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.

How to prepare for a new Pastor

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Gayle Hilligoss Picture
Article by Gayle Hilligoss

Welcoming a new pastor is an exciting event in the life of a church. Pastoral changes happen for all sorts of reasons, of course—most good, a few not so. Circumstances surrounding the calling of your new pastor are bound to affect how you will respond to these changes, but your main goal is to act from wisdom, not from emotion.

Your preparation can help get things off to a good start; your expertise and administrative experience will provide continuity in the office and assist in a smooth transition. At the same time, the exercise of welcoming a new pastor can be an exceptional time of personal and professional satisfaction for you. [Read more...]

How to work well with others or what to do when our biggest problems are people, not computers, Part 3

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Gayle Hilligoss Picture
Article by Gayle Hilligoss

Ed note: I made a mistake in breaking this article into 3 parts in that I cut the last tip in half—I was simply not paying attention at the page break. Every nugget of advice Gayle gives often convicts me and I didn't go any further than the "so what?" That question got me thinking and I cut off the article at the wrong place.  To correct that, I'm starting this part with the full tip. Please forgive any confusion this might have caused.

How to work well with others or what to do when our biggest problems are people, not computers, Part 3

• give the benefit of the doubt
Petty squabbles and imagined slights make it difficult, if not impossible, to work at our best. Ann thinks the youth minister disrespected her by not recognizing her role in a project; Betty is sure Ann missed a deadline because she wasted time on personal matters. Both are operating on assumptions that may or may not have a basis in fact. And, even if the assumptions are true, really—so what?

When occasional glitches happen, give others the benefit of the doubt. If you make any assumption, let it be that the other person meant you no harm. Very often you will be right. If glitches persist or escalate, it is time to ask questions. Getting to the bottom of a problem need not be a bad thing, but have the facts before you even consider confrontation.

• don’t tell everything you know
The original definition for the position of secretary was, “one who keeps secrets.” Today this may sound a bit sinister, but initially it emphasized the expectation this person could be trusted with information.

Confidentiality remains an essential for the Christian professional. Supervisors, coworkers, and members need to know without question that staff members can be trusted with information. Working well with others requires trustworthiness.

• ask and listen
All of us appreciate working with those who ask our opinion and listen to our ideas. As you work with others, be a person who gives ample opportunities for everyone to be heard. Few people are excellent listeners; you can be a role model by demonstrating that we learn more from listening than from talking. Next time you are with your group, ask—then listen up!

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To go to Part 1 of this article, CLICK HERE.

To go to Part 2 of this article, CLICK HERE.

 

How to work well with others or what to do when our biggest problems are people, not computers, Part 2

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Gayle Hilligoss Picture
Article by Gayle Hilligoss

Ed. note: Last week we published Part 1 of this challenging series and next week we'll do Part 3. I broke it into parts because each one of these has enough challenges to keep us busy examining ourselves and praying for at least a week--though honestly for continuing peace in the church office, we need to review this advice often.

Step back and see yourself as others do. Recognize and correct actions that might be an irritation to those who share your space. Others may not tell you about these annoyances, but they will notice and appreciate when you become aware of them yourself and are courteous enough to implement change.

• when necessary, say no
It is true. Ministry assistants love to say yes. You love to serve. But, and this is an important but, it is not wise to believe you must unquestioningly accept every task.

Although one’s motive may be pure, perpetually saying yes is actually not the best way to work well with others. One drawback is that, besides not being honest, committing to more than you can reasonably accomplish nearly always results in others forming unrealistic expectations. And in you forming resentments.

Far better than burying yourself is learning how and when to say no. Trust others to be mature enough to accept that everyone has limitations, you included.

• let others shine
You do many things well. You may rightly believe it is easier to do a task yourself than to leave it to someone else. Still, one sure way to work well with others is to give them the opportunity to use their expertise and skills—or simply to try something new.

Be a cheerleader for others, encourage them, mentor them, show appreciation for their efforts. Genuinely.

• own your mistakes
No one gets it right all the time. Although you aim for excellence in all you do, now and then something is bound to go wrong. A poor decision, neglected detail, miscalculation—whatever the mistake, if it is yours, acknowledge it.

It is not necessary to fall on a sword. Simply apologize, do what you can to set the matter straight, make at least a mental note not to repeat this particular error, and move on.

• walk the talk
People appreciate working with those who are authentic, those who practice what they preach. “I once worked with a pastor who claimed to have great respect for his staff, but who was consistently late for meetings and seldom listened to our opinions. It became difficult for some of us to accept his sincerity about any number of things. This affected our ability to work well with him and with each other.”

• be willing to learn
Nearly everyone is an expert at something. Everyone you work with knows something you don’t know. Even while you are establishing your own credentials in the group you can tap into the expertise of others.

Respecting the knowledge of others and being willing to learn from them are vital elements in the skill of working well with others. Title or position has nothing to do with it. Pastors can learn from assistants as well as assistants can learn from pastors.

• give the benefit of the doubt
Petty squabbles and imagined slights make it difficult, if not impossible, to work at our best. Ann thinks the youth minister disrespected her by not recognizing her role in a project; Betty is sure Ann missed a deadline because she wasted time on personal matters. Both are operating on assumptions that may or may not have a basis in fact. And, even if the assumptions are true, really—so what?

