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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.

Administrative Assistants: 25 Things your boss wants you to know, part two

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Article by Gayle Hilligoss

Ed. note: After reading part one of this list, you might feel like you can't measure up. But this second part starts out with great encouragement—Be resilient! This article continues with great advice to help you be all you can be in the church office.

Administrative Assistants: 25 Things your boss wants you to know, part two

13. Be resilient about foul-ups. Mistakes and misunderstandings are normal. Never make them more important than they are. Take control of your temperament. No one can ruin your day unless you allow it. Whether you or someone else is responsible for a glitch, learn to shake it off. Nothing good ever happens to those who keep moaning about the past. Surprise and delight your boss and others by handling things right when things go wrong.

14. Look ahead. Be prepared. Anticipate upcoming projects, both yours and the boss’. Have available the resources, skills, or personnel needed to get the job done. Use calendaring and scheduling programs to keep you on track. Inform others early on when you will need their input to complete a project. Making your personal deadline for the task a little before the real deadline allows you the luxury of having time to polish the project and make changes if you wish.

15. Offer solutions, not problems. In dozens of ways bosses express the idea, “Don’t bring me problems, bring me options.” When you face a situation that must be brought to the attention of your executive, be prepared with some possible solutions. Research the situation and propose three ways to deal with it. Do your homework. Have the facts and figures down cold. When considering purchases, resist any tendency to base solutions on cost alone. Realize while it is smart to be thrifty, it is dumb to be cheap. Present your options in an objective, businesslike way. Keep emotions under control. Be assured that even if the boss doesn’t choose one of your options, you’ve established yourself as a problem solver.

16. When in doubt, ask. Even careful listeners sometimes are unsure about instructions. Never hesitate to ask others to clarify themselves. Take notes. You may have a great memory, but get it on paper. If what you’re hearing doesn’t sound just right, make sure what you are hearing is really what they are saying. Making assumptions is always risky. Usually a simple question will clear up a situation before it gets sticky. Asking saves time, dollars, efforts, and tempers.

17. Think it through before you say it. How will the answer you give a phone caller be perceived by that person? Consider expressions you use regularly. Do they reflect positively on you, the church, and your executive? Never allow yourself to be pressured into snap decisions. A helpful expression in anyone’s vocabulary is, “Let me think about that and get back to you.” Then, be sure you do.

Even “no” can be said in a positive way. State first what you can do: “I’ll be happy to run those copies for you.“ Then indicate what you can’t do: “however I’ll not be able to type up the originals today.” Add any provisions you want to make: “If someone else can make the originals you can have the copies today. Or if you’d rather wait until the newsletter goes out Wednesday, I can do the job then. Whatever is best for you.” Don’t waste time on negative conversations. Think first; then speak.

18. Understand the boss’ idiosyncrasies. What makes your boss smile? What makes your boss frown? Does he prefer to get information by email, a note, or verbally? When you care about small things important to your executive, you enhance your own professionalism. Sometimes your minister will tell you personal preferences. More often you will find out by simply observing.

19. Accept criticism objectively. Resolve never to take criticism as a personal attack. Learn what you can from it, resist trying to justify your actions, and always consider the source. Take criticism for what it is worth. Sometimes it’s worth a lot; sometimes it is not.

20. Protect the church’s reputation and privacy. Avoid the frivolous discussion of church business and people. Be able to sidestep questions gracefully. You need not lie; you simply do not owe an answer to everyone who asks an inappropriate question. Treat privileged information with respect. If you make it your practice never to discuss office happenings with family and friends you will never have to remember what is open for discussion and what is not. Everyone admires, and trusts, the person who shuns gossip in all forms.

21. Maintain your integrity. There is no substitute for character. Your morals, ethics, and personal standards make you the person you are. As you serve in your office you are in a unique position to make a difference in the lives of others. Be aware of your witness. Exercise personal discipline in your life. A clear conscience never costs as much as it is worth.

22. Be interested in the big picture. Learn as much as you can about the church. Get to know people and call them by name. Know who the decision makers are and what issues are of primary concern. Study denominational structure and po

lity. Be aware of your boss’ ministry goals and discover how you can help those goals be reached. Read what the boss reads. It will give you a better background for your work than a college degree.

23. Get along with people. Avoid squabbles with coworkers and members by giving others the benefit of the doubt. The boss

is not interested in who is “right” in these battles. Even if you are right, you will look bad for getting involved. Never assume others are operating from your point of view. Different perspectives, when expressed objectively, are constructive. Effective office teams often include a mix of personality types: a planner, a detail person, a risk taker, a traditionalist. If you do disagree, do it agreeably. Stay calm.

