LEADERSHIPBe Worth Following

Inside
This Issue

Proactive Leadership

Can-Do Attitude

Cant Get No
Satisfaction

Year-End
Performance Reviews 2
Letting It Slip

Mastering Internal
Public Relations

Increasing Staff on a
Limited Budget
5
Political Disorder

The Financial
Statement

New Parent
Adaptations

Ive been Here 20

Years...My Leaders
Been Here 20 Minutes 7
Timeless Tips

November 2009 Vol. 4, No. 3

Be the Positive Culture 9

Movement in
the Job Market

Tactful About
Chemistry

Effective Evaluations 10
Wall of Gratitude

10

The High Cost

of Feeling Low

11

Security Guard
Options

11

Holiday Security

12

Heard First

12

hildrens ministry leadership takes a lot of energy. And unless youre intentional, the
weekly demands of ministry programs and managing volunteers can quickly push you
into the role of being a reactive leaderconstantly reacting to the needs youre presented
via email, voicemail, and in person. Youll do a lot of good, but youll soon feel as though
your ministry isnt going anywhereand youll be right. Your ministry will tread water right
along with you, and itll be all you can do just to keep your nose above the surface. You may
be a servant leader, and thats a good thing, but if you want your ministry to improve and
grow, you must become a proactive leaderone whos driving and determining your actions
more than having them driven for you by the endless demands that constantly pour in.

Check Your Stance

What does it mean to be a proactive leader?
It means you lean into the challenging situations you face. You dont avoid them, postpone facing them, or pretend theyll resolve
themselves if you only ignore them a little
longer. (Reality check: Problems do not resolve
themselves, and if you let them sit, theyll corrode your ministry.) Whatever issues youre
facing right now will only get worse unless you
proactively confront them. A proactive leader
returns that unpleasant phone call on Monday
rather than putting it off until Thursday hoping
for an answering machine. A proactive leader
meets in person with someone when a phone
call would be the easier way out of a tough conflict. A proactive leader is the one who chooses
to bring up an awkward topic in a meeting
knowing it needs to be dealt with. A proactive
leader keeps short accounts by resolving even
small conflicts quickly so friendships endure
and relationships strengthen. Proactive leaders ask questions first and listen and process
without being defensive because theyre more
concerned with growing than they are with
being right. They seek feedback always and
constructive criticismespecially when they
think they did a great job.

Step Into the Light

Proactive leadership requires you to be will-

ing to shine light on every aspect of your leadership and ministry. This means youre okay
with being transparent. So when you make
a mistake, rather than hide it or hope no one
saw, you point it out so others can learn from
it and so it can to be an example your ministry can benefit from.
If youve had a conflict or made a mistake
big enough that your leader may hear about
it, be the first to report it: Pastor, just wanted
you to know, today during childrens church,
we removed Mrs. Smiths child for hitting. She
was upset that we did so without finding her
first. We made an effort, but felt due to the repeated offense and for the safety of the other
children we needed to move him immediately.
When she came and didnt see her son, she
was upset. So you may be hearing from Mrs.
Smith this week. Were sorry for the confusion
and the scare that we gave her, but I have to
stand by our decision to take action. By telling your leader before Mrs. Smith does, you
accomplish two things. First, if she calls, your
leader is prepared to comfort and minister
to her because the situation is known. If she
doesnt call, youve built credibility and trust
with your leader because you arent waiting
until Mrs. Smith calls to fill him in when things
go wrong.
continued on page 2

continued from page 1

Make Way for the Future

Proactive leadership is visionary. A proactive
leader isnt just looking at what must get done
but is looking ahead at what could be done. This
leader looks for excellence in everything and is
always asking, How could we do better? Proactive leaders constantly try to see their ministry
through fresh eyes. They paint a picture of what
the ministry could be so volunteers get excited
and energized all over again. They exude energy
and momentum thats contagious. People want
to be around proactive leaders because they feel
the forward movement toward success. Being a
proactive leader isnt only more effective, its also

Can-Do Attitude
If youve got a team member who
falls back on the excuse of I cant
whenever a challenge arises, use this
kindergarten tactic to realign the persons thinking. Challenge the person to
drop the phrase I cant from his or her
mental vocabulary when considering the
problem or challenge. Encourage your
team member to replace I cant
with Ill give it my best shot. Post
a sign in your office that says, Say
goodbye to I Cant. And make
it known that whenever I cant
comes up as an excuse to not tackle
a challenge, youll point it out.
(Naturally, this means you must
also eliminate I cant from your
approach to challenges, too!)
From the editors

Cant Get No Satisfaction

A Purdue University study found that 68% of consumer
defections (those who abandoned one brand or company
for another) could be directly linked to service dissatisfaction.
That far outweighed defections that were the result of product dissatisfaction (16%) and pricing (9%).
What does this mean to your ministry? Its a strong indicator that people are more likely to overlook cost and even
quality than they are a poor relational experience. How
service-friendly is your team? Do your staff and volunteers
know how vital their positive attitudes are?
This information is a great reminder to review your overall
ministry friendliness and service standards.
Source: Purdue University
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childrensministry.com/leaders

more fun and energizing. Being reactive, on the

other hand, wearies the mind, body, and spirit.
So if you want to be a more proactive leader,
dont start your day by checking your email,
voicemail, or mail slot at your office. Start by
praying: God, who would you have me minister
to this week? What would you have me move
forward this week? What can our team improve?
Then make a short list of a few things that need
your proactive leadership. Jot down your action
steps. Then set themand yourselfin motion.
Karl Bastian is the founder of Kidology.org and
provides a free childrens ministry podcast at chil
drensministrypodcast.com.

