Ten Big Church Staffing Mistakes (Part 2)
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Tue, May 10, 2005
- Viewed 127
- (36) comments so far
No matter how subjective it is, you can still make a mistake in a purchase. You may think a certain painting is beautiful, so you buy it. You take it home and your wife says, "What is THAT!?" She hates it. Big mistake! You can't understand how this happened - an oil painting of dogs playing poker - how can this be a mistake?
I have chosen more than one painting that I thought was beautiful, and added it with pride to the rest of the collection only to find it was a possible counterfeit, poorly crafted, and not liked by others. These are paintings I asked others at the art gallery, "Do you like it?" and the response from everyone was, "Yes."
But something happens when you get it home. It doesn't look right on the wall. It just doesn't fit in. It isn't what you thought it was. Big, expensive mistake! Have you ever hired a staff member and felt the same way? You try to get rid of it (the painting, of course), but man, that painting is yours.
Be it art or staff, it's just not easy. My purpose is to help you make fewer mistakes whenever possible.
10 BIG Staffing Mistakes:
In part one of this series I covered the first five. The following are BIG Mistakes six through ten.
- Falling into the "fairness" trap
It's one thing when an eight year-old says, "That's not fair." It's quite another when someone who is twenty-eight or even thirty-eight says the same thing. Life isn't fair. The truth is that one of the best ways to lower the morale of your staff is to pay and treat everyone the same regardless of how well they serve the church and get their job done. (By "treating," I'm not talking about things like love and respect; those ARE for everyone.)
Creating a culture of fairness guarantees a culture of mediocrity. One of the most divisive things you can do to a staff is allow them to compare what they get to what others get. One has an administrative assistant and one doesn't. One has a parking spot and one doesn't. One has an office and one has a cubicle. Stop the madness! This is part of life.
The wise thing to do is to create a culture of gratitude. Help everyone on the team to see that they truly are blessed, and that they need to be grateful for what they do have. It is never smart or productive for people to focus on what they don't have. It's much wiser to focus on all that you do have. Focusing on what you don't have only leads to wanting more and the deterioration of relationships. - Failing to invest in consistent leadership development
Now this is a big mistake! Of all the mistakes I've made and will likely make in the future, this isn't one of them. I am committed to the leadership development of my team, and they know it. This doesn't mean I do it perfectly, but I am passionately in the game.
There are many ways to do this. It can be as simple as meeting with your staff once a month to discuss a book on leadership or spiritual life. You don't need to produce a study guide or teach anything. Just gather and talk about leadership.
There is much more that you can do, but if this is new to you, don't make it complicated. Jump in and start. If you want more material but don't know what to do next, don't worry! There is a tremendous amount of material on leadership development already in print. John Maxwell, Bill Hybels, and Andy Stanley alone have produced enough material for a lifetime. Jesus will come back before you could exhaust all their stuff - and it's good stuff, too! - Thinking that human chemistry doesn't matter because it's all a "spiritual" matter on a church staff
This is a big and dumb mistake. I was so delighted to hear a great talk on this subject some months ago by Bill Hybels. It was one of his monthly leadership teachings on CD. He spoke about staffing and included the "3 Cs" most church leaders have embraced for a long time: Character, competence, and chemistry.
It's difficult to ever say that competence or chemistry is more important than character, but when Bill spoke on the topic, he didn't lower the value of character or competence. He raised the value of chemistry. While human connection should not be your primary criteria for hiring, if it is ignored you are guaranteed to hit trouble down the road.
Chemistry - the "click" or personal connection - matters. Let's say it bluntly. If you don't like someone, and they will report to you, no matter how competent they are, sooner or later trouble will come. There was a time when church leaders didn't allow themselves to be honest about this. We said things like, "If we are all mature brothers and sisters in Christ, we can all work together just fine."