24. Nurture your spiritual life. It is a paradox but sometimes working at the church can actually be detrimental to your faith. A daily quiet time is essential. Caught up in the business, and the busyness, of the church you may find it difficult to put work aside and to reserve time for worship. Church members, even the minister, may contribute to the problem. Let others know how important your worship time is and work out appropriate solutions. Take responsibility for your own spiritual renewal.

25. Have confidence in yourself. You are already doing a far better job than you realize. You have what it tak

es to continue to succeed. Periodically evaluate your working style. Are you punctual? well prepared? organized? well groomed? appropriately dressed? How does the office look?

When you project quality in all you do, you gain an attractive confidence that allows you to meet every challenge. Value your considerable contribution to ministry. Whether anyone tells you or not, you are appreciated!

To read Part ONE of this article, CLICK HERE

Administrative Assistants: 25 Things your boss wants you to know, part one

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Article by Gayle Hilligoss

Ed. note: Though the job description under discussion here is for an Administrative Assistant, the characteristics would serve all of us well. No matter what your position in the church office, these characteristics reflect those of a servant of Jesus—enjoy the article and be inspired.

Wanted: administrative assistant. Excellent interpersonal and technical skills required; friendly outgoing personality and ability to organize, essential; mind-reading skills, helpful.

Few formal guidelines identify the job of the church office assistant. Many churches operate with no written job descriptions. The truth is, your minister (I use the word “boss” as a term of endearment here) has some expectations not even the best written job descriptions could identify. In order for you to perform at your best, you must know the boss’ standard of excellence. When expectations are identified they can be met. Sometimes while the minister expects certain staff behavior, those expectations are not clearly defined or shared with the staff. The most effective executives realize the importance of letting the assistant know how the support position is viewed from the boss’ side of the desk.

In the best of worlds, you will always work with a super administrator who sees you as a vital member of the team and shares expectations. Realistically, this may not always be the case. Still, you can gain insight on your own boss’ perspective by considering what other bosses have said—things your boss wants you to know, but may never tell you.

1. Be dependable. Dependability is viewed by many as the greatest ability. Without it, few other abilities matter. The effectiveness of the church office depends on you being at your post at the assigned times. Even staying overtime won’t make up for coming in late. Ministers must often be away from the office. They count on the assistant to answer the phone, to respond to the needs of visitors, and to carry on the business of the church office. Habits dictate nearly 80 percent of what we do. Cultivate the habit of dependability. Be there, be on time, do a good day’s work, and then leave on time.

2. Keep confidences. You have access to much sensitive information: who gives what, who is having problems, and often, what those problems are. Moreover, not only members, but pastor and staff may use you as a sounding board. The assistant is expected to make a commitment to confidentiality. By being trustworthy you show your loyalty. Be patient and, over a period of time, your executive’s faith in you will grow and you will be entrusted with more and more of the information you need to perform your work effectively.

3. Communicate frankly. The best office teams operate in an environment where the assistant can share her work concerns honestly with her executive. The wise boss appreciates honest input from the staff. Team members should feel free to discuss questions knowing it is acceptable to express another opinion.

When concerns cannot be voiced, negative feelings can grow into major problems. Sometimes assistants feel pastors tell them too much, more than the assistant wants to know or is comfortable with. If that is your situation, your boss wants to know you feel your role as a listener is being abused. Avoid communication game playing. Say what you mean and mean what you say.

4. Maintain your sense of humor. Researchers say a healthy sense of humor is a sign of mental well being. Surely “a merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” A good laugh can often save the day. Exercise your ability to see the humor in office situations. You know you are really growing up emotionally when you can laugh at your own mistakes.

5. Forget about excuses. The reason why an assignment wasn’t done is usually of little interest to the boss. Rather than offer excuses, determine what the problem was and take steps to prevent its reoccurrence. Assigning blame is a waste of time. Assess the situation, determine a constructive course of action, and move on. In every instance, focus on where you want to go rather than on where you’ve been.

6. Follow through. Once you start a project, see it through to completion. Tie up all the loose ends on every assignment. When your boss has confidence in you, tasks are assigned with the complete assurance they will be taken care of properly. No one will be looking over your shoulder.

