Several years ago, I had the chance to do an internship for a dying church. The church had lost all of their founding pastors and had gone almost 2 years without a leader. After finally hiring a Lead Pastor, a friend of mine, who attended this church knew that I was looking for an internship for college, and asked if I would be interested in helping them out with their Kids Ministry . I was young, inexperienced and had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had passion and energy for Kids Ministry and lots of "great" ideas! I went in, looked around and identified what needed to be done and immediately started making changes. While my perception of what needed to change was accurate, I learned that when those you lead do not know you, they will not trust you, no matter how great your ideas are. The things I learned during this season has shaped my leadership and I want to pass along with you, what I wish I had known before I started!
Leverage the "White Horse." Something that has proven true in every church I have ever been part of is when you first join the team people treat you like their knight in shining armor, riding in on a white horse. Everyone wants to take you out for coffee, and invite you over for dinner. Your social calendar is packed for months! While their intentions are meant well, what I have found is that these are the people who have the biggest expectations for you and how you will lead this ministry. Now, if you have been in Kids Ministry longer than 10 minutes, you know that it is like pulling teeth to get your team to attend trainings or appreciation events, so this is a vital time in your ministry, while you have their attention, to share your heart and your journey with as many people who will listen-and as often as they will listen! It has been my experience that when people know you and what you are about, trust begins to build. Focus less on what you are going to do as their leader and more on letting them get to know who you are!
Listen and Watch. The first year you are in ministry, your main goal should be to assess the situation. Sure! You might already have an idea of the direction you are going to lead this team, but it is more important to understand how everything is structured and why. The first year is like drinking from a fire hydrant and it is your job to soak in as much as possible. Avoid the urge to prove yourself and implement new programming or new events. It is not your job to prove yourself, it is your job to lead a group of people into a growing relationship with God. You can not do that if you do not know who you are leading. Identify people who are the key influencers on your team. Find the people that everyone listens to, and get them on your side! Build relationships with those who have most influence on your team, and cast vision to them first! Ask for their advice, their worries, and their concerns. Listen to them. Consider their advice. Remember! A this point, these are people who have more influence than you do and there is a reason for it! When it comes time to make changes, these influences will go o bat for you with the others, and it will make all the difference!
Cast Vision-Create a Culture. Once you have identified your key leaders and have worked out a strategy together, it will be time to implement. The key to casting vision is to help your team understand WHY staying "here" is no longer an option and why moving forward is the only solution! Paint a clear picture! Tell stories! Give your team a clear and exciting mission and repeat it as often as possible! Creating a new culture will take time, and while you have been working on this strategy for a year with your key influencers, your team is hearing it for the first time! The most important part leadership strategy is your energy-if you aren't excited, nobody will be. It will take time, don't be discouraged! While you feel like a broken record, repeat your strategy-your team should be able to repeat it back to you! Celebrate wins! When you see someone on your team connect with they strategy, then AMP IT UP! Tell everyone! What is rewarded gets repeated!
What are some lessons, in your first years in leadership, that you had to learn the hard way?
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