry. So some things come by watching, some by doing, and some by a combo, literally trial and error at times.
Yet, make sure that you have some way of closing the loop. In other words, without being too heavy, how about an exit interview. Instead of hoping they “caught” some things, actually say them. Instead of wondering about how things went or what could have helped or been better, ask.
Try prompters like:
1. What has God taught you this summer about your call and gifting?
2. What stretched you the most?
3. What do you wish you could have experienced and did not get to?
4. If you were planning an intern experience/track for the future, what would you make a part of the training?
5. Because of this experience, you know you need to learn more about…
6. What could I do as a Minister/Leader to better equip interns?
Leaders lead, and not just at work
January 17, 2008
I have recently had the opportunity to serve on a board of an institution. I appreciate the honor of being asked,
Why?
1. When you are asked to lead somewhere, they don’t just need a warm body, or someone to read through reports, but someone to execute. Make decisions, give advice, comment, dream, plan, promote, inspire, share wisdom, agree, disagree. You get to add value to something not connected to you per se (your dream, job, vocation). Look for opportunities to serve.
2. This is a forum to stretch your strengths and weaknesses. Folks on boards and committees may not see you as the normal coworker, boss, or role you may have slipped into at your workplace. It could reveal a need to dust off how to connect with folks again, how to listen well, and how to be alert to group dynamics. Serve well, think and work hard, and then take your fresh self back to your own job/staff meeting.
3. Glean insights of good processes within the board. Perhaps you realize some steps to agendas that would be of benefit where you work, or perhaps the opposite, you realize how not to do meetings. Either way, just say no to boring, pointless meetings.
The world needs strong Christian leaders. Get out there!
Performance Evaluation Tips
January 11, 2008
Does performance evaluation make you shiver just a bit? Not so fun right for the boss or employee? But, this does not have to be the case.
1. Make a habit of routine evaluations, at least once a year, but frequently give feedback, direction, and coaching. Do not wait and simply be a person reacting to issues and problems.
2. Use a simple tool like this Employee Performance Review. There are self, and management review sheets. Perhaps you cover issues in addition to those listed here, but having something like this as a guide certainly keeps you from shooting from the hip, or being blind to issues that need to be confronted.
3. Meet in threes. Have your employees meet with their immediate and upper supervisor. This helps everyone, and also allows young supervisors to continue to be coached.
4. Yes, I am talking to you as ministers. Do yourself a favor and don’t assume that you are exempt from this practice as a church. The folks who work, serve, and minister for your congregation need contact and direction from the pastor/boss.
5. Use this as a powerful time for praise and vision casting. Please don’t let your review time be a time to unload everything that folks are doing wrong. Yikes. Restate the vision, and give solid praise for jobs well done.
6. As a church, be careful for what you are measuring. One powerful benchmark is a values statement. Do you have one?
Use the gift of performance reviews.
Being the Boss?
December 24, 2007
If you find yourself as the team leader on your church staff (Pastor, Associate Pastor, Minister of Ed, Executive Pastor, Lead Pastor, etc.), you do have a choice in how you lead:
1. Realize you are the leader. I love a cool passage about Solomon that says that he “took a grip” (msg) of the kingdom, with the Lord’s help. I think that is a fantastic balance. Get a grip, understand that you are the guy. If you don’t know you are the person responsible, no one else will. BUT before you get the big head, and potentially become an arrogant abusive leader, realize it is only by and with the Lord’s help that you are doing what you do. He can replace you any time.
2. You can be Buddy. In this laissez faire style, you will probably have good relationships, but poor direction, and if something critical comes up, which it will, your group will splinter, until they find the real leader.
3. You can be Bossy. In this overty demanding and disconnected style, relationships are the last thing on your mind. Your word is king and you want to see folks hopping no matter the circumstance. No decisions are made without you. Oddly, groups will splinter and they will search for the real leader. Someone who really cares about them.
4. I prefer Balance. When you are the boss, recognize it. There are times when you make the call. No one else. Everyone has chimed in, but now everyone is looking to you. At the same time, build healthy relationships. One leadership coach helped me to move away from talking about staff as “family.” I want good and rich relationships with staff, but I can’t fire my family; my brother/dad will always be that. Instead, think of staff as being on your team. Coach, lead, inspire, develop, and create vision.
Lead and lead well!
When staff members leave…
December 20, 2007
As team members leave your particular ministry keep these important thoughts in mind:
1. Reflect on any changes that you need to make in this particular job and its description prior to any future search, that way you’ve made adjustments prior to visiting with candidates, and quite frankly, you know who you should be looking for.
2. Take time to visit with the staff person in an exit interview, when appropriate and possible, and listen for things that will make your team and this position even better and more effecient in the future. Put down your guard and listen.
3. Find meaningful ways to bless staff in their coming, and in their going. For instance, some churches already have established monetary gift levels according to years served, so that there is no awkward thought of what to do when someone goes.
4. If it is the unfortunate circumstance of a termination, don’t simply “move on,” carefully think about your part in the problem: poor hiring process, poor team leadership and management, or poor communication to name a few. Use a consultant to help you and/or your team think through the issue in an objective way.
Don’t go on auto-pilot in this process and simply wait to fill a spot, but use it as a powerful moment to strengthen you and your ministry. What do you wish you could experience at places as you leave? Make it happen for your exiting employees.
