To Be Unclear is to Be Unkind
There are certain people who can just make it up as they go and run with little to no instruction, but then you have to work to hard rein them in and clean up their messes when things go sideways.
There’s another breed of people who like to have a starting point and some context. They ask all the questions in order to process and run in the right direction, all the while being creative in how they move forward. The target matches the expectations of the leader, but how they get there and what resources they use may be different.
Creating clarity is a vital part of leadership. You can’t have clarity without actually communicating with your team ... and communicating takes work!
We need to pour into our team members and provide time and clarity on a regular basis (and I’m not just talking about once-a-week staff meetings). If we do this, we will see that we have provided the foundation for our team members to have confidence, grow, gain momentum, and be creative in how they actually hit the target set before them. As you give clarity, move out of the way, and allow your staff to creatively reach their goals!
The result of doing so is TRUST!
We are to empower our leaders to do the work that God has called them to do. Your job is to lay the groundwork, set the vision, ask good questions, meet with them regularly, and be CLEAR ... but then move aside and let them soar. It may take you saying "I trust you with this decision" multiple times before they actually get it, but keep saying it!
A great resource I found - and it’s one of those things you can read in a few short moments - is called Coaching in Ministry: How busy church leaders can multiply their ministry impact.
Invest in clarity and I believe you'll see a HUGE return on the investment of the time and energy it takes to create that clarity.
