church staff

How to Protect Church Staff from Burnout

As leaders, sometimes we need to protect our team members from themselves. The individuals who regularly stay late to wrap up a few tasks, who take on the toughest assignments, and practically live at the church need your help. While their dedication and work ethic is admirable – ministry is a marathon, not a sprint. Running at a sprinter’s pace will keep team members from being able to stay healthy and strong over the long haul. Thankfully, it doesn’t require significant costs or efforts to protect church staff from burnout. Here are seven tips to protect church staff from burnout: Tip #1: Set clear expectations If not, they’re trying to guess what you want and what success looks like. It’s really hard to hit a target you can’t see. Don’t make them guess. Document a job description and include key measurements or examples of what you expect to see. Tip #2: Check in regularly Conduct a weekly one-on-one meeting with those who report to you. Tip #3: Go home on time Here’s the deal: Your staff members probably feel like they can’t leave the office until you do. He’ll think I’m not willing to put in the hours. She’ll think I’m slacking off if I leave at 5pm. Go home and save your team from feeling like they have to stay late. This also sets an example for them that spending time with family is more important than finishing up another task. They’re watching how you manage your time including how you prioritize your family and your own health. Set a positive example for them to follow. Tip #4: Ask questions When you assign a task or new project to a staff member, ask a few questions before you let them go. Also, if you’re making a last-minute change, please ask about the impact of that change. Some staff members will start working on it without telling you how much additional effort is required because they don’t want to come across as questioning your decision. However, you may not realize that what you just asked him to do will take five hours of rework with an already full schedule before the deadline. If it’s still important enough to make the change, then let him know why it’s important. If that change isn’t worth several hours of rework and staff staying late at the office, then discuss other options to achieve the goal without wreaking havoc on the team. Tip #5: Create a culture where it’s okay to ask for help and raise concerns Make sure your staff members know that it’s safe to say, “I’m drowning over here and need help!” Now, of course, they should manage their time wisely and work hard while at work. Assuming that’s the case, realize they’re taking a risk when asking for help. Will he think I’m not capable? Will this make her question my dedication to the church? Address their concerns and let your team know you’d rather them ask for help before they fall behind schedule or burn out. Tip #6: Don’t send messages after hours I know it’s convenient to send off a quick text message or email at 8pm when you think of a question for your youth pastor. However, that sends a subtle message that you expect a response right away. Do you want your team responding to messages late at night OR spending time with family? Instead, enter a note on your phone or write it down somewhere so you won’t forget the question. You could even draft the email but wait until the next morning to send it out. Also, consider the message this sends to your team. Even though you may have had a quick thought about work before bedtime stories with your kids, they don’t know that. They may think you’re working late on a regular basis. Then they’ll think they should be working those hours as well. Tip #7: Provide training Your team may need training on how to manage their time and energy more effectively. They may need training on certain skills needed for their job. Training can equip someone to be more efficient and produce higher quality results. We all feel inadequate for an assignment on occasion. By offering training and guidance as needed, you’re supporting a team who’s working to support you and the vision of the church. While your staff members are responsible for how they approach their work and manage their time, you can have a significant impact on their longevity in ministry. Use these tips to protect church staff from burnout and help them thrive in ministry for the long haul.

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6 Tips to Build a Strong Team

