It’s common for ministry teams to lose focus and unity over time. There can be divisions or stress fractures in teams or—in cases where there is general agreement—there’s still much distraction from all of the noise surrounding them.
So as a coach, how can you help your clients lead their teams effectively in this current climate? They have a job to do. And they need to get their team on board and working together toward unified ministry goals without conflict or distraction. To do that well they need to take a multi-pronged approach: providing both support and accountability. That can be challenging, as it requires wearing two different “hats”—that of a coach providing support and encouragement, and that of a supervisor providing accountability for getting the job done.
Support individuals and build team unity with coaching techniques
Functionally, your client—as a team leader—needs to accomplish these three items, and your roles as a coach is helping them find ways to do so:
1. Listen
They need to make sure everyone on their team feels heard. That can be done both on an individual basis and at team meetings. If individuals have strong ideas about how a certain ministry should go, your client needs to hear them out and make sure others hear them out as well. In that way, whatever decision is made at the end will be stronger and enjoy more broad support than if people feel unpopular ideas have been shot down without a fair hearing.
2. Empower
Coaching is designed to provide support, empowerment, and a creative space for team members to process as they work toward their goals. The team leader can provide coaching sessions to provide a sounding board for each team member as each member thinks through the “how” of their ministry.
3. Provide accountability
Supervision is designed to offer accountability and progress updates toward those goals. The team members know what they are supposed to be accomplishing—the “what” of their ministry. This is their chance to update the team leader on their progress so far.
Many team leaders make the mistake of mixing a coaching posture in with a supervision posture in the same session. This approach is confusing for team members because they aren’t sure what to expect or when the stance will switch. It’s better to designate ahead of time some sessions as coaching and some as supervision. Let if be clear which hat you’re wearing.
Questions to help your coaching sessions
As a coach, how can you help them do these things? Here are some good coaching questions you might ask them:
- Who on your team might feel unheard or need more attention?
- How have you encouraged team members to share their ideas openly?
- How are you supporting and encouraging your team members?
- How are you providing accountability for getting the job done?
- How does your coaching session look different from your supervisory session? How do your team members know which one to expect when they meet with you?
- What needs to change? What’s your first step?
Both/and instead of either/or
Team leaders are responsible for encouraging, training, empowering, and supporting each person on it. Their role is to develop them to their fullest potential as followers of Jesus. AND they are responsible for supervising, overseeing, and ensuring the job gets done and done well.
Fortunately, developing people and getting things done go together and are each necessary to the other. Communicate that reality to the team leaders you coach! They can’t truly develop people to their fullest without giving them assignments, empowering them, and challenging them. AND they can’t truly get things done–at least not effectively–without developing others leaders who can share in the work of the ministry. They don’t have to fall into the trap of ONLY supporting without challenging… or of ONLY challenging without supporting. They can do both! Because coaching and supervision each work better together.
Resourcing your clients
It’s not your job to teach your clients how to coach. A couple of resources that you can recommend with confidence are Christian Coaching Essentials and Becoming Barnabas.
Christian Coaching Essentials* explains the basics of coaching principles simply and clearly. It also provides exercises and tips to help build skills.
One reason pastors become overwhelmed is because everyone is looking to them. Becoming Barnabas* casts vision and lays out the basics for coaching based ministry. A ministry where layleaders can come alongside congregants to listen, clarify, encourage, and empower them along their spiritual journey.
Cover Photo by Pixabay
*Amazon affiliate link