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To go to Part 1, CLICK HERE

How to work well with others or what to do when our biggest problems are people, not computers, Part 1

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Gayle Hilligoss Picture
Article by Gayle Hilligoss

Ed. note: we recently ran a series of articles of great advice from Gayle on "How to delegate" (CLICK HERE to go to it) and this series follows well because it gives you invaluable advice on getting along, not only will volunteers, but everyone you meet in the course of your work.

How to work well with others or what to do when our biggest problems are people, not computers, Part 1

When computers first entered church offices, common knowledge was a) secretaries would resist them, and b) technology would generate the majority of office problems from that point forward.

Common knowledge was wrong: a) office assistants were, and remain, enthusiastic about what computers can do for ministry, and b) people, not computers, are still our greatest challenge.

These ideas were shared by ministry assistants when they were asked “What is your best pointer for working well with people?”

• be the adult
Maturity has little to do with age; it has everything to do with attitude. Conducting yourself as a responsible professional gives you a huge head start toward working well with others.

The mature person:
• has self-respect
• treats others with respect
• stays on task even without supervision
• shakes off injustice; isn’t concerned with getting even
• considers consequences before speaking or acting
• is trustworthy; keeps confidences

Certainly there are other criteria, other definitions of maturity, but these at least at essential.

• speak with restraint
We all know the person who if asked what time it is tells us how to make a clock. This is not the person we most enjoy working with. Enough said.

• practice common courtesy
Unfortunately, common courtesy is not all that common. Saying please and thank you shows consideration for others. Courtesy might even be viewed as a first step in heeding Paul’s words in Philippians: “… let each of you regard one another as more important than himself…”

• recognize your professional growth
You have come a long way since your first days in the church office. You know a lot now that you didn’t know then. Remembering what it was like not to know helps you work well with others. It helps you be a better teacher, a more patient supervisor, a less judgmental coworker. Everyone needs time to learn; sometimes that someone is you, sometimes it is the person you are working with.

• give respect; expect respect
“I allowed myself to be treated like an absolute mushroom in my first job. I was kept in the dark and fed lots of fertilizer. No wonder I wasn’t working well with others!” We asked ministry assistants for honest opinions—and we got them.

People who expect to be treated well usually are. Set the pace for office harmony by relating positively to others and anticipating the same from them. Consciously or not, we are always teaching others how to treat us. When it comes to behaviors, it is true that what you permit, you promote.

• ditch irritating habits
Working well with others demands a certain level of tolerance for coworkers’ idiosyncrasies and habits. We have limited control, if any, over the work styles of others, but we can contribute to office harmony by becoming aware of—and controlling—our own habits.

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To go to Part 2, CLICK HERE

Effective Delegation—The Ultimate Balancing Act, part one

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Gayle Hilligoss Picture
Article by Gayle Hilligoss

Ed. note: There are many misunderstandings about delegation in the church office and I love it that Gayle starts out this article with sharing what it is not. We so often make the mistakes of believing these misconceptions and it keeps us from getting all the work done that needs to be done. Read her advice and learn to delegate with joy.

In church offices there are very often more tasks to do than hands to do them. As the ministry assistant you may see every job as yours alone. But, no matter how sincere the effort, so doing is seldom the best use of your time. Whenever you perform work that someone else could do, you are keeping yourself from the very important responsibilities that only you can do. One good way to multiply your time is through delegation.

Successful delegation involves more than assigning tasks. Success actually starts with the mindset of the person doing the delegating. It is essential to understand delegation is not:

• shirking your own responsibilities
• dumping unwanted work on another
• abdicating accountability
• taking advantage of anyone

Today’s wise supervisors recognize delegation as an indispensable management skill that allows assistants to balance the many demands of ministry with a realistic assessment of what can be done personally. Alleffective

managers delegate.

• Delegate? Who to?
If you are the office manager and supervise assistants, most often you delegate to them. If you are an assistant, volunteers are a good choice. Actually, recruits is a better word—you want to choose your helpers.

• Be clear about your goals.
The process begins by writing down very specifically what the job is, deadlines involved, and any necessary instructions. I hear you thinking, “I could do the job myself in the time it takes to do that.” If that is truly the case and this is a one-time task, go ahead and do it yourself. Otherwise, follow through and invest a little time now to save big time later.

• Choose personnel carefully.
Issuing a blanket announcement for volunteers is not the best idea. It may take more time (that again!) but it is better to match the tasks you have in mind with specific people suited for those tasks. Everyone can do something, but not everyone can do everything.

Many churches distribute annual talent surveys. Members indicate interests and skills they are willing to share. Surveys are a great tool to use when considering who might do what.

• Give adequate instruction.
The amount of guidance necessary varies with the task, but short written directions are advisable for all but the most basic. Even for simple jobs, give a demonstration and leave a sample of what the finished product should look like. Folding a brochure correctly is second nature for you; it may not be for your willing helper.

• Assign authority.
While you as supervisor are ultimately accountable, as much as possible let the recruit “own” the job and have the authority to manage it. On complex jobs where multiple volunteers have areas of authority, plan to avoid gaps or overlaps. The idea is to retain your position as leader while demonstrating your respect for the efforts of others and your trust in their abilities.

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To go to Part Two, CLICK HERE

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