Hey, life is too short to spend 50 hours a week with people you don't like. Morale will begin to erode and eventually productivity will decline. At Crossroads, we really like each other. We hire people that we want to invest large amounts of time with. We work too hard for too many hours to hire people that just don't "fit" the team. I trust you'll give yourself the same permission. - Believing that if a hire isn't ideal when you start, it will get better as you go I have seen this big mistake committed many times in many churches. Let me give you one of the most common examples: The leaders who are doing the hiring find a sharp person. The character, competence, and chemistry are all there! But the sharp person's spouse doesn't want to leave, move, and come to your church. She doesn't like you, your church, your city, or something else. The bottom line is that she is not happy with the new deal.
The big and naive mistake is to attempt to convince her that if she will just come, in time everything will get better and work out just fine. Let me shoot straight with you - if it starts out rocky, it gets worse, not better. Don't talk anybody into anything, and especially not the spouse of the person you want to hire. If they are not happy up front, they won't get happy later. The reality of pressure and the pressure of reality make this a true principle. - Tolerating a sour attitude
Last but not least, don't pay anyone for a bad attitude. If you asked me if I would fire someone for having a bad attitude, I would first ask why you would pay someone for a bad attitude. I don't need to pay for a bad attitude; I can get that for free all day long from people in the church. No way, no how am I paying someone who has a sour disposition - who is grumpy, hard to get along with, and finds a problem in every solution. I will talk with them, coach them, give them a chance to change. But if they don't cheer up, then I give them a very long vacation. So, how about you? What will you do?
In many ways, staffing is like a complex chess game. There are many pieces in play at the same time and each move completely changes the board. There are no right or wrong moves, but each move can be considered anything from "brilliant" to "why the heck did you do that?"
A good staff leader is able to think several moves ahead, anticipate, see multiple options, and move the pieces in a concert of motion in order to win the game. Avoiding these 10 Big Mistakes will help prevent you from a checkmate!
Finally, remember that the biggest mistake of all is failing to love, care for, and appreciate your staff.
Today, we continue our two part series on Church Staffing mistakes by Dan Reiland. Dan has an excellent email newsletter called "The Pastors Coach" that you can sign up for here. Dan writes…
Comments
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Rob on Tue, May 10, 2005
I would like to read (again) the first part of the “10 Big Mistakes” but I don’t see the link. Could you post it or direct me to it. I usually print these out… but I didn’t do it - and now I really want to share this with my leadership team.
Rob
JeffS on Tue, May 10, 2005
Is it possible that the corporate way of doing things isn’t the best way to do church. Church in Acts was a gathering of those who were choosing to pattern thier lives after Jesus. In that gathering they first focused on being disciples themselves. The focus wasn’t on adding numbers or cash it was how do “I” become more like Jesus, and how do I care for those who are seeking the same. Then they saw amazing things happen, disciples grew, miracles, ect… Maybe we should consider how to get back to that? Instead, because of the focus on numbers and money we are driven to a business mindset. One that leaves out the needy, and cuts off those who just don’t fit. “If I don’t like them I send them packing” doesn’t seem to reflect one who is an apprentice of the ever forgiving, patient, and honest Jesus. Maybe instead of cutting them off, we should seek to speak to them truthfully, and find a way to include them personally in our lives. I have found that most of the poor attitudes in church come from people who feel cheated. They are not recieving what you say you are going to give to them.
BeHim on Tue, May 10, 2005
AMEN!!! To JeffS discerning statement.
Is a “bad attitude” someone that doesn’t agree with you? Or is the “bad attitude” the one that disagrees with Scripture?
I know which one I would HOPE it would be but consider this:
What if I’m somehow disagreeing/contrary with Scripture and the person with the “bad attitude” is only trying to encourage me to obey Scripture (imagine Peter firing Paul for disagreeing), would that be considered a “bad attitude”? I guess it really depends on what STANDARD I base the “bad attitude” on. A Corporate structure or a Biblical structure BUT NOT BOTH!
Again, we should be transformed by the Word of God and Knowing Christ not conformed to the things of this world.
Corporate structures fire people for not meeting sales quotas or having “bad attitudes” (which many times is to say - I don’t like them because they disagree with me).
Biblical structures excommunicate those who teach contrary to the Word of God. Excommunication is a serious accusation and one that requires a group of people to discern and judge correctly.