Tips in the hiring process
December 20, 2007
Isn’t it great when you are given the opportunity to hire a new staff person for a new ministry? But you may also find yourself in the spot of replacing someone. Here are some very important issues in hiring team members:
1. Pray. Make sure you are proceeding in the direction the Lord has for you and your church. For example, we have been blessed by hiring a person for a ministry area that is anticipated to grow versus hiring a person for a position when it looks like you “need” them.
2. Review the job description or create the new one.
3. Make an adequate and appropriate search. Get the word out. Contact folks in similar fields of work.
4. Work within the constructs of your ministry in hiring, that is, use a search committee when necessary, but always team up with someone in the interviewing process. Utilize the personnel and finance committees of your church in the process when possible.
5. Collect resumes of candidates. Narrow to the top 3 or so.
6. Only interview one candidate at a time from your #1 choice on. If there is a “no” either way, communicate this clearly. Do not leave folks guessing or hanging on if the committee is moving on.
7. Remember that candidates are observing the church and staff team as much as you are observing them in the interviewing process. So, just as they are making first impressions and are working on stating objectives, goals, values, vision…you should as well.
8. Background checks. Get the information and do the search.
You be blessed in the hard work of a great hiring process!
Ministry Staff: How to handle conflict.
October 3, 2007
Conflict happens in all groups. It has to, or someone is not voicing their opinion at some point. We cannot all agree all the time. Think of the missed opportunities, or even potential saves, if folks had just voiced their heart and mind.
Instead two things can happen in conflict that can make forward progress difficult:
1. Passive aggressiveness-When someone doesn’t feel like they could speak up, or are passed over, there could be efforts to sabotage what the rest of the team is doing through inactivity, or checking-out. Basically saying verbally and non-verbally “whatever.”
2. Aggressiveness-When someone doesn’t feel like a decision is good and overtly attacks with sarcasm, anger, or belittling. Frequently personal.
The best response is assertiveness-giving your whole-hearted, honest appraisal and input in a way that is not a personal attack, but issue focused, and solution focused. An assertive person is also prepared for potential rejection of their idea to go with what the team decides.
As always, pray. Pray for your team to be unified. John 13:34-35.
Ministry Staff: Office Email Etiquette
October 3, 2007
Communication is essential on a ministry team. Email is a blessing, but it can be counter productive if used poorly. Please remember these tips when emailing, especially in the church office:
1. Make your primary communication method verbal and in person. Make healthy relationships a high priority. Talk with coworkers in person.
2. Never use email when you are upset to “let someone have it.” If you cannot share emotional information with someone face to face, wait, collect your thoughts, pray, and set up a time to meet.
3. Be extremely careful with sarcasm and joking. Without seeing nonverbals, and context of the message, something that was meant to be funny could backfire in a huge way.
4. Remember, once you hit the send button, it is out there. What you meant to be private or restricted, even with disclaimers, can’t really be retrieved.
In a day of Instant Messaging, and emails, use them for great benefit, but don’t neglect personal face to face relationships.
Leading or Managing
August 25, 2007
Not too long ago, I had the incredible experience of receiving personal leadership coaching. The kind where someone doesn’t simply download stuff my way, but this person literally sat in my office, examined what I do and how I do it, and then tweaked me as a leader. What a gift, no kidding!
One of the most powerful elements of that encounter was the direct encouragement for me to spend 10% of my time managing those I lead, and 90% of my time leading. What does that mean? I think of a book referred to me by my pastor, Tyranny of the Urgent, which gives the clear insight that we can be ruled by the events of the day, or set the pace with the Lord. In sheer management, one can be consumed. However, management is necessary; there are a myriad of things that must dealt with. Have you ever ended a day though feeling overwhelmed by events, versus knowing that you set the course? Or perhaps feel like you are consistently responding to issues versus gaining ground on them?
A leading mindset forces me to hop in the drivers seat of event/crisis mode. This way helps me deal with the present by clearly spending time thinking and planning for the future, and then executing things now that get us there. This is not la la land either. Leading is:
1. Future based-It is about where are we headed, and how do we get there today. I want to lead in such a way that I can see where we need to be, but have the ability to take the steps necessary today to get us there.
2. People based-I want everyone on our team, and me, doing the best job possible. Leading leaders versus managing them forces me to be thinking of stretching our team and how to do that, personally adressing strength and growth areas, and by providing things that fill up our leadership tanks (retreats and meaningful staff meetings). Our leaders, me included, desire things that press us to be better personally and professionally. Leading is about freeing people up to do best what God has called them to do.
Move out of reaction mode and into the drivers seat. Do not let busy-ness mask whether you are leading or not. Where do you want to go with your team? It will not happen if you do not lead.
Not your normal meeting…
July 30, 2007
Staff meeting. Wow. Aren’t you pumped? Exactly, staff meetings usually are not the things your team will get excited about. Or maybe not.
For an annual or bi-annual staff meeting, pick a place that ties your focus of the day in with your location. Our church is currently going through some significant changes. In rapid change, we wanted to be careful to not lose our grip on the things that are holding us together or “on track,” our mission and our values.
So, we loaded up everyone and headed down to the Union Station, downtown Oklahoma City. We talked overtly about staying on track. We took time to soak up the place, to ponder. We addressed how Union Station is no longer a station; in other words how change impacted what it was and is today.
Everyone came back to the office with a small scale track to put out as a reminder to stick to our mission and values in a time of rapid change.
Dream. Pray. Have fun. Go for it.