Year-End
Performance Reviews
Its that time of year when many leaders are
called to review staff performance. Many leaders
squirm simply by thinking about the prospect
because they feel ill-equipped to do reviews efficiently and well. While its never fun to deliver
negative feedback, here are areas you can beef up
in your review techniques so theyre beneficial to
you and your team members.
MotivationWhen you provide clear, fair,
and accurate examples of areas a team member
can improve in, they tend to become quickly
energized and motivated to make changes toward
improvement. People value feedback that helps
them improve, and yours may be just what they
need to focus on areas that require attention.
GoalsInclude a goal-setting session during a
review that you and your team members work on
together. Employees will get clear objectives from
you and have more ownership if they can speak
into what their goals will be in the upcoming year.
Relationship BuildingCommitting to
regular communication throughout the year will
strengthen team involvement, commitment,
and loyalty. Schedule regular touch-base times
with team members during reviews so theres a
continuous record to track progress on goals and
evaluate areas of potential growth or change.
HousekeepingA well-documented performance review provides you with a written record
thatll assist you in further promotions, raises, or
additional assignments. And because you take time
to discuss goals together and deliver detailed feedback during the review process, people are more
likely to accept your decisions in those areas.
Adapted from Change Your Appraisal Attitude
(Communication Briefings)

Letting It Slip
Whether its loose lips, carelessness, or
merely accidental, whenever a team member
finds out prematurely that his or her position
is on the chopping block, you likely have a lot
of explaining to do. Luckily this doesnt happen every day, but it does happenand it can
produce a slew of uncomfortable issues. Heres
how to handle it when one of your team members finds out hes about to be firedand how
to help prevent such mishaps
in the first place.
Get ready to negotiate.
Someone who has forewarning that he or she is about
to be laid off will likely try
to salvage the job. This is
human nature. If the person
comes to you with evidence
of a pending termination
and the situation is more
along the lines of downsizing, position elimination, or
layoff rather than a disciplinary issue that requires termination, then talk
about alternatives or compromises with the
person. Unless its absolutely necessary to let
the person go, you may be able to work out a
compromise, even if its an extra few weeks of
work and a strong letter of recommendation.
Prepare for every emotion. You may face
an angry, sad, weepy, indignant, stoic, or even
detached person. Try not to take the persons
emotions or words too personally, but if the situation feels like its escalating or getting out of
control, bring your leader into the conversation.
Your best bet in handling the persons emotions
is to genuinely apologize that he or she discovered the information before you could meet
privately. Listen to the person and dont cave to
the temptation to defend yourself. Let the person vent or emote, and then ask how you can
help him or her cope with the information.
Opt for generosity. Even if the person
wasnt your star performer, its important to
affirm his or her contributions. When someone
has learned prematurely of a pending termination, its not the time to outline his or her
failures. That doesnt mean you need to lie, but
do err on the side of being kind. Focus on hearing out the person, and then set up a follow-up
meeting with him or her, yourself, and your
leader to talk about the specifics of the decision.

Dont Let It Slip

Use these tips to help keep confidential staff-

ing decisions confidential, all based on the most

common ways people find out theyre about to
be axed.
Check the copy machinetwice. Whenever youre duplicating personnel files or other
confidential documents, check the copier at
least twice before you leave it. Many people
have come across private information carelessly
left in copiers.
Dont hit send too
quickly. Email is a remarkable tool for organizational
communication, but its
also been a hazard when
information is mistakenly
sent in the wrong direction.
Thanks to intuitive software
enhancements such as
autopopulate, its a little too
easy to inadvertently add
people to the very messages
youre typing about them.
So dont type and run
carefully check all the recipients, carbon copy
recipients, and blind carbon copy recipients
youre about to send to.
Dont jump the gun on job listings. If youre
super-excited about replacing your lame-duck
of an administrative assistant and place the job
listing before youve cleared the position, youre
opening the door to the person finding out. Wait
to post job availabilities until the positions are
truly open.
Adapted in part from Accidentally Learning
Youre About to be Fired by Michelle Goodman

Executive Presence

If you ever feel like your leadership skills could use some
stretching or that you dont engender the leadership qualities youd like to, this book is a great steppingstone. Author
Harrison Monarth covers principles that
include learning to accurately read others, influencing peoples perceptions,
winning over those who disagree with
you, managing your personal brand and
reputation, and performing damage control when things go wrong. This book
will give you insights and challenges that
help strengthen and hone your leadership
abilities.
$24.95; McGraw-Hill
childrensministry.com/leaders

CHURCH MATTERSThe Business Side

Mastering Internal Public Relations

ne of the most common things I hear from childrens ministry leaders is that childrens
ministry is an isolated, often misunderstood ministry. I hear leaders say, Nobody gets
it; we try so hard to communicate what were all about, but no one cares. Is that really
true? Are childrens ministry programs still really viewed as baby-sittingor do other leaders
view them as vital operations that contribute to the growth of the overall church? I think it
boils down to how well childrens ministry leaders spread the good word about their ministry
throughout the internal working culture of the church.