The key to having more freedom in your job is gaining the confidence of your boss. Picture a weight scale with your job freedom on one side and your executive’s anxiety on the other. When the boss’ anxiety is up, your freedom is down. But, when you lower that boss’ anxiety level, your freedom goes up. Establish a reputation for follow through by delivering quality results on time consistently. You boss will respond by giving you greater freedom in how you schedule your work and prioritize your tasks.

7. Think positively. Look for the good in people, situations, and in yourself. Take credit when it is deserved—and never when it isn’t. Be reluctant to turn every issue into a crusade. Certainly, some circumstances should be addressed. But avoid fault finding and petty problems. Pick your battles, address the important issues constructively, and realize that no one wins ‘em all.

8. Keep personal problems out of the office. The rule of separating one’s personal from one’s professional life has long been observed by successful business assistants. Wise ministers and their assistants alike recognize this is a good rule for them too.

No one is suggesting you hide your problems. The Christian professional should be transparent—honest and open. But, you must not allow your problems to interfere with your work. Once personal problems invade office hours they seem to take on a life of their own. Time spent on personal matters infringes on time that both parties have committed to the business of the church. Before bringing your personal problems to the office consider other options. Assistants who work for their own pastors may choose to schedule an appointment and to confine problem sharing to that time. Share problems only with those people directly involved in their solution.

9. Forget about perfection. Concentrate instead on excellence. Eric Severeid said it well, “Human beings are not perfectible. They are improvable.” You and I and our work can constantly improve; neither we nor our work will ever by perfect.

The goal is not mediocrity. Far from it. Carelessness causes more problems than anyone cares to admit. Strive for excellence but recognize the value of “good enough.” William James, the father of American psychology, wrote, “The art of being wise is knowing what to overlook.” Remind yourself that Jesus was perfect but not a perfectionist. He entrusted his work to us; no perfectionist would delegate like that.

10. Be willing to go the extra mile. Ministry is seldom convenient. Sometimes, but not always, service above and beyond the call of duty is required. When that extra effort is called for be willing to function in or out of the spotlight depending on what is needed. If you are asked to minister beyond what is outlined in your job description, do it and do it with grace. Just be on guard not be make fire fighting your standard operating procedure. It will burn you out fast!

11. Stay flexible. Times change. People change. Today’s assistant must be able to turn loose of the way things were. Work to adjust to how things are now—how this boss works, how this program will be implemented, how this change will take place. You may find the new way is even better than the old, comfortable one. Gain assurance from knowing that you tackle every job by mastering the same basics: do adequate research, be as accurate as possible, meet the deadline.

12. Keep growing in your job. We live in an information society. Our information supply is multiplying beyond calculation. The challenge is to transform information into usable knowledge. Take advantage of seminars and resource materials directed toward your work. Granted, you pay a price for training. But think of the price you pay for not training. Invest in yourself; challenge yourself. Look up every word you come across that you cannot define. Do things that increase your skills and force you to stretch your brain. Spend time every day in God’s Word. It will keep you on track.

To read PART TWO of this article, CLICK HERE.

How to get better technical support

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Article by Gayle Hilligoss

Ed. note: As always, lots of great tips here and one of my favorite is at the very end—how easy it is with technology to forget that real people are at the end of our tech traumas. Gayle helps us remember and respond with grace.

Sooner or later, it will happen!

Your computer is humming along when suddenly a strange message appears. You copy it down and note exactly what you were doing when the crash occurred. You thumb through the manual, find and try some options, noting each as you work.

Nothing helps. It’s time to call in the big guys. Being a professional, you calmly turn to your updated list of support line numbers, websites, and email addresses and select the most likely source of help.

Before you pick up the phone, type the email, or visit the website, give yourself the best chance of getting fast, accurate answers by getting all your ducks in a row.

• Have at hand the notes of the exact wording of any error message on the screen, the actions you were taking when the problem occurred and the actions you tried. Have the software in question running.

• Be prepared to describe specifically what happened. Be direct and to the point in stating your difficulty. Use proper terminology, never whadayacallit, etc.

• Have pertinent information at hand: the make and model of your computer and of any relevant peripherals, the program name and version, serial numbers.

• To give yourself uninterrupted time, arrange to have someone else take care of office business while you are with the support technician.

• On your preliminary notes, make a place for the name of the support person you contact. Ask for a phone number and extension or the best procedure for contacting that person if you need more help on this problem later.

One last suggestion from a technical support person: “Please have patience. Support lines are always busy. One of the most helpful things callers can do once they connect is to get right to the problem—even though they are upset, have backed up work to do, are having a bad day, whatever. We know people are not calling us under happy conditions, but the sooner we can solve a problem, the sooner we can help someone else—maybe you.”

 

Don’t just be efficient, be effective, part three of The Number One Time Management Technique

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Article by Gayle Hilligoss

Ed note: I have been greatly challenged from this series of articles and on my list for today is "Publish Part Three of Time Management Article." I almost hate to end this series of tips, but I must finish my checklist!  Links to the first two parts of this series are at the end of the article:

To recap some of the invaluable Time Management Techniques in the two earlier parts of this series, Gayle Hilligoss has advised us to:

• In the afternoon, make your list for the next day.

• Include both long and short-term goals.

• Include thinking and planning time.

• Break large jobs into small ones.

• Allow for lunch and break times.

• Keep your list visible.

• Give each item on the list a priority.


Now for Part 3:

• Group similar tasks.

Studies show that doing like tasks together may cut the time required by as much as 30 percent. As you schedule your day try to arrange some blocks of time. Your goal is to move from scattered to scheduled, from random to routine.

When tasks or appointments can be scheduled at your discretion, choose timing most convenient to you. If your office generally has a least busy time of day, schedule work that demands high concentration then.

As you plan when to do things, consider what they will demand of you. Use your high energy times to do your most difficult work. Be flexible in your habits. Perhaps you’ve always done a certain routine job in the morning, your high energy time. Would it be more effective to reschedule that “not so challenging” job at a low energy time?

• Understand the Pareto Principle.

Vilfredo Pareto was a nineteenth century Italian economist. Studying the distribution of his country’s resources, he determined that 80 percent of the wealth was held by 20 percent of the people.

Researchers have discovered Pareto’s 80/20 rule applies in countless circumstances. For instance, 80 percent of your church’s offerings are likely given by 20 percent of the membership, 80 percent of the leadership provided by 20 percent of the people. And, probably 80 percent of your problems are generated by 20 percent of the congregation.

On your to-do list, 80 percent of your productivity is in the 20 percent of your list designated as As. If you do only the As, the most important 20 percent of your list, you will have accomplished 80 percent of your productivity. But, if you work from the bottom of the list and do eight things, all the Bs and Cs, you do 80 percent of your list but accomplish only 20 percent of your productivity. The 80/20 rule graphically illustrates why it is so important to stick to your priorities.

Efficiency is doing the job right. Effectiveness is doing the right job right. Your goal is to be effective, not just efficient. Keep those As crossing your desk until all are completed. The temptation to do Bs and Cs first is understandable. Usually these tasks are easier or take less time, and everybody likes to check things off. If you need help sticking to priorities, write your As on one list and your Bs and Cs on a second sheet underneath. Raising the sheet is a reminder that you’re straying from your priorities.

Work on one project at a time, seeing it through before moving on to the next. Obviously, this is not always possible. But often we interrupt ourselves. Make sure your only interruptions are the ones over which you have no control.

• Finally, keep your lists as a reference.

File your weekly to-do lists with the most current week to the front. This creates an accurate record of work done, calls made, materials ordered—any information you want may need to refer to later.

Using these steps allows you to tap into the number one time management technique effectively. The guarantee is not that you get every task on you list done, but that the most important tasks are accomplished.

Rather than fret about the unchecked tasks, as you leave the office thank God for all you did get done. Congratulate yourself for your accomplishments and keep your undone tasks on tomorrow’s to-do list where you’ve parked them. Leaving the office feeling good about the day prepares your spirit to face tomorrow with enthusiasm.

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Link to Part One of this Article

Link to Part Two of this Article

The number one time management technique—and how to use it, part one

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Article by Gayle Hilligoss

ed. note: We all look for ways to be more effective, to make the most of the minutes given to us. Charles Schwab paid a lot of money for the invaluable advice Gayle gives us here. Follow it for to make the most of your day serving God.

Charles Schwab was a man who got things done. Starting out as a fellow who drove stakes into the ground for the Carnegie Company, Schwab became president of Bethlehem Steel in 1903. There, this high achiever, still dissatisfied with his ability to get as much done as he’d like, called upon his friend, consultant Ivy Lee.

Schwab told Lee, “Show me a way to get more things done with my time and I’ll pay you any fee within reason.” Lee immediately handed Schwab a piece of paper and told him, “Write down the most important tasks you have to do tomorrow and number them in order of importance. When you arrive in the morning, begin on number one and stay on it until it is completed. Recheck your priorities, then start on number two. If any task takes all day, never mind, so long as it’s still number one. If you don’t finish all your tasks, don’t worry. You wouldn’t with any other method either. And with this system, the tasks you do complete are the most important ones. Make this a habit every working day. When it works for you give it to your people. Try it as long as you like. Then send me a check for what you think it’s worth.”

Schwab did as Lee directed, and some weeks later sent Lee a check for $25,000 along with a note saying that the lesson was the most profitable he had ever learned. When colleagues questioned Schwab about paying so large a fee for such a simple idea, Schwab responded by noting that most great ideas are simple ones.

Reflecting that Lee’s fee may have been the best investment Bethlehem ever made, he declared that in five years Lee’s plan was largely responsible for turning Bethlehem Steel into the largest independent steel producer in the world. What Schwab realized was that by conscientiously using Lee’s plan, not only he, but his entire team, was getting first things done first.

Over a century has passed—and still the number one time management technique is the to-do list. Unlike Schwab, you have heard about it before. You probably use such a list now. But, precisely because the technique has been around so long, it is easy to undervalue its worth and not use it to full advantage. This report is a refresher course in basics— along with the latest strategies for using your list more effectively.

The most important principle to grasp is that your list is not to ensure you get everything done, but to ensure you get the most important things done. Time is a finite resource. You already have all there is—24 hours every day. You can’t get more time; you can manage the time you already have more effectively. Here are ten techniques that work.

• In the afternoon, make your list for the next day.

Always write your list, no matter how good your memory is. Putting tasks on paper allows you to evaluate and organize them. Even though you know you will be diverted from your plan, make one anyway. It keeps you headed in the right direction.

Take ten minutes during the last hour of your day to make tomorrow’s list. By this time you are in the flow of things and have a good grasp of what will and won’t be finished. You know what needs to be tackled next. Get those tasks written on your list for tomorrow.

The first hour of the day is the most nonproductive hour in most offices. Without a clear sense of direction, people take more time deciding what to do first and getting started. When you have already made that decision you can quickly review your priorities and immediately start your most important work.

When facing a particularly challenging day, start with an important but small task. This builds confidence to tackle your more difficult work. Whenever you turn that first hour into a productive one, you start your day being in control and are more likely to remain in control.

Making your list in the afternoon has another important benefit: it allows you to put tasks on paper and leave them there. Once they are on the agenda for tomorrow, dismiss them from your mind. Don’t mentally take your work home with you. Leave your list in your top desk drawer. If an emergency keeps you from the office, the person filling in will know what is in progress.

• Include both long and short term goals.

Planning always starts long term and moves short term. From the year’s plans you develop monthly, weekly, and then daily plans.

A failing of many lists is that they ignore long term goals. One solution is for your staff to use weekly plan sheets during your annual planning meeting. As ministry objectives are formulated, each person can make notes on the same sheets he will use for daily planning throughout the year. If your staff doesn’t hold an annual planning meeting, schedule one for yourself. Your personal planning need not depend on others. A calendar, a tablet, and an hour of previewing upcoming months will save you hours of valuable time later.

See your to-do list as a guide for achievement—never as a rigid taskmaster. Allow the list to reflect your personality and style. I prefer not to list routine tasks—sorting the mail, making address changes and the like—on the list. You may choose to. Either way, expect the unexpected. Allow flexibility by scheduling only one-half to two-thirds of your working hours. Use unscheduled time carefully. Before you take on any task not on your list, ask yourself, “Would this be the best use of my time now?”

Some demands are so routine you respond to them automatically. Step back and look at those tasks objectively. Rethink their value. No habit should be allowed to outlive its usefulness to you. Add to your list any jobs especially on your mind at the end of your work day—just park them there overnight. In the morning, scan the list and cross off, or reassign priorities to, those things that don’t seem quite so important anymore.

• Include thinking and planning time.

When you feel you don’t have time to plan is when you need most to plan. The mental weariness that comes from having too much to do is often cured by making specific plans. Seeing what your jobs are allows you to choose wisely so you don’t waste time and energy doing the unimportant while what really matters gets neglected.

Planning can involve getting things from others: reports, newsletter articles, and the like. Agree on deadlines and set up a reminder system. When planning for a difficult responsibility or something you have never done before, consider your resources instead of jumping right in. Can you talk with someone who has done this kind of project? Do you have the files from last year’s campaign? Is there an online resource that could offer shortcuts? Be sure you gather the information you need, not just a collection of opinions. Once you have what you need, act.

Click on the following for the best punch in and out app that can help you simplify your business attendance system.

The rest of the tips are coming in Part Two.