3 Ways To Keep Your Team Encouraged
There’s enormous pressure on pastoral team members, support staff and key volunteers to change and adapt the way they do ministry. The ability to sustain quality and momentum will be dependent on your team’s health; something you need to continue to cultivate.
1) Take Time to Celebrate
Senior leaders are often “summiters”, they reach a goal and keep on climbing, not realizing that some of their team following them are wheezing, in need of oxygen or sliding back down the mountain. During rapid change, adaptation and new expectations, take time with your team, support staff and volunteers weekly to celebrate what’s gone well, evaluate what can be better and omit the ineffective.
2) Clearly Communicate
When things are moving quickly, communication is the first thing to go. Over communicate the mission, the objectives and the goals to everyone on your team who you expect to deliver on the outcomes. Anyone out of the communication loop can’t meet expectations they don’t know about.
3) Share the Praise
If your church has done something that others have appreciated, been impacted by or been inspired – share this with your team. Let them know that their hard work has touched a life, made Jesus known and been a bright light to someone.
What will you celebrate with your team this week?
Matthew Swinamer is a professional engineer with over a decade of experience working across various sectors of the Canadian energy industry. He has been married to his wife, Heidi, for ten years, and together they lead Master’s Counselling Services, a faith-based counselling practice in Calgary providing a wide range of psychotherapeutic services, supporting individuals, couples and families in mental, emotional, and spiritual health. As a mental health advocate, Matthew is passionate about breaking the stigma surrounding mental health in both faith communities and society at large, especially in male-dominated environments, industries and workplaces. He is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California, where he continues to explore the intersection of faith, mental health, and leadership. Matthew and Heidi live just outside of Calgary, Canada, with their furry ‘practice child’ Lily ( a seven-year-old golden retriever dog).