Create Internal Communication

You may not often think of
how your ministry is perceived internally. As you
develop an internal
communication plan,
consider the following.
TimingIf your
communication has good
timing, people will hear
it and absorb it. But if you
unleash communication about your
ministry when everyones consumed by other
issues, your information may become a part of
someones who cares pile. Consider releasing
information in periodic sound bites rather than
in a one-time publicity blitzsmaller pieces
connect better and can communicate an ongoing idea or theme.
LanguageOften great internal public relations documents end up in an information graveyard because the communicator used the wrong
words. Avoid clichs and buzzwords and learn
to speak the language of your culture. Is your
culture heavily driven by metrics? Then your
language must reflect stats and numbers that
offer explanations and opportunities to buy in to
your ministry. If your culture is narrative-driven,
then share stories of life transformation in kids,
parents, or volunteers. Know the language and
your point will leave a stronger impression.
ModalityDetermine the best way to communicate your internal public relations, both to
your church leaders and to your wider church.
For leaders, you may need to hold individual
meetings or sponsor informational coffee
breaks. You may distribute insider notes to
staff, parents, and volunteers. For the broader
church, consider these mediums to provide
internal public relations.
Handouts for the entire congregation
Family piece (such as ParentLink, (theparentlink.com))
Fliers at check-in desks
TVs running PowerPoint or video publicity
pieces
Cube cardholders in your coffee shop or
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bookstore
Your church website
Weekly announcements
Signs
Choose your style
and language, then present information when
its well-timed.

Build an Internal Public

Relations Coalition
After youve thought through the
ways youll promote your ministry, consider
the people you can partner with wholl help get
the word out. My lead pastor regularly asks for
information to share about my ministryso
hes obviously on the top of my coalition list.
Others on my list are key leaders such as elders,
parents, volunteers, kids, and people in the
church who are connected in the congregation.
Recently I even asked a high school student
involved in our ministry to share select information with her online social network of friends.
Develop a core group to assist you with consistent communication to the congregation. Meet
with this group to enlist them in expanding
your internal publicity circle by sharing ideas
with their relational circles.

Communicate With Excellence

Its easy to take shortcuts and create shoddy
or enough to get by communication pieces.
But dont settle for the mediocre. Your printed
pieces can define the quality of your ministry.
You work so hard to develop a reputation of
quality ministrydont let your printed communications tarnish your high standards. Find
capable designers, writers, and proofreaders to
help with production of your printed materials.
In the same way, intentionally build positive
internal public relations in unprinted ways
such as through your conduct in meetings or
your treatment of your teams and colleagues.
Would your ministry colleagues refer to you as
always on-time and prepared for meetings, or
would they say youre usually late and seem

disinterested? Do you ignore requests for suggestions to help the office function better, or do you
take action and make yourself available to provide
help? Do you respond to emails and phone messages in a timely manner? Your personal attention to detail makes a difference in the world of
internal public relations. Your work ethic and
style is a measuring stick for the quality of your

childrens ministry. And at the end of the day, you

yourself are the most important part of the plan to
promote your ministry internally.
Jay Hostetler is a veteran childrens pastor, a
childrens ministry consultant, and founder of
churchteamconnections.com.

Increasing Staff on a Limited Budget

The economy has put a halt on new hires
and churches feel the pinch, too. Here are creative
ways to hire needed staff on a tight budget.
Hire the Inexperienced. Experience is always
a plus when hiring, but you can typically get great
bang for your buck if you hire a recent college
graduate or an intern. Inexperienced hires are
eager to gain knowledge and are often willing to
work for less to do so.
Outsource Positions. Some positions or job
duties can be hired out as freelance positions
or outsourced for a period of time. Jobs such as
bookkeeping or custodial help may drain full-time
staff if theyre asked to assist in these areas when
theres a hiring freeze, and it also pulls them away
from concentrating on areas where theyre gifted
and have the ability to improve a ministry. Free-

lance and outsourcing is often cheaper than hiring

someone and may open the door for someone
who does a good job in this capacity to be hired
later when the economy picks up.
Think Bivocational. Many churches have
leaders who are employed full-time somewhere
else in the community. Often people who work
outside the church have an incredible heart for
ministry but arent willing to give up their day
job quite yet to pursue a ministry career full-time.
In this situation, create a salary structure and job
description that works for both parties, and then
negotiate terms. This lets these people explore
ministry as a career, and the church acquires
enthusiastic help during an economic downturn.
Source: Outreach Magazine