Leading a team can be extremely rewarding or frustrating (sometimes a bit of both). From personality conflicts, communication misfires, and different (and often very strong) opinions, getting a group of people to head in the same direction on a consistent basis isn’t easy…even in a church context. When I first got into project management, I made my fair share of mistakes leading teams. I was so focused on tasks and due dates that I initially alienated certain team members who felt my approach was a bit harsh (spoiler alert: they were right). Thankfully, my leadership skills improved and I’ve learned a bit about how to build a strong team. Use these tips to build a strong team: #1 – Get to know each team member Each individual on the team has their own personality, skillset, working style, communication style, family dynamics, and other unique characteristics. You could approach two people with the exact same request, body language, and speaking style. One may respond with enthusiasm while the other wonders why you were so abrupt. If you’ll take the time to understand each person, you’ll be better equipped to communicate with and get the best work from each. When your team members know you care about them as much more than just worker bees, they’ll respect you more. They’ll also be more willing to go the extra mile when needed. You’ll cultivate a family, we’re-in-this-together, environment when you know each person as more than just by title or talents. #2 – Admit you’re not an expert in everything Value the talents of those on your team – especially talents you don’t possess. If you don’t have an eye for website design or aren’t well-versed in childhood development, express how much you value those on the team who have those skills. You don’t have to be an expert in everything. However, if you try to pretend you are, your team will see right through that and you’ll lose credibility. #3 – Establish an “open debate in private, support in public” culture Since you don’t know everything and hopefully hired people who are good at stuff you aren’t, listen to them! Ask for input, run ideas by your team, and get their honest reaction. Don’t berate or punish someone if they tell you they don’t think your idea is a good one and why. Yes, it’ll sting a bit but it’s better to hear that from your team than from the entire congregation if the idea flops. Obviously, each person should participate in debate and feedback with respect and kindness. Don’t be afraid of disagreement behind closed doors within the team. Talk through the pros and cons, various options, and decision-making criteria. Then, once you’ve made a decision, expect each team member to support it as soon as they leave the room. #4 – Be humble I hate to break it to you, but you’re going to make mistakes. I’ve made plenty and have had to eat my share of humble pie. When I’ve messed up, what’s kept me from losing all credibility has been my actions afterward. As soon as I realize (or am told about) my mistake, I apologize…profusely. I ask for clarification and listen intently so I can understand where I went wrong. Then I make whatever immediate changes are necessary and thank those involved for being gracious with me. As a leader, you need to model humility. If you don’t own up to your mistakes, you can hardly expect your team to when they mess up. Show them how to handle those moments and set the standard for your team. #5 – Address problems quickly When you have a team member who’s being belligerent, rude, or disrespectful (to you or other team members), you need to deal with that immediately. It’s best to not confront the individual in front of the team, but make a point to talk with him or her ASAP. Start by asking questions such as, “How’re you doing today? Is everything okay?” or “I got the impression you were a bit frustrated in this morning’s meeting. What’s bothering you?”. The reason I recommend starting off with neutral questions as those are less likely to put someone on the defensive. The next key is to listen carefully to the response. Find out what’s really going on and then continue the conversation. You’ll still need to address the issue of being rude or disrespectful and set expectations for future behavior. However, knowing the context of why a team member reacted a certain way can be helpful. The rest of the team doesn’t have to know if you confront the issue or not, but they’ll catch on quickly if this person continues to get away with poor behavior. It’s demoralizing to the team when they have to deal with this person plus it sets a bad example. Confrontation isn’t fun but it’s a vital responsibility that leaders must take seriously if they want a strong team. #6 – Have fun together Every church has intense seasons where it’s all hands on deck usually with extra hours at the office. You’re also coming into contact with people at very difficult moments in their lives: This all takes a physical, emotional, and spiritual toll on church staff. That’s why it’s important to carve out time to relax and have some lighter moments together. Go out to lunch, take your team and their families out to a movie and dessert, or give everyone an extra day off after a big event. Your team members want to be known, understood, appreciated, trusted, and valued. They’re looking for your approval. Get to know each member of the team, respect the talents God gave them, be honest about your struggles, and encourage honest debate. Whether you lead a team of 2 or 20, these tips can help you develop a strong team, prevent or reduce conflict within the team, and accomplish more together.

