You are sitting in your office and you have the next big idea for your church. Reality check: you cannot just change things in a church culture and expect it to be successful. New ideas in a church setting actually just equal the beginning of lots of necessary conversations.
Use these five tips when communicating new ideas with leaders and you will find that your not just spinning your wheels!
Talk to the right people
The fastest way to kill an idea is to start telling people. There are no secrets in church life. If the right (or wrong) people hear about your idea from the wrong (or right) person, your idea is bound to die. First impressions are lasting impressions, this is just as true with ideas as it is with people. So before you open your big mouth, decide who the right person to share this idea with is and who the secondary people to share this idea with are. Make a list and talk to them first.
Talk to them in person
A conversation face to face will always be more effective than email. Try sticking your head in their office and saying, “I have this great idea concerning such and such that we need to talk about. I know that you are busy, but when can we get together and discuss this?” It is difficult for people to say no when they are staring you in the face. As soon as you go back to your office, send an email confirming your appointment. Does this make you seem pushy? Yes. But remember having a reputation for being pushy is less damaging then having the reputation for being ineffective.
Be prepared
Everyone has an opinion about something the church should be doing, and a list of things the church should not be doing. Set yourself apart by basing your idea in quantifiable facts! Knowledge is power, and good information is what every great leader will base their decisions on. I once had a senior minister who told his staff that it was more acceptable to come to work drunk than it was to give him bad information. He was not exaggerating.
Go in with more than just an idea
Prepare a short effective oral presentation with useful handout they can keep that has just the pertinent information on it. Ministry leaders are busy people. Time is the only commodity ministers have, and it is not a renewable resource. The worst thing that you can do is waste it.
Don’t wait for a response
A good leader will want time to think about things, pressure will never turn out favorably for you. Use the time between the meeting and your follow up to make your plan better. Any feedback you received in the meeting will help you formulate a next step. Leaving a meeting with a next step is always a victory.
What about you? What are your roadblocks when sharing new ideas?
Great stuff here! I think I'll actually use some of this tomorrow in the office.
Did you try any of the ideas out at the office?