Political Disorder
Associate pastor John always says, Honesty
is the best policy, yet you catch him in white
lie after white lie in leader meetings. Volunteer
coordinator Vela insists that her team works twice
as hard as any other team, yet she consistently
leaves the office early when youre not around.
Ministry leader Nancy gets riled when she perceives someone is being mistreated by others, but
her dark and stormy attitude keeps others in fear
and at a distance.
Navigating office politics can be just the tip of
the iceberg when it comes to dealing with quirky
personalities, hidden agendas, and personal brokenness. Yet you must learn to successfully maneuver all this in a ministry environment. Whats
the best way to cope when youre dealing with
say-one-thing-but-do-another personalities?
Its best to remember that while most people
dont actually have diagnosable personality disorders (though you may often wonder), we often
become the products of our personal dysfunction
or brokenness. So John, who cant seem to get
the truth straight, probably knows this on some

level and tries to overcompensate by insisting that

honesty is his top priority. Same with Vela and
Nancy. In these situations, you essentially have
two choices.
Say nothing and go into every situation
knowing what youll be dealing with. If theres no
impact to your ministry or to your team and the
situation truly is a harmless personality quirk, let
it pass and just use your best judgment in dealings with the person. For instance, if Leigh insists
that she hates orange hair, but dyes hers orange
every four weeks like clockwork, you likely dont
need to bring it up.
Say something and do so in love. If you see
that others are losing faith in or respect for Johns
bending of the truth, privately, kindly approach
him about it. Its not your job to psychoanalyze
him, but it is your job to keep the culture of your
ministry and your team healthy and...honest.
Offer him support and accountability, and let him
know the impact his truth-bending has on him
and the team.
From the editors
childrensministry.com/leaders

The Financial Statement

Most ministry leaders dont relish accounting lingo, but its important to have basic working
knowledge to read and understand financial statements. Here are terms you need to know.
The Statement of Financial PositionThis is similar to a balance sheetit reflects the ministrys
financial position at a single point in time. It lists:
assets (the price paid for something)
liabilities and net assets (ownership of those assets)
liabilities (the portion owned by debt owners)
net assets (the portion owned by the ministry)
The Statement of Cash FlowsThis is the statement that typically gives ministry leaders the
most important information they need. It includes:
Cash flow from operations (tells you whether youre able to fund something without selling
assets or borrowing money)
Cash from investing activities (represents investments and sales of assets used in ministry
(you want to see an ongoing investment in assets)
Cash flow financing activities (tells you the incoming and outgoing cash related to any financial activities. Ideally, you want to see cash from operations and not financing.)
Source: The Ministers MBA by George Babbes and Michael Zigarelli (BH Publishing Group)

New Parent Adaptations

One thing about it: Childrens ministers
and volunteers love kids. So its no wonder
they often want some of their own.
But the joy new parents experience with the birth of a baby is often
coupled with the stress of how to
balance the family budget with
a new family member and new
expenses. Here are strategies to
help new parents serving in your
ministry balance the realities
of a ministry salary (even when
its $0) with the addition of a
new baby.
Baby BudgetOffer new
parents help creating a budget that
considers the baby. Recruit a financial whiz from your administration
team and veteran parents to sit down before
the baby arrives to help parents think through
financial realities. Assist new parents as they
create a budget, stick to the basics, and make
wise money choices.
Child-Care OptionsDay care costs are
often more than mortgages, and they often
account for new parents leaving the workforce;
its often cheaper to quit and earn no salary
than to continue working and pay more for day
care than one earns in salary. Consider allowing
new parents to bring their babies to the office
several days a week or discuss work-from-home
options. Also consider providing care in the
nursery during work hours or allowing multiple
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childrensministry.com/leaders

families to create a child-care exchange that

works around each others schedules.
Know Their WorthWith layoffs seemingly everywhere, its important to let
all your team members know how
valuable they are to your ministry
especially new parents, who often
feel anxious about a return to
work and job stability. The
beauty of working in a church
office is that time is often flexible,
so be willing to work out a schedule or situation that lets you keep
valued, experienced, kid-loving team
memberseven as they adjust to a
new role at home.
Source: Working Mother

SimChurch
The virtual church is hereand poised
for explosive growth. This book invites
you to explore the vision, concerns, and
challenges of online ministry. What will
it mean for church to go virtual, and how
will it encourage families to worship together? SimChurch will challenge you to
look at church and evangelism in a new
way and will stretch you as you think of
cultivating faith online.
$16.99; zondervan.com

Career CoachFollowing Gods Call

Ive Been Here 20 Years...

