#3 - “Thank You” Goes A Long Way
Pastor, when was the last time you said “thanks” to a staff member?
This is an area where I am continually seeking improvement. There are times when I get so wrapped up in the work that I forget to tell others how much I appreciate them and the job they are doing.
One day I was about to leave the office and a staff member walked by me…the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and told me to tell him “thanks” for all that he did.
So…I called him over to my car and told him how much I appreciated him and the work that he was doing in our church.
The next day he sent me an email telling me that he had worked in the business world for years…and no one had ever said “thanks” for anything…and that my encouragement meant a ton to him.
Pastors, we need to be in the business of saying “thanks!” Trust me…it goes a long way for someone on staff to feel affirmed and appreciated.
#4 - Give Me Permission To Fail
One of the biggest fears that any human being has is failure…so, rather than taking a risk they simply choose to play it safe and not make any bold moves for the cause of Christ.
Here’s the deal…staff members WANT to take leaps of faith. They want to honor God. They want to try new things. BUT…most of them don’t want to do it at the risk of losing their jobs.
So…give them permission to fail. As long as they mess something up in an all out effort…and as long as no one gets hurt…no problem, right?
NOW…when a staff member continually makes the same mistake over and over…it’s not an issue of passion but rather an issue of competence.
BUT…if we as pastors are going to lead churches that are taking HUGE steps…then we MUST understand that WE are NOT the only ones who are going to have BIG IDEAS! If we limit our church to our ideas and innovation—they’re screwed!
BUT…if we release our staff and give them permission to go all out and give it their best effort…and even if they fail…we still win because it will mean we are one step closer to something successful!