Monday Morning Insights

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    Picking the Right People to Be on Your Team

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    You can read the other six here.

    What would you add or subtract from the list? 

    Think of your most valuable team member.  What do they bring to the table?

    Think of your current least valuable team member.  What are the biggest problems they are causing you right now?

    Please DO share in the comment section…

    Thanks!

    A couple weeks ago, Craig Groeschel started a series on how to pick the right people to be on your team over at the Swerve blog. To kick off the series, Craig mentioned ten of the biggest lessons he's learned about selecting great people to serve on his team. They include:

    1. Character is more important than giftedness.

    2. God often uses those that others overlook.

    3. Past success is a good indicator of future success.

    4. Teachability is non-negotiable.

    Comments

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    1. Dennis Wells on Mon, July 07, 2008

      3. Past success is a good indicator of future success.


      This is easy when the person has had past success.  The challenge is when someone has NOT had past success, yet possesses great potential.  In planting churches, I have been fortunate to find those who may not have been in the right environment, yet were real gems, when given the right encouragement and guidance.


      DW

    2. John Morris on Mon, July 07, 2008

      I have a problem with #3. Some people are re-treads and need to be given opportunities despite past failures, and big ones too.

      Other quotes from the article itself I didn’t like:

       

      “My wife is almost always a better judge about people than I am.”

       

      “There is often a reason someone is looking for a job. “

       

      “When I’m trying to talk myself into liking someone, it’s best to move on.”

       

      All of these quotes just reak of human social wisdom to me. If nobody ever takes on the “difficult” people, the people who are hard to like, or who have failed, or even who might not necessarily make the best first impressions, you have a whole bunch of people left over who God loves and wants to use for His Kingdom! What do you do with those people? This sounds like High School social caste systems. Very exclusive and difficult to crack. This is what is wrong with church. It bothers me because I have been that guy. I’m tall, so I can be intimidating at times(especially to women), I’m a little shy, which can make me seem disconnected and anti-social, and EVERYONE looks for a job every now and then. If everyone lived this way, you’d have a very short supply of ministers and volunteers working, and I don’t know if I would have ever found my destiny in Christ if others had taken these approaches.

       

      It amazes me how people think about ministry and church sometimes. I’m not anti-megachurch or anything, quite the opposite. I think this blog and Ed Young’s video from a few weeks ago should give everyone pause about how hard-hearted and cynical we can become in the midst of church life, and how heavily we need to guard our hearts and maintain pure intimate relationship with The Lord. When we commune with Him, we look at people the way He does.

       

      God loves his “Bad News Bears” too, and we should embrace them and help them find their place in the Kingdom.

       

    3. Jana on Mon, July 07, 2008

      I also disagree with #3 to a certain extent.  I think it could actually be contradictory to #1 and #2.   We’ve all seen the very successful ministry that ends up embroiled in some sort of ..... integrity issue( think Jim & Tammy Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, Ted Haggard, etc., etc.)  Were they gifted?  Yes.  Were they successful?  Yes.  Did they have integrity?  No.   The person that others have overlooked that God is desiring to use has probably not got a ‘past success’ track record.

    4. frank on Mon, July 07, 2008

      Mr. Morris, I heartily agree!


      I came from a church where as a volunteer, I was told I would NEVER get a job in ministry.  God had bigger plans, but this church lost a lot of very dedicated volunteers who were judged “not worthy”.

    5. Jan on Tue, July 08, 2008

      I think #3 is important, if that person has bounced around a lot and not stuck with anything.  References are essential, we’ve had people who lied on resumes for instance.  In conjunction with #1 and #2, #3 makes sense.


      If we are using a business world criteria for “success” then that may be a big issue and something we need to re-evaluate.  In that context #3 would be harsh and unacceptable.


      But in the context of someone with a history of starting things they don’t finish, or repetative sin that they don’t deal with… say an anger problem, etc.  Then it makes sense to consider their past “success” or “unsucess”.  I frankly, don’ t like the use of this word.  Because I think it’s a measurement by the worlds’ business standards.


      The church is not a business.  And I heartily disagree with those who try to make it so.


      And God may call a person to a ministry that seems in the world’s eyes to not be successful.  We’ve been in at least one of those… it ended negatively.  But it was the non Christians in the church who wanted us out, because too many youth were becoming Christians.  In God’s eyes that was a very successful ministry.  To the world, we were let go and fired, and were unsuccessful.


      I heard leadership described in this way…  being FAT. 


      -Faithful


      -Available


      -Teachable


      Without any one of these character traits, it’s impossible to be a leader.


      And that’s held true for me in the last 28 years of staff ministry.

    6. Stan on Mon, July 14, 2008

      It seems to me that the advice on Craig Groeschel’s list was not intended to be taken individually, but all together, that is, you don’t apply only one or two of his 10 advices, but ALL of them.  For example, Craig did say (from his list of 10) that the person others overlook may be right for you(#2), and from that prayer, listening and obedience to God may override other factors that might otherwise point negative or positive (#10).  The Bakkers, Swaggarts and Haggards would be addressed by #1.  Of course, there are always the exceptions to the “rule” but Craig’s generalities should be taken as generalities, and suggestions taken as suggestions - just as they’re written.  Take what is helpful, catalog it as counsel (which is not infallible) and don’t get overly reactive to the rest.  Who knows, time and experience just may bring one to eventually agree more with Craig’s advice… or it may not.  http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/grin.gif  (Prov. 9:7-9)  All in all, I think the list contains things I’d want to keep in mind.

    7. Fred Dyches on Thu, July 31, 2008

      Several comments from a Human Resources Director.  Being a workaholic is not what I consider a good trait.  I prefer someone who knows how to manage their time instead of having to work all of the time.  Balance in life is more important to me when I am looking for staff members. I do not want my staff to burn out; rather keep a balance and a fresh perspective on work. 


      Also, I believe God does give people tough past situations and likely failure to get them ready for their real purpose He has for them.  I am one.  I experienced a number of setbacks through hard economical times, wrong situations, positions I was not suited for, and etc.  However, God has used each one of those situations to teach me something so I would be ready and qualified for where I have been employed for the past 20 years.


      Finally, I believe that the positive attitude of a staff member is more vital than any other quality.  If a person has a positive and willing attitude, I can teach him how to experience success, whether he is Christian or not.  There is nothing that creates more havoc in a department or companies those horrible attitudes.  There is no place in the workplace for that. 


      God Bless.

    8. Jon Petersen on Tue, August 12, 2008

      I’m reading Craig Groeschel’s book “It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It.” The book speaks to the topic of this post in that in order for a church to have “it,” the leadership team needs to have “it.” The illusive “it” is what attracts people and makes ministries effective. Craig says “it” can’t be taught, but “it” can be caught. God gives “it.” “It” has a lot to do with the Holy Spirit. Churches that have “it” are incredibly focused, willing to fail, led by people who have “it,” and those people see potential when others see problems. Craig says “the spark of passion ignites the fuel for innovation.” And he says “it” follows big vision. God makes “it” happen. “It” is from him, by him, and for his glory. You may want to watch brief videos about the book’s message at http://www.zondervan.com/it and http://floatingaxhead.com/2008/08/11/the-power-of-it/

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