My Leaders Been Here 20 Minutes

hurch staff paradigms are constantly changing. Roles evolve and staff members take on
different responsibilities. And change ushers in. . . new people. Often new, high-level
leaders arrive on teams to ignite innovation or to provide remedies for struggling ministries. That can create a scenario where a new staff member has oversight over a ministry
veteran. So what to do if thats you?
The first thing that comes to mind is a time
in my life when our kids were on the edge of
adolescence. My wife and I had many conversations about how wed work through conflict
with our kids, how wed manage issues of
fairness, and how wed treat our kids friends.
After several parenting seminars, lunches with
the youth staff at our church, and conversations
with older parents whod survived their kids
teenage years, we established our strategy. It
was simple: Engage this stage of our kids development anticipating it would be our favorite
time of parenting. Yes, we had bumps along
the way, but we made it through. Our mantra
became, Engage, dont avoid. This is a great
strategy that works for collaborating with a new
leader when youre the veteran.

Decide to Learn
To get to know your new leader, become a
student. In your meetings, get to know your
new leaders previous ministry experience. Ask
questions about the initial impressions this person had of the ministries he or she has led. Ask
questions about family. Ask questions about the
persons feelings about how youll best work
together. Whats the leaders early perception
of your church culture? All of these answers will
shape your early understanding of your new
leader and may also guide your future decisions
together.

I didnt know a lot of people, and that made

it initially difficult to know how to get things
done. Your new leader needs to get connected
as quickly as possible; help out by inviting your
new leader along to lunches, sporting events,
and other work/social gatherings to connect
with people fast. And remember, it wont hurt
that your relational circle might share positive
things about you with your new leader.

Share Early Wins

Youll probably have ministry events in the
pipeline that occur soon after your new leader
arrives. Include your leader in the glow of a
successful event. Have him or her participate
in the event. This will give a new leader early
exposure to your style of doing things, and itll
help your team and parents recognize that the
new leader has a stake in your ministry. This is
an obvious win/win situation. And be brave after
the eventyou can gain unexpected insight into
your new leader and even yourself by having
him or her give you an assessment of the event.

Take Time to Talk

To help your new leader understand the

context of your ministry, take time to explain
past situations. Dont use this knowledge as a
weapon where you withhold and reveal to
suit your needs; use it to help your new leader.
Be honest about things in the past that werent
successful; dont make your new leader learn
the hard way. Your link to the past can be a
great first step to positive collaboration.

In the early phases of your new working

relationship, take time to talk in a positive way.
Encourage your new leader. Mix your learning
from the past with your revitalized view of the
present because a new leader is involved. Tell
the person that youre looking forward to the
challenges youll tackle together.
Know that youll be questioned by others
concerning this new working relationship. The
scrutiny may feel awkwardespecially if its
perceived that you were passed over for the
positionbut embrace peoples questions and
answer positively and honestly. Share the good
things that are happening between you and
your new leader; ward off any potential negative or uncertain feelings by your team members by being supportive of your new leader.

Help Broaden the Relational Base

Dream Together

Six years ago I came to a new ministry position. From the outset I enjoyed the challenge
of new ministry. My only frustration was that

Regardless of the circumstances around your

new leaders arrival, dont view this new

Correctly Share the Past

continued on page 8

childrensministry.com/leaders

continued from page 7

working relationship as a time to lay aside your

ministry dreams. Your new leader will bring new
initiatives but should also be very interested in
the direction youre headed. Together you have
the ability to craft the future, focusing on shared
responsibility and developing best practices to
reach your goals.
Youve begun a journey with a new ministry

associate. Embrace this person by spending time

together. Determine to serve your new leader
with your best energy, and focus on constructing
a life-transforming childrens ministrytogether.
Jay Hostetler is a veteran childrens pastor, a
childrens ministry consultant, and founder of
churchteamconnections.com.

Timeless Tips
No modern self-help book compares to our
one true guide, the Biblewith its most encouraging and important reminder of all: I can do
all things through Christ who strengthens me
(Philippians 4:13, NKJV). But the best books
offer advice and strategies that are timeless.
For example, Denis Waitleys 1986 classic The
Psychology of Winning covers 10 qualities of a
total winner. Following are highlights of qualities and action steps worth noting that still ring
trueand offer a valuable refresher on positive
thinking.
Think of successful, positive people youve
known. Which of these timeless qualities do
they embody? Which are growth areas for you?
And how can you lean on Jesus for strength in
each of these?
Positive Self-Expectancyan overall attitude
of personal optimism and enthusiasm.
Action: In projecting your own health conditions to others, realize that your daily conversation is the automatic readout of your thoughts
and subconscious emotions. Use positive selftalk...Im feeling better now. I can feel the difference in my nutrition and exercise program.
Positive Self-Motivationthe ability to focus
thinking on rewards; tune out fears.
Action: If theres something you want to do
or experience but are afraid to try, seek out and
talk in person this week to someone who currently is doing what you want to do, and doing
it well.
Positive Self-Imagethe ability to see yourself changing, growing, and achieving.
Action: Read a biography this month...of
someone who has reached the top in your profession. Imagine yourself achieving the same accomplishments as the person youre reading about.
Positive Self-Directiona clearly defined
game plan and purpose.
Action: What are your lifetime goals? What
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childrensministry.com/leaders

