“Church is more than business…but not less!”

So far we have explored two common challenges for churches: that leaders rarely know what they really want in a position…and they rarely invest in personal and professional development for their staff. [See Part 1 and Part 2 in the Blog Archives.] Maybe your church is different, but many do experience these dynamics—and when they do, the deck is stacked in favor of relational carnage down the road. And that is an outcome that can be largely avoided by wiser hiring, intentional development, constructive accountability, and strategic realignment.

So let’s consider a third challenge: churches rarely hold their staff accountable in any meaningful way. I might add that it’s not really their fault. Seminary typically prepares pastors to study and preach the scriptures—not manage a staff. Large churches are increasingly looking to the business sector for selecting an Executive Pastor for precisely this reason, but one way or another, pastors must learn how to effectively manage people for their churches to prosper. Whether volunteer or paid staff, people are truly our greatest asset and must receive both the support and the accountability needed for excellence.

Some churches may be tempted to think that they shouldn’t have to function like a business—that what we do is spiritual. But that is only partly true. I would contend that church is more than business…but it’s not less. At any church size, you must think in a certain number of business terms—a budget, a leadership structure (your board or eldership), an operations plan (your order of service), a marketing philosophy (how people find out about you), human resources (managing both paid and volunteer teams), etc. Then we can move to the elements that make church more than business—how people are coming to know Christ, how they are being discipled, how people’s spiritual gifts are being released, how the church is impacting the larger community, etc.

Before we begin to explore the mindsets and actions essential to our topic, let’s clarify exactly what accountability is…and isn’t. First, what it isn’t. Accountability is not someone looking over your shoulder like a schoolmarm, ready to slap your hand with a ruler the moment you step out of line. What it is? Accountability is empowering someone to bring their best and be their best. It’s allowing someone to help create the standard and help measure their own performance.

Mindset: Clarity Empowers both Manager and Direct Report

Both employers and employees come to new working partnerships with preconceptions and unspoken expectations. And that fuzziness will inevitably bite you in the rear. No (constructive) accountability is possible without a high degree of clarity around expectations. Without them, the direct report will wander…or pursue a course of his/her own making; similarly, the manager will lose the ability to promote learning and effectiveness.

Action: Create and Update Every Job Description

It’s basic, but you might be surprised at the number of churches (even megachurches) who skip this essential step in exchange for the perception of being Spirit-led. Let’s call it what it is—either laziness or ignorance. Harness the power of your team to name and sharpen the responsibilities of each position. Just define the essentials…then allow room for the unique gifts of the person to flesh out the job description to fit them personally. Now you have empowered the partnership and set the stage for effective accountability.

Mindset: Feedback is a Favor

Your workgroup has an opinion on the quality of your work…which means you have two options—you can either know what that opinion is and let it sharpen your work, or you can live in ignorance of their perspectives. Feedback is a gift, whether it’s positive or negative or some of each. When we know we are loved and believed in, then we cultivate an environment that is feedback-rich, where we have the freedom to share “our truth” with another person—both up and down the lines of authority—with confidence.

Action: Integrate Team Reviews 2 – 4 Times Each Year

The practical outworkings of a feedback-rich leadership culture is some kind of regular, structured individual reviews for everyone on the team. For maximum benefit, the frequency is probably more often than annually but no more than quarterly. That keeps goals fresh and prevents misalignment from dragging on without needed attention.

Constructive feedback includes four elements: 1) It emphasizes the positive while not avoiding the negative, 2) It is a 360-degree event, inviting perspectives from all sides, 3) It speaks to the 3 Cs—Character (being), Competency (doing), and Chemistry (relationships), and 4) It is both written and conversational. This means that team members write down key observations…but then talk it out in person so as to offer clarity and encouragement. In this way, reviews become part of the relationship-building dynamic. This level of transparency requires (and builds) trust.

When church leaders build these kinds of people-systems, based upon the values of clarity and communication, good things happen. We stop assuming that just because we have good people, that they are doing a good job. We also stop having to guess where we stand with each other. Instead, we prioritize relationships and relationship skills by naming expectations, evaluating results, and learning from the process. Within a culture of appreciation and support, this kind of learning brings out the best in people and builds team commitment. It also identifies what’s not working and helps realign problems while they’re still small…but that’s the focus of our next and final article.

What is one change you can make now that will better facilitate effective accountability on your team?

Jerome Daley, ACC, DPM, is a leadership coach and business consultant, specializing in training, professional writing, and soul care. The author of six books and former publisher of Christian Coaching Magazine, Jerome’s passion is simple: helping leaders of all stripes live out a purposeful life. Jerome is a former pastor and an engaging speaker. He is married to Kellie and loves having three teenagers; they make their home in Greensboro, NC, where Jerome enjoys hiking, cycling, rock climbing, and most anything that takes him outside. Learn more at www.purposecoach.net.