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team productivity

8 Ways to Increase Team Productivity

One of the challenges in ministry is that there’s always more work to do – and it’s unlikely that you can hire a small army anytime soon.  So, to assist you in dealing with that challenge, here are a few practical tips to help increase team productivity with the staff you already have in place: #1: Move electronic files onto a shared space Is your team constantly emailing files back and forth? Do they keep all electronic files on their hard drives?  Both are a waste of time and somewhat risky.  For example: What happens if a computer crashes and several files are lost?  Yeah, that’s a bad day.  Instead, create an internal network with shared folders for your staff to save important files.  Other options include using online storage services such as Google Docs or Dropbox. #2: Use church management software to maintain records in a single location Software such as Church Community Builder, Fellowship One, and others enable you to store information about attendees in a central location. You can add notes regarding where each volunteer serves, set reminders to follow-up with visitors, etc. #3: Avoid interrupting each other for impromptu meetings I’ve seen staff members interrupt a meeting in progress to ask about an upcoming event or service.  To be blunt, that’s rude and unprofessional.  Unless the building is on fire (or another dire emergency), send the person you need to speak with an email.  Stop reducing their productivity due to a lack of planning on your part. #4: Start and stop meetings on time Speaking of meetings, these things are notorious for wasting time.  Implement these habits to make meetings actually useful: Send out an agenda beforehand Make sure you’ve invited the right people Start on time (even if not everyone is there) Keep the group on-topic End on time Click here for more meeting productivity tips. #5: Reiterate the vision constantly It’s easy to be so focused on the day-to-day tasks that you forget why you’re in ministry in the first place.  Remind your staff of the mission and vision for your church.  Make sure each staff member knows exactly what the win looks like for his/her role.  This keeps them from doing work that doesn’t advance the vision and therefore wasting time. #6: Bust department silos One department is frustrated with the accounting team because they rejected a purchase request.  Another doesn’t understand why the facilities department won’t let them use a certain room without advanced notice.  This leads to poor communication and strained relationships between staff members.  Educate your team on what each department does and how each group is vital to the team achieving the vision. #7: Don’t tolerate mediocrity If you have a staff member who isn’t performing at the level required, you need to deal with that issue immediately.  Find out if he understands your expectations.  Set specific goals and put accountability into place.  If he continues to be unable to handle the job, then it’s probably time to help him transition out.  Yes, that’s a tough call.  However, the rest of your staff has to pick up the slack for this person and everyone will be relieved when he either starts performing or leaves.  The vision is too important to accept less than excellence (not perfection, but excellence).  Also, the tithes of your congregation pay for this person’s salary.  Would they appreciate paying for someone to not do their job? #8: Prevent burnout If your staff regularly works late hours or on their days off, you have a problem.  Either they aren’t productive or they’re overloaded.  They will burn out and their families will resent the church if you don’t take action.  Set boundaries. Discuss workload concerns with your team.  Yes, there will be moments when you need to work late.  However, those should be rare.  Ask more volunteers to serve, reduce the number of events or programs you provide, or start hiring qualified staff members to help.  Just because your team is willing to work constantly now doesn’t mean that’s healthy or sustainable for very long. #9: Provide training & equipment Give team members the opportunity to gain new knowledge and skills that will help them be more productive in their job. This might mean training new staff members on how to run reports to quickly get information from the church management software. It could involve paying for a webinar or training series (or membership such as The Church Operations Toolkit). Also, talk with your team about training and equipment needs. While you might not be able to buy their full wishlist, if you can start getting a few items that can go a long way towards increasing productivity (and improving morale). A high-performing, productive team won’t happen by accident.  Lead the way by providing your team with tools and information to help them increase their effectiveness.  It requires a bit of an upfront investment to change old habits or implement new tools, but that investment will pay off.  Your team will be able to serve more people without wearing themselves out.  That’s a win I’d love to have happen for your team.

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How to Improve Communication Between Departments