do you stand for; what do you want your children to tell their children about you? Jot down a
one-page brief.
Positive Self-Controlaccepting responsibility for causing the effects in your life.
Action: In place of the compulsion of I have
to, use the volition of Ive decided to. In place
of the inhibition Im afraid to, use Im more
comfortable doing this as a condition for nonparticipation.
Positive Self-Disciplinepracticing excellent
performance mentally; visualizing.
Action: Make a list of necessary but unpleasant tasks youve been putting off. Put a completion date after each task. Start and finish each
task. Immediate action on unpleasant projects
reduces stress and tension.
Positive Self-Esteema deep-down feeling of
your own worth.
Action: Volunteer your own name first in
every telephone call and whenever you meet
someone new. By paying value to your own
name in communication, youre developing the
habit of paying value to yourself as an individual.
Positive Self-Dimensionthe ability to see
yourself as part of the big picture of life.
Action: Spend time listening to and giving
encouragement to an elder each week.
Positive Self-Awarenessknowing who you
are and what you believe, always adding to your
knowledge.
Action: Look at yourself through other peoples eyes. Imagine being your parents. Imagine
being married to you. Imagine being your child.
Imagine working as your employee.
Positive Self-Projectionthe intent to make
others happy to have interacted with you.
Action: Be an active listener; ask many questions and ask for examples.
Adapted in part from The Psychology of Winning by Denis Waitley.

Be the Positive Culture

Movement in the Job Market

Maybe its an unfortunate byproduct of a

weak job market, but there seems to be an
epidemic of people who are grouchy about their
jobscreating a negative culture of excuses,
whining, gossip, and complaints. According to
Thank God Its Monday author Roxanne Emmerich,
91% of people waste time daily focusing
on co-workers behavior,
managers waste 37% of their day dealing with unproductive behavior,
at least 66% of the workplace is considered to be disengaged (from a recent
Gallup poll), and
one out of three payroll dollars is lost
due to disengaged staff.

18.2% of job seekers who found work in the second

quarter of 2009 had to relocate to be hired, up significantly from 11% in the same period in 2008.
Food for thought: If youre looking for a new position, you may need to be comfortable with considering a
movenow more than ever.
Source: Challenger Grey & Christmas outplacement consulting

The negative attitudes and stress in todays

workplace is translating into unproductive
organizationswhich ultimately damage entire
organizations and teams. Heres how to be the
positive light in your ministry.
1. Openly address negativity. Openly stick
to the behavior standards in your ministry.
Rather than pushing dissent underground,
Emmerich say, its much more positive to flush
it out and deal with issues directly.
2. Set the example for finding solutions. Address individuals directly when you have an issue that only they can resolve; encourage others
to do the same when you hear them complaining about one another.
3. Dont make excuses. When you catch
yourself making an excuse for why something
just cant be done, think instead of how you
can make something happen. For example, if
you cant take on more kids because the new
building isnt finished yet, determine how you
can accommodate the kids at different times or
with more volunteers.
4. Engage complainers. If an individual or
group of people is whining, ask them to please
list three solutions and make a top recommendation; then task them with implementation.
5. Rise above the victim mentality. Victimhood keeps us stuck, says Emmerich, and isnt
good for the individual or the organization...dont
reinforce the victims around you with comments
like, How do you take it? Instead, lead the way
in empowering people to take action.
6. Celebrate achievements. Rather than
being frozen in fear about the economy, list
the results you want each week, and celebrate
when you achieve them.
Source: thepeoplepro.com

Tactful About Chemistry

Listing references for your job search can have pitfalls. For example, if you didnt have a great relationship with a leader, youd understandably hesitate to
include that person on your list. But does the absence
of a leaders name call attention to a problem?
Business consultant Barbara Corcoran offers this
advice: Realize that interpersonal conflicts are nothing
new. The absence of one bosss name in your list of references doesnt matter. She suggests
listing someone else in the department wholl view you favorably and
also reminds of the importance of
staying positive if youre asked about
the relationship in an interview.
Simply say the two of you didnt
have great chemistry. Your interviewer will understand the
shorthand and credit you with
professionalism.
Source: Hearst Communication

Finding Purpose
Beyond Our Pain

Ministry professionals can find personal and professional

applications in the latest release by authors Paul Meier and
David Livingstone Henderson. Learn their revolutionary
approach to dealing with lifes everyday struggles and challenges. The book offers advice to help
overcome difficult times; face painful
issues head-on in a way that allows you
to grow and mature emotionally, spiritually, and professionally; and learn to view
your struggles as a gift from God. The
authors explore the seven most common
life challenges: injustice, rejection, loneliness, loss, discipline, failure, and death.
$22.99; Thomas Nelson

childrensministry.com/leaders

ADMINISTRATIONAhhh...the Details

Effective Evaluations

erformance evaluations. Those words make many who have to do them cringe...theyre
the adult equivalent of the words essay test in high school. Youre not alone if you dread
doing performance evaluations or worry that youre not good at them. I did some
informal research on the matter with 10 churches; just one of the 10 churches has a policy in
place for staff evaluationsand thats one more than those with volunteer evaluations.
Maybe we dont like the idea of making others uncomfortable. Maybe when it comes to
evaluating staff and volunteers, it feels awkward to place judgment on themespecially
those who are giving you their time. People are hard enough to recruit, we reason. How do we
objectively evaluate their performance without running the risk of losing them?

