(Note: I believe this information is based on an article in Amazing Parish,
but I can no longer locate the original reference. My apologies if this is incorrect.)
As we indicated in our last post, “You Mean I Can’t Do It All?”, it will be very important to establish strong teams to help you accomplish your mission. Although there will be many teams that will need to be part of your effort, one team that will be essential is your leadership team.
This should not necessarily be a large team. The composition is ultimately your choice, but it can include other clergy, ministry heads, finance chair, operations/facility manager, etc. The purpose of this group is to provide you, as pastor, with a broad overview of everything that is happening at the parish. Meetings should be held at least monthly but should be called more frequently if needed. Although it is obvious that such a team is needed and important at any parish, there are some common mistakes made with this team.
- Trying to be too inclusive and putting too many people on the team.
Often this type of team may be in place when you first come to the parish. Rather than reforming a new team after you get to know parishioners aligned with your mission, there is a tendency to keep everyone on the team and then just add a few more. This rarely works and often results in an unwieldy, dysfunctional team. It is often best to start new once you feel comfortable with your position and have clarified your vision/mission for the parish. You may decide to retain some, or even most, of the current team but this should be a conscious decision rather than a default action. In a similar manner, prematurely disbanding the team can also result in unnecessarily damaging relationships and hurting feelings. Timing is important.
- Not wanting to hurt someone’s feelings and keeping them on the team for that reason. In a similar manner, putting a new member on the team even when they really shouldn’t be on it.
It is very difficult to address this situation. No one likes to hurt another person by making a change that will be troublesome but as a leader you will often find yourself in difficult situations. Direct communication is extremely important when such a change needs to be made. The meeting should be a private consultation between you and the person affected. Your decision should not be broadly shared with others, (if at all) until you speak with the individual. Your explanation should begin by thanking them for their dedication and service. Explain why the change is required. If there is an alternate position or team where the individual can serve it might be good to offer that as an alternative. It is also important not to add individuals for the wrong reason – nice person or good friend – if they are not qualified by position or expertise.
There are several other mistakes that we will cover in our next post but these two are particularly important.