First in this series was platform communication. Second was Monday-Saturday communication. Third was staff communication. This last one is about team communication.
I learned so, SO much about this when I served as an interim worship pastor in a large church. It was a major struggle in my first 6 months, I improved over the next 4 months, and for the last 3 months I think I did it pretty well. In that church there were 3 full-time people working on my staff, as well 5 part-time, and one of my full-time guys had 2 part-time people on his staff.
Now, compare that to my previous setting where I shared a ministry assistant with two others and had an 8 hour a week accompanist. (love those folks!)
So the learning curve was pretty steep. But wow, I would have been so much better at communicating with my accompanists and volunteers if I knew then what I learned over the last year or so.
The people who are carrying out our instructions really, really need clear and complete instruction.
Read that again.
Clear and complete. Complete and clear.
In fact, I'd say that at least 90% of the times something didn't go off as I envisioned, the responsibility was mine. I had not provided clear and complete communication.
Bottom line: the vision in my head doesn't have any way to get into someone else's head unless I articulate it. I have to imagine it, determine what it takes to do it, and then completely communicate those ideas to the folks around me.
That all sounds a little too obvious and a little too overstated at the same time.
What do you think? Is this an area of strength for those in your ministry? Or an area where some coaching may be called for?
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