New Purpose
Start by rethinking everything about evaluations. First, give them a new name more suited to
the actual purposewhich is to help all your team
members best utilize their gifts so your ministry
can reach hearts for Jesus. Try conducting Staff
One-on-Ones, Ministry Reviews, or Individual
Service Checkups. Rather than meeting in your
office, meet in a casual, friendly environment.
(But be clear about the purpose for your meeting
in advance. Dont just say, Hey, lets meet for
lunch.) Plan the meetings at regular intervals, and
do them consistently with each team member. Let
your team members know in advance the topics
youd like to discussmeaning this will be a twoway conversation. Consider tackling these three
questions in every conversation.
Whats the persons potential? Look back at
the persons job description, which should include
clear objectives and expectations, and do an
inventory review. Ask people whether they feel
theyve been given the opportunities to reach
their potential and how you can better do this is
the future. This is an excellent time to affirm each
persons valuable contributions to the ministry.
What goals can the person aim for? This
question encourages both you and the person to

Wall of Gratitude

Help your staff re-energize for the holiday season with everpresent reminders of gratitude. Let everyone participate in filling a Gratitude Wall with words of appreciationto God and to
each other. Start with this list of ideas and add your own.
Photos: staff, families, children in your ministry, loved ones
in faraway places, nature scenes, and abundant food
Thank yous: cards from families and notes to each other
Praises to God: blank crosses for writing personal praises
Childrens drawings
Symbols of lifes blessings: leaves, recipes for healthy foods,
a piece of a cast thats been removed, and a hospital wrist-band
Goodies to share: coupons, certificates, free-to-a-good
home offerings, and gifts of time or other bounties.
From the editors

10

childrensministry.com/leaders

consider goals. Look toward the future; what areas

are open for improvement? Ask the person to
bring a draft of four to five goals for the year, with
details about what each goal will accomplish. For
two or three of these goals, collaborate on how
youll measure completion or success. Keep copies
of these goals on file for the next time you meet.
This type of accountability will help your staff
members stay on track and motivated.
How does the person self-assess? Having each
team member, whether paid or volunteer, complete
a self-evaluation form can be immensely helpful if
the form includes questions about attitude, work
ethic, and important relationships (with leadership, other staff, and the children and families you
serve). Also, include a section for the team member
to self-assess his or her performance and effectiveness in areas discussed in staff training sessions;
for example, communication, handling discipline
issues, dependability, personal growth, and other
ministry areas in which they may have strengths
and weaknesses. Assessment forms that have clear
rating systems, such as a scale of 1-to-5, and that allow space for comments work best. Provide forms
several days in advance of your meeting.

New Conversations
Let your team members know youre inviting
them to a two-way meeting. This is their chance
to talk about the ministry from their point of view
and a chance for you to offer praise and advice.
This is each volunteers opportunity to talk about
his or her participation, future goals, and even the
possibility of moving into a different position. Your
main goals for this yearly session are to review the
past, analyze the present, and plan the future.
If staff and volunteer evaluations are a new
direction for your ministry, you can find forms
ready to use or adapt to your needs at church
volunteercentral.com. This site offers a wealth
of information, forms, and how-to advice, all of
which youll find extremely helpful as you take on
this important process.
Barbara Price is a veteran childrens ministry
director, author, and professor in Edmond, Oklahoma.

The High Cost of Feeling Low

Your teams emotional and mental welfare can
have major financial implications for your ministry
just as it has for the corporate world. Studies show up
to 10% of people suffer from depressionand the
related health- and productivity-related expenditures
are twice that of physical health problems. Psychiatric disability claims are increasing six times faster
than medical and surgical disability cases, according
to JPMorgan Chase, and indirect costs (such as loss of
productivity while at work) are estimated at 60 percent of the total cost of worker illness. In phone interviews, researchers found that depressed staff report
losing about 5.5 hours each week on the job, though
the actual number may be considerably higher. Your
ministry cant afford that kind of loss any more than
a business can, not even in a good economy.
Take these steps to minimize the financial burden
of depression on your ministry.
1. Understand your costs. Evaluate where your
insurance funds are being spent. Then inventory
current benefits, and encourage staff to use the existing mental health benefits; 40% of staff are unaware
of behavioral health benefits, says a survey by the

Partnership for Workplace Mental Health.

