Effective Church Communications

Effective Church Communications provides Timeless Strategy and Biblical Inspiration to help churches create communications that fully fulfill the Great Commission

Effective Church Communications provides Timeless Strategy and a Biblical Perspective to help churches create communications that fully fulfill the Great Commission. Our tools constantly change; our task doesn’t; we can help.
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Managing a really big task in the church office

18 August, 2013 By grhilligoss@gmail.com Leave a Comment

Big project in the church office
All church offices tackle big projects. Here is how to do them effectively.

In the church office a big task can take many forms: Offices are being relocated; updated computer software is needed; the church is hosting a major event—or a multitude of neglected small jobs finally grows into one big, overwhelming job. Whatever the source, a major task poorly handled can create more than a little turmoil.
Problems dealing with big jobs can often be traced right to the beginning.

Get off to a good start by following these three rules:

• Know the goal.
Big tasks are generally composed of many small tasks. Before starting the journey, know where you are going.
• Be sure stages of progress are clear.
Set a firm start date, a completion date, and intermediate checkpoints along the way. Spread pieces of the job evenly throughout the time allotted.
• Do first things first.
Devise a logical plan of action instead of just jumping in. Time, energy, and resources are always wasted when preliminary steps are neglected.

With rules in place, follow through—

• Stick to your start date.
In the crush of daily responsibilities it becomes easy to rationalize that “now” is not a good time to start on a big job that isn’t due for weeks. Don’t wait for the perfect time or for divine inspiration; neither is likely. A late start inevitably affects the project—target dates are missed and best efforts are blown away as you rush to catch up.

Follow your schedule.

• Pick your times.
We all have times of day when we are most energetic and sharp. Match the most challenging parts of your project to these prime times. Schedule routine parts of the task at other times convenient to your schedule.
• Divide and conquer.
Breaking each phase of the assignment into manageable parts makes it easier to keep the job rolling along and to chart progress. Treat each of these mini-deadlines seriously. A completion date may seem far away, but that is an illusion. The closer a deadline gets, the faster it rushes up to you.
• Involve others.
Enlisting volunteers or coworkers for parts of the project gives them a vested interest in the success of the task and generates added enthusiasm.
• Communicate.
Keep your team and supervisor informed. Make sure those assisting you have a clear vision of what is to be accomplished. They need to know exactly what is expected and when. Allow them to do their jobs as they see fit within the boundaries you have identified. Listen to their questions and suggestions. New ideas and solutions are often generated in the process of working through a project. Be generous with praise but direct it toward results, not simple busy work.
• Promise and give rewards.
Whether you work alone or enlist others in the big task, incentives along the way keep the job interesting and fun. Treats, however small, increase motivation and productivity. Listing the names of those who help with projects is a good practice. Most often, what gets recognized gets done.
• Chart your progress.
Setting deadlines is one thing; meeting them is another—especially when several people are involved. Visibly tracking completed steps is an effective way to make sure every detail is covered. And nothing feels better than checking that last item off the list and receiving congratulations on a job well done.

 

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Filed Under: Church Office Skills, Columnist Gayle Hilligoss, Contributors Tagged With: church office advice, church office management, manage big projects

Timely Fundamentals, part one

8 February, 2012 By grhilligoss@gmail.com Leave a Comment

Gayle Hilligoss Picture
Article by Gayle Hilligoss

Ed. comments: After reading this list of tips, I thought they are like little chocolates. . . . . real treasures to savor bit by bit. Take time and think about each one--I guarantee they'll make a difference and you won't gain an ounce!

Timely Fundamentals, part one

Looking for a novel technique, an insider secret, a magic solution to create more time? Try these basics for personal effectiveness instead. They are not new, but they do work.

You may have heard them before, but do you use them?

  • eat healthy
  • exercise appropriately
  • get sufficient sleep
  • set realistic goals
  • plan before doing
  • organize your space
  • alternate kinds of work
  • avoid distractions
  • take breaks
  • avoid excess chit chat
  • stay out of office politics
  • communicate intelligently
  • use assertive behaviors
  • don’t try to do everything
  • slim down files
  • forget about pleasing everyone

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Filed Under: Church Office Skills, Columnist Gayle Hilligoss Tagged With: church office management, time management, use time wisely

Being a Better Office Manager, part three

16 January, 2012 By grhilligoss@gmail.com Leave a Comment

Gayle Hilligoss Picture
Article by Gayle Hilligoss

Ed. note: This is the last week of a great series on How to be a Better Office Manager and this week  she concludes with some excellent advice:

As an effective manager, you will:

• Learn all you can about the church, the denomination, office administration, management principles—every subject related to the work of the church office. Use online resources, study written materials, and attend seminars. Study communication and human relations skills.

• Communicate with others. Let your team know your standards for good work and periodically tell them how they are doing. Provide the information people need to do their jobs well. Touch base with them often; be available for questions and suggestions. Include them in decisions concerning issues affecting their work, but realize group decisions are seldom good decisions. Listen; then make the decision alone.

• Involve your team. Delegate. Trust your people with responsibilities. Effective managers do not try to do everything themselves. Turning loose of routine tasks allows you to focus your efforts on the parts of the job only you can do.

• Support your team. Show confidence in them; let them know they can have confidence in you. Pray with and for those you minister with as well as for those you minister to.

Encourage people in their efforts. As a manager you want your team to be willing to try new things. They need to know it is acceptable to make mistakes, or even to fail. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Develop mutual trust and respect. People usually live up to the expectations of others. Expect excellence, not perfection, and show appreciation for your team’s efforts. Go to bat for them for equitable pay and benefits. Be the kind of manager you would like to work with.

____________________________________________________

For the first two parts of this series:

Being a Better Office Manager, part one

Being a Better Office Manager, part two

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Filed Under: Church Office Skills, Columnist Gayle Hilligoss Tagged With: church manager, church office management, church office skills

Manage your church communication team well

3 January, 2012 By Yvon Prehn Leave a Comment

Manage your church staff well
Manage your church staff well--here are some tips to help you.

This article is for church leaders and those who oversee church communicators. You are responsible for the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of the people who create your communications. Their job is vital to the growth and success of the church, but often they do their job under very difficult circumstances.

Please consider the following suggestions to help you effectively pastor and shepherd these vital members of your church team. They do so much for the church, following is what you can do for them:

Realize the important place communications and church communicators play in the overall strategic success of your church

"What people haven't heard about they can't take action about. Uncommunicated issues DON'T EXIST." Stuart Brand

"Why is communication so vitally important to the health and vitality of the local church? Communication is the means by which we reach our ministry goals. You cannot find a healthy, growing church that is plagued by ineffective communications. Such an animal simply does not exist. If your church is going to maximize its potential, it is  imperative that you understand the communication process and constantly strive to upgrade how well you and others in your church communicate."
George Barna, Marketing the Church

No matter how Bible-based, prayed over and passionate you are about your vision for the church, if it is not sequentially, clearly, consistently, and repeatedly communicated to your church, it will not happen. Today, the role of your church communicator in making your vision real has grown in importance because of two primary reasons: [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Planning and Managing Tagged With: church business managers, church communication management, church office management, church pastors and communications

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