4 years ago I was leading multiple locations and local store marketing of a National Brand and Franchise. I was working with everyone from training a teenager to run the drive thru to leading managers to be better leaders to helping assess the needs of a certain store in a certain market to make the best of their local store marketing plan. That was my life for years and luckily it came very easy for me. I was a very firm, fair and consistent manager who never needed to be liked, just respected. Respected that I was making the best decisions for the business - for the team as a whole, while empowering people to leave a stronger leader/employee from the day they started to the day they left; and having fun while doing it. Customer satisfaction and the P&L drove my ambitions, but quite frankly - my employees were my number one customer. All of that was a tough balance, but one I feel I eventually was able to lead well.
Today, I find myself in a position I have dreamed of for many years at the church I grew up in. I have always felt called to ministry, just not from the front. I'm not a preacher (although some would argue based on the topic ;-) ), I am not even that good from the stage. What I feel called to do is make whats behind the scenes a well oiled machine so that the front line leaders minister most effectively. What is most fulfilling about this job is that it is not about money, its about people - and its about a church God designed with imperfect leaders leading an imperfect community of believers and seekers. God's creative that way.
Over the next week or so, I will be examining the balance of getting efficiency out of those leading in ministry, holding them to a firm/fair/consistent working environment while having heaps of trust in these amazing people with skills and talents I will never have or understand - and watching them flourish into what they do so well into the gifts He has blessed them with.
So for those of you who have never worked in ministry and those of you who have not worked in the same world your congregation or organizations members have, stay tuned - would love to hear if you agree or disagree with any of my thoughts.
To Be Continued.......
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