Consider this cost-benefit example: A Harvard
Medical School study showed intervention costs
ranged from $100 to $400; the resulting 2.6 hours
per week improvement in productivity equated to
$1,800 in value of increased productivity annually.
2. Encourage combined treatment. General practitioners most often prescribe antidepressants. But
studies show that combining medicine with psychiatric therapy is most effective.
3. Create a wellness system. A systematic program should include screenings, health risk appraisals, outreach, and a treatment program. People dont
always recognize depression, so train your leaders
to identify warning signs. Some symptoms include
withdrawal, chronic fatigue, irritability, anxiety, appetite or digestive problems, poor memory, sleeping
problems (too much or not enough), indecision,
and personal neglect. Your insurance provider can
help arrange for a therapist to provide training and
conduct screenings.
Sources: workforce.com, psychotherapist.net, and
Psychology Today magazine

Security Guard Options

When working with children, safety is always priority #1. The sad truth today is schools and churches are
no longer the safe havens they once seemed to be. In
response, your church may be joining the many that
are considering the use of security guards for events,
worship services, and even ministry functions including Sunday school. Your security task force or committee has several choices:

a copy of a certificate of insurance showing that the

church has been added as an additional insured on
the serv- ices insurance policies.
Your church should enter into a written agreement in which the service agrees to indemnify (hold
harmless) the church from any injury or damage that
might result from the services activities.

Off-Duty Law Enforcement Officers

The church is responsible for running background

checks, screening, training, and supervising all churchdesignated security guard personnel.
Because security is a regulated profession in
many jurisdictions, the church is responsible for ensuring that its security force complies with all licensing
and certification requirements that might exist under
its states law.
The church will, in most circumstances, be liable
for the acts of its security guards.

Local police force members typically have superior training in dealing with suspicious individuals.
Depending on your local laws for off-duty officers
responding to criminal acts, they may be able to provide churches some measure of liability protection.
Engage officers in dialogue about the preferred
approach to security at the church so there are no
misunderstandings.

Hired Security Guard Service

These services provide a layer of liability protection for your church.
Check references and ask about the services
screening, training, and supervision procedures. Ask
for a copy of the companys license to operate.
The service should be fully insured and able to
add the church as an additional insured party. Obtain

Churchs Own Security Force

Armed guards must be properly licensed, hold

necessary permits, and only carry legal and authorized
weapons. Arming your churchs security guards is
something that should only be undertaken in consultation with your churchs counsel, local law enforcement, and your insurance agent.
Source: churchvolunteercentral.com

childrensministry.com/leaders

11

Heard
First
The grapevine is alive and well in most

With Thanksgiving and Christmas around the

corner, no doubt your church is ready to welcome guests with open arms. This joyful season
is no reason, though, to fall down on security. Do
a quick brush-up on basic security prior to the
holiday rush by answering these questions.
Are entrances to your church and ministry
limited and monitored? Once church services
begin, ensure access to your childrens area is
limited. Allow access through one monitored
entrance only, and ensure your monitor in this
area is a guest-welcoming pro.
Are your volunteers clearly identified?
Have your team members wear identifiable
name badges with a photo to help parents and
guests know whos been cleared to be in your
building or area. When you have outside adults
in your building, such as contractors, secure
information such as name, phone, and a drivers
license while they visit your ministry.
Is security in place and equipped? Volunteers focused on security can walk through and
monitor hallways to ensure guests who may be
lost find their way and that no unidentified individuals are wandering the halls. If possible, equip
volunteers with 2-way radios for communication.
Is your emergency plan in place? Ensure
prior to the busiest time of year that everyone
serving in a security capacity is trained on emergency procedures. Train your volunteers on what
to do in an emergency situation. If your rooms
are unequipped with a land phone, ensure each
room has access to cellular service or a 2-way
radio. Check that emergency contact numbers
and procedures are updated and posted inside
rooms near the doors.
From the editors

organizationsand that means you must

make every effort to continually ramp up
effective, timely communication to your
staff and volunteers. If you doubt that,
consider this:
In a survey of nearly 3,000 leaders and
staff from various organizations, 83% of
leaders believed that staff heard about major changes in the organization from them
first. The truth, though, is that 46% of staff
reports hearing information about major
changes from the grapevine first.
Source: International Association of Business
Communicators

How Did That Happen?

Best-selling authors Roger Connors and Tom Smith provide
models, self-assessments, charts, and lists to help leaders hold
staff accountableand to help them manage unmet expectations. Four management techniques for expectations include
forming, communicating, aligning, and inspecting expectations.
Also included are invaluable assessments:
Accountability Style Self-Assessment, Clues
to Assessing How Well You Form Expectations, The Deliberate Leader Self-Test, The
Keeping-Up Quiz, and more. The book also
answers the questions: What do you do
when a worker isnt aligned to company or
department expectations? How do you deal
with a workers competency problem? Recommended by top leaders nationwide.
$26.95; Portfolio Hardcover

Childrens Ministry Professional Edition is

brought to you by the creators of Childrens
Ministry Magazine at Group.

Editorial Offices:
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(970) 669-3836

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Jennifer Hooks
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Associate Editor
Carmen Kamrath
Contributor
Ann Diaz

Copyright 2009 Group Publishing, Inc.

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