I’ve worked for and with various leaders over the years and each and every one was different. They led differently. Some were passive while others were headstrong. They had different priorities for leading an organization.
As an employee/team member, I found the differences between their leadership styles made it difficult for me to determine how success was being measured and how to make a good impression.
Although every leader is unique, there’s one thing they all have in common:
They all value people who solve problems.
Understanding this principle is key for making a difference on the team.
We spend a lot of time (sometimes an unhealthy amount) thinking about ways we can impress the people around us. But we won’t make an impression by simply showing up when we're told, putting our heads down, and simply completing our to-do list. Accomplishing these responsibilities are essential, but you’ll never maximize your potential impact by simply clocking in and out every day and doing only what you're asked to do.
If you want to stand out or make a good impression, do more than the basics: Solve problems! Your leader knows every problem your church is facing, which can be overwhelming and stressful. If you take some of the load off of them by solving a few problems, you’ll stand out.
Look for the problems that are presenting themselves and make a plan to solve them. Ask your leader how you can help. Take on a servant’s heart and make your church run smoothly for the good of everyone, and you’ll stand out.
Serving on staff is a privilege and a responsibility. Here are some strategic things you can do to make yourself an indispensable staff/team member.
1. Find the most important objective your pastors want to accomplish and put yourself in the middle of it.
- Volunteer to lead a team to accomplish the objective.
- Be a good listener. For instance, if you hear frustration from your leaders on why the church has a low retention rate for visitors, make note of it and take initiative to help find a solution.
- See with your leaders eyes. Be close enough to them relationally & professionally that you're picking up on clues & cues.
2. Make strategic connections for your pastors.
- Make sure these relationships are life-giving and not things that give them more work.
- Make sure they are strategic and contribute to accomplishing their present objectives or future dreams.
3. Bring more solutions than problems.
- When you see a problem, it’s tempting to let your pastors know right away about it. Instead, stop and brainstorm solutions. When you tell them the problem, offer several ideas to solve the problem. And when you offer your ideas, volunteer to be a part of the solutions.
4. Think team, not solo.
- Don't always talk about your needs. Instead, offer to sacrifice for other team members or departments. Find ways you can show your ministry is not singular in focus but recognizes it’s part of the whole.
- If you're passionate about your area of ministry, you'll want to talk about it to everyone...especially your leaders. If your leader never hears you talking, with enthusiasm, about your area of ministry or the church as a whole...it may mean you're merely collecting a paycheck or hanging on to a title instead of fulfilling the purpose you declared you were called to.
- If you spend more time talking about everyone else's ministry (national & local) and seem to know who's who, where they are, what they're doing and who they're running with MORE than you talk about or promote your own local church then maybe you need to revisit why you are in your current role.
- If you are passionate about what you're doing everyone will see it, hear it and to your own credit...get tired of hearing about it. However, it will be apparent that you are focused on your assignment and it burns in your heart. That will bring joy to your leaders.
5. Carry out your assignments & duties with excellence.
- Every leader must know the condition of their department (flock). Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. (Proverbs 27:23 KJV)
- How is your department/team doing? Are you on top of your duties/responsibilities?
- How well do you know the people you're leading? For example: as a youth pastor, I knew where each of my students went to school, what sports they were involved in, who their friends were & what issues they were struggling with. I contacted each of them on a weekly basis (the involved & the uninvolved) to stay connected to them while helping my pastor keep the entire family built up.
- Relationships have to be forged on the benches before they can be trusted in the trenches.
- It's the behind the scenes work, extra time spent & careful planning that yields results.
Are you serving in your ministry role with the same level of excellence and expectations you do with your secular work? Are you compromising the trust and position you've been given with slothfulness, disinterest, sloppiness or a "just enough to get by" approach?
We don’t become indispensable by jockeying for power or claiming our rights, but by humbly and intentionally serving our pastors and our team.
We are members one of another!
