In researching why people love their jobs, we discovered a statistic that was not too surprising. In every single survey we read (50 of them to be exact), among the top 5 reasons listed for why people loved (or hated) their job was “their boss.”
As a Church Leader, it is easy to become so focused on the day to day life of the church; ministries, budgets, planning events and services, that it is easy to overlook your staff. I know this was the case with me, when I was a Church Communications Pastor. I had a great team, one I deeply valued, but one I often overlooked. I can make the excuse that I was busy, and I was. But I quickly learned that if I didn’t care for my team, they weren’t going to be my team for long.
6 Easy Ways to Show Your Team You Care:
1. Recognize their work via Social Media. Tweet it, Post it, Pin it, Instagram it. Put it on the Vine if you have to. But get the word out that you have great people on your team.
2. Remember the details of their lives. Know their spouses and kid’s names, remember anniversaries and birthdays and celebrate with them accordingly.
3. Randomly send notes. Don’t wait for a special occasion to encourage them. Handwrite a note telling them why you’re thankful they are on your team. I had a boss that would periodically leave a sticky note on my keyboard. Not a big deal, but it was nice to know he took the time to show he cared.
4. Pray regularly. Pray for them, Pray with them, Pray over them.
5. Reach out in times of crisis. This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important to remember. Yes, they might have a big extended family and an army of friends, but you still need to take the time to reach out to them in times of crisis.
6. Respectfully challenge and encourage. Take the time to help your staff grow by encouraging them in their strengths and challenging them to live up to their God-given potential.
Do you want to be the kind of leader people will follow? Be a leader who cares. What ways do you care for your team?
