Keeping with our theme from the last couple posts, how do some leaders/organizations seem to keep members/employees? Why do some churches grow and others do not? Actually, there may be several reasons, but in this article let’s look at what you can do to keep people active and growing.
The following four steps can assist you in developing and keeping people engaged and growing into their greatest potential.
1, Observe, be observant of the individuals in your organization. Listen to what they enjoy talking about, how he/she uses his/her hands, what brings excitement to his voice, what topics does she gravitate to. Observe how each individual attacks each part of his job/ministry and varying opportunities for service. Observation is one of your best resources for helping people grow. Past performance is the best indicator of future expectations.
In your time of observation you want to look for strengths, natural abilities, and passions. These will lead you to each person’s areas of potential and fields in which he/she can soar.
2, Connect your observations of each person with areas within the organization where he/she can grow and develop skill and proficiency. When children seem to run to a particular man or woman in your church, and that man or woman seems to connect with the children, he/she might be a good person to serve in your preschool or children’s ministry. Another person with compassion for a particular group of people, may be ideal for a ministry to that people group. Many times people do not see the connection between their passions and their potential. Help people make those connections in their life.
3, Encourage, people to grow into their connection points as identified. Your encouragement comes not only from verbal communication, but also from supplying all the resources you can, including physical resources, supplies, conferences, educational opportunities and more. Follow up encouragement and asking what she has learned since her discovery period is always a good reinforcer of encouragement.
4, Acknowledge each person for his growth in the areas you have discussed and that he has undertaken. Every small stride forward is a milestone in reaching his potential and each of those small steps need to be acknowledged by leadership and others throughout the church/organization.
When you want to keep people in your organization, help them keep growing, stretching for greater potential. Great athletes never reach a point where they stop developing skill. Great scientists never stop exploring and researching after reaching a milestone in their career. Effective leaders always are encouraging people to stretch a little farther to reach a little higher, and to strive for greater heights of development.
Cause the members of your organization to continually build on their talent and you will strengthen your organization.
George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.