Have you ever been frustrated with another department at your church? Wondered why they just don’t “get it”? It’s possible they feel the same way about you. If you’ve ever heard of “departmental silos,” you know this refers to departments that seem to operate independently and don’t share information readily with others. This creates inefficiencies, duplicate work, and a decline in morale. It’s important to improve communication between departments so you can work as a cohesive team. As an organization grows and you add team members, it’s easy for departmental silos to develop. One group doesn’t understand what another group is doing (or why) and when that crosses their path, conflict ensues. Another issue arises when departmental leaders don’t communicate and then present conflicting information to their teams or even the congregation. Here are several ways to get rid of those silos and improve communication between departments: #1 – Educate A lot of the frustration is caused because the team in Dept A doesn’t understand what the team in Dept B really does or why they should care. Start dealing with this issue by having a leader from each department give a 3-5 minute update in an all-staff meeting. The updates should include an overview of that department’s goals, what they’re currently working on, any challenges they’re facing and how the other departments can help. It’s also great for each leader to mention how another department has helped them succeed on a specific goal or at an event. #2 – Point Out Interdependencies Accounting can’t provide accurate financial reports to senior leadership without the right documentation from each department. The Media team can’t create an awesome announcement video without details on the latest Kids’ event from that department. The point is that we need each other to succeed and to serve the church with excellence. We intuitively know this, but sometimes we need a reminder. #3 – Cross-Train We’ve all had situations where we needed “all hands on deck” to pull off an event or handle an emergency. It’s also not uncommon for a staff member to change roles and move into a different department. Prepare for those eventualities by cross-training staff members on each other’s jobs. Have each staff member perform one of their key tasks with another team member shadowing. As they job shadow, have them document the task. This helps them learn the process and ensures you have up-to-date documentation. You’re probably wondering when anyone would have time for this effort. If necessary, cancel one staff meeting a month (or cut it short) to give everyone a chance to shadow someone from a different department. #4 – Ask Questions When you start planning a new event, announcement, or service, ask yourself this question: “Who will this impact and which department(s) should I involve?” For example: If you’re in the Children’s Ministry and are planning a fun summer party complete with inflatables, you might ask this question and realize you need to talk with the Facilities team. They can help you figure out where to put the inflatables, what to ask the vendor about how they’re secured to the ground, etc. #5 – Lead by Example This goes for everyone, really, but especially if you lead a department – never speak poorly of another department in front of your team. If there’s an issue, go directly to the leader of that department immediately to address the concern. #6 – Focus on Serving As followers of Christ, we need to follow His example and serve. Even if another department is driving you nuts, pause and consider the larger goal before “speaking your mind.” You’re all trying to achieve the same thing – reaching people for Christ and making disciples. Keep that in the forefront as you deal with the administrative details that go into working at a church. #7 – Share a Meal It’s harder to assume the worst about someone after talking about your favorite sports teams or your kids’ latest antics over a meal. Head out to lunch with a few members of other departments and get to know each other. You can “talk shop” a bit, but focus mostly on developing great friendships. Departmental silos and the resulting miscommunications, frustration, and tension can hinder your team’s ability to serve with excellence. Break down these walls and open up a path to greater teamwork and collaboration. Making the effort to improve communication between departments isn’t a simple undertaking, but it’s always worth the effort.

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5 Key Components of Church Job Descriptions

Church job descriptions tend to fall into one of three categories. Obviously, you’d prefer to have job descriptions that fall into the first category. Job descriptions, when written well, can be powerful tools for staff development, recruiting, and evaluating potential candidates. Here are five key components of church job descriptions: #1 – Job Title The job title should be the first indicator of what’s involved in this role. Keep these clear and simple such as, “Office Administrator,” “Finance Director,” “Marriage & Family Pastor,” etc. #2 – Overview In this section, provide a high-level summary of the role. #3 – Essential Responsibilities List the tasks that are central to this role.  For example: Is this person responsible for planning all outreach events, maintaining the offices and grounds, producing monthly financial reports, etc.? What tasks does this person perform daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and/or annually?  For a role in your Finance Office, this may include providing monthly financial reports and analysis.  A Ministry Director might manage an event calendar and develop goals for that department. #4 – Educational Requirements Does this role require a college education?  If so, what degree field(s) would be the best fit?  Should a candidate have a seminary degree? Are any professional certifications required such as a CPA? #5 – Experience Include a list of specific skills and experience someone would need to be successful in this role. Considering each role and documenting the items listed above can help you identify what success looks like for each member of your staff.  If you don’t already have job descriptions, it’s worth the investment to start developing them.   The process of creating job descriptions will encourage conversations between you and your staff about expectations. It will also help when you need to hire someone new as you’re communicating the position and evaluating candidates against a single set of criteria. If you’d rather not start developing job descriptions from scratch, join The Church Operations Toolkit and get instant access to job descriptions for church leadership roles and volunteer positions.

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