After building, training, and leading a quality safety team at a multi-site mega church, and now having moved to a "small" (600 people) church plant, I am learning a few things that I'd like to share with you.
The first is that people really don't like hearing how you did it before at xyz church. My experience is a given at this point. I don't need to validate my methods by pointing out my accomplishments. I'm not saying this in a prideful way. The fact that I'm the leader of the team means that the pastors and elders have confidence in my ability to perform in this ministry role.
Which leads me to the second thing. I need to stop making my decisions based on what was done before. Just because a particular strategy worked at that church, doesn't mean it's the best choice for this new church. I need to look at each new challenge with fresh eyes and a clear mind. I need to bring in interested members of my team and give them ownership. I need to respect their opinions.
A third thing is what I refer to as legalism. Let me just give you some examples of what I mean by this, because that word can be used in so many different contexts. "If you are part of this team, then you are required to attend every single training." "This is the only acceptable way to perform this task." These are just two simple examples. Saying things in this way is more akin to being a foreman on a jobsite rather than being a leader of a volunteer team. I have never been the "foreman" type of person with one exception. In the past I have worked primarily with cops, firefighters, and men with military experience. These folks can respect a good leader, but often appreciate a cut and dried "correct" approach