One consideration is to not allow only one or two men to be in control of the hiring or firing of people but rather a committee of people who Know and Understand the doctrines of the Bible and have their heart set on correctly discerning Biblical structure.
The ministry is about teaching and preaching the Word of God the way we were called, not about meeting financial and “spiritual” numbers goals.
I am of the opinion that we need to be more geared towards knowing and understanding doctrine (and the contrary doctrines) and properly teaching them to those whom God brings us to teach them to. Curriculum can be adjusted but doctrine should not!
Todd Rhoades on Tue, May 10, 2005
It’s been my experience though that churches have been more longsuffering than not on some of these areas that Dan touches on.
For example, bad attitudes are not confronted and situations continue to fester. For anyone that’s worked in a multi-staff workplace (church or otherwise), it is vitally important that everyone get along and that attitudes that are bad be dealt with.
And yes, sometimes bad attitudes happen without any theological differences. That doesn’t mean that we don’t tackle them. Paul parted ways, probably not for theological reasons, but for personality reasons, so those dynamics still happen today. I think Dan acknowledges that here and says in a nice way to shape up or ship out. Sometimes (notice I said sometimes; not usually or always) this just needs to happen, in my opinion.
I always hear about people decrying the ‘business mindset’ of the church; but usually only when it deals with assessing funds or abilities. If any organization should be concerned about doing the best with what they are given, the church should. That’s not a business mentality, it’s just sound stewardship.
Any thoughts?
Todd
Bob on Tue, May 10, 2005
This is an area where I’m really torn. On the one hand seeing staffing in such a “coporate” way runs counter to everything I’ve ever learned about ministry. On the other hand, I have personally witnessed the destruction of ministry due solely to the debilitating presence of a staff member who violated no scriptural principals but who was just plain wrong for the job. The situation was not improved by showing love, holding numerous heart-to-heart talks, or by personal discipleship. I wish I didn’t have to admit that the only solution in some cases is to terminate someone, but that’s undeniable. I also don’t think it’s wise to speculate that Jesus would never fire anyone. (Jesus refused to “hire” the rich young ruler even though he had followed all the scriptural rules. His attitude disqualified him.) Our love for a wayward staff member should never be limited, but it should motivate us to act in his/her best interests, whether he/she agrees or not. If someone is just not right for a job, we don’t do that staff member any favors by trying to make an unworkable situation work.
Todd Rhoades on Tue, May 10, 2005
Very well put, Bob!
Todd
BeHim on Tue, May 10, 2005
This is much better stated than before. Yes, I agree, sometimes it is best we just part ways (especially when they are non-essential issues).
BeHim on Tue, May 10, 2005
Now we are dealing with the “heart” of the matter. We must as Christian leaders be discerning in the matters of the heart (that is NOT to say we judge the hear to salvation OR condemnation but it is to say we must make judgments on where a person stands spiritually).
It’s one thing to discern matters of expectation (as stated earlier - corporate or Biblical) but Jesus and the rich young ruler deals with not attitude but the heart.
This will indeed make for an interesting blog topic.
Harry Miller on Tue, May 10, 2005
Revelation 3
14: And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16: So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17: Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19: As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20: Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21: To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
1 Corinthians, chapter 16
“22”: If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
In Revelation 3:20 Jesus is knocking to come into the Laodicean church. I hear the church leadership in some of these blogs pointing to a member as the problem like Adam saying it is the woman you gave me that caused the problem. Many of you like listening to yourselves with this type of rational, but I prefer Christ. When Christ went and picked the apostles He prayed. Judas was one of them and part of the plan. The purpose of the church is to produce Christ and if you are not producing Christ something is wrong (Romans 8:28,29). Now this is something that is taught throughout Scripture. Many churches have leaders that just reproduce themselves, pray to themselves, worship themselves, glorify themselves, publish and promote their teaching, giving lectures and writing books and making colleges. But God pulls Moses and Paul out of the world to teach them Himself. Like Eliezar in the Old Testament the churches Job is to bring people to Jesus not take His place.
Larry on Tue, May 10, 2005
I am puzzled by some of the ocmments already stated. Where did Dzn say the ministry was about “cash” and numbers? He was speaking about staff and hiring staff and how staff relates to one another. Then to call his approach a “corporate” one is untrue. He talks about building into his staff and seeking to hire people who not only are spiritual and have leadrship skills but also that they need to have personality traits that relate well to the rest of staff. They are not to be grumpy or selfish or always negative. Why? Because a staff has to minister together and if one drives evryone else crazy or makes it hard to minister togehter then they need to find a staff where their negative, complaining and grumpy peroanlity and ways fit better. Dan did not say a staff memeber always had to agree with him or could never question him or anyone else on staff. Dan is not just about numbers but instead about a greater impact for Christ and the Bible is also. In Acts 2 it states that the Lord added to their number daily those that were being saved and Paul in his New Testament letters write about desiring a greater impact for the Lord. The Lord wasn’t “corporate” for adding growth was he? Was Paul? I think maybe some people are allowing their past experiences and hurts with a staff or church to color their view of staff and church growth.
Ricky on Tue, May 10, 2005
Todd said:
“I always hear about people decrying the ‘business mindset’ of the church; but usually only when it deals with assessing funds or abilities. If any organization should be concerned about doing the best with what they are given, the church should. That’s not a business mentality, it’s just sound stewardship.”
That’s the whole problem with the business mindset, Todd, is that THE Church is NOT an organization! What is so hard to understand about that FACT?
Let’s call a spade a spade and a business a business, which the institutionalized “church” has become, but please stop referring to the Church as an “organization,” because it is diametrically the opposite of the organizational mindset, where the bottom line is the primary concern and the product is the money-maker.
The Church is no such thing, although it hasn’t stopped the “experts” from continuing to change the definition of church from the biblical to the worldly.
Ricky on Tue, May 10, 2005
Bob: “I also don’t think it’s wise to speculate that Jesus would never fire anyone.”
Well, considering that Jesus didn’t “fire” Judas for stealing from the group’s money bag either tells me that He isn’t into firing someone or He was a horrible “boss.”
Besides, you can’t fire someone from ministry, at least biblical ministry.
RB on Tue, May 10, 2005
Not all staff positions are ministry-based, at least according to their job descriptions. What about an administrative assistant or secretary with a ‘bad attitude’?
BeHim on Tue, May 10, 2005
First, good point Harry.
LARRY WROTE:
Dan is not just about numbers but instead about a greater impact for Christ and the Bible is also. In Acts 2 it states that the Lord added to their number daily those that were being saved and Paul in his New Testament letters write about desiring a greater impact for the Lord. The Lord wasn’t “corporate” for adding growth was he? Was Paul? I think maybe some people are allowing their past experiences and hurts with a staff or church to color their view of staff and church growth.
BeHim responds:
Who added to the Church daily? Again, I’ll ask: Who added to the Church daily? The Lord alone adds to the Church daily.
To assume we’ll have a “greater” impact on His Work is to assume He needs us in anyway.
Do we not understand, if all of us Christians decided to no longer speak the Gospel, to completely disobey and disregard Him, HIS WILL WOULD STILL BE DONE. He would still save those who belong to Him!
He “could” raise up rocks to declare His Gospel BUT PRAISE BE TO GOD, that we, in fact, do get an opportunity to Glorify Him and be a part of preaching the Gospel.
Let’s not build ourselves up by actually believing that if we do this or say that, that “that” it is what is going to save the person. This is the core problem with humanism, it builds man up (and his work) and lowers God/Christ (and their work).
Paul’s New Testament statements btw are ALWAYS in humble service (like a servant serving the King) NOT from the view point of: “watch me serve this person into the kingdom of heaven” or “I can have a great impact on the kingdom of heaven if I practice what I’m going to say or do before I go before the King”
Paul realizes the work is of God and the Holy Spirit, he’s just thankful he gets to be a part of reaping the harvest of fruit.
BeHim on Tue, May 10, 2005
We’ve become so focused on the ministry we’ve forgotten the Minister!
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