3 Things You Team Desperately Needs
\\ YOU CAN'T DO EVERYTHING, BUT YOU CAN DO SOMETHING //
I know that it is often easy to simply think of what volunteers can do for the church, but there are things my team desperately need from me. In fact, without these things, they not feel successful. Failure to do these three things results in fatigue and frustration. As a Leader Leading Leaders, people need some very specific things from you, but they might not be what you would expect. The good news is, that these three things don't take much time, and cost almost nothing! 3 THINGS YOUR TEAM DESPERATELY NEED// 1. They want someone to communicate the WHY behind the WHAT. Volunteers might step up to meet a need, but it is vision that will keep them engaged. Every volunteer on your team needs to hear the vision over and over again. They need someone to connect what they do to win for their team, and to the mission of the entire church. This doesn’t happen naturally. It requires intentionality and leadership. You can communicate the vision in pre-gathering volunteer rallies, in email newsletters, and in hallway conversations. Never stop connecting what people do to why they do it. How often do you clearly communicate the vision to your team? 2. They want someone to tell them, "THANK YOU!" It’s not enough to feel thankful for your volunteers, thank them. Volunteers should be thanked in person, from the stage, via email, and with hand-written notes. Don’t be afraid to recognize a volunteer publically. Not only will it mean a lot to that person, it will let all of your volunteers know you care. A well-timed compliment or a personal note of gratitude fuels the heart of your volunteers. How many hand-written thank you notes have your volunteers received in the last year? 3. They want to know what to is EXPECTED OF THEM. Your volunteers really do want to do a good job. But they can’t hit a target if it’s invisible, or constantly moving. That’s why every volunteer in your church should have a simple, one-page job description. It should tell them what they need to do, when they do it, and who to talk to if they have a question. If you don't have one, you should ask your Coach. If you team members or apprentices don't have one, here's a Sample Job Description that can help you write one. Does every leader (staff and volunteer) under your care have a written job description?
As Leader Leading Leaders, our primary aspect of leadership is not to DO, but is to DELEGATE and to DEVELOP.
I believe that these three things are some of the best ways to develop the people God has entrusted you to lead. Deep down, we all want these things; and when we receive them, they are like a big gust of wild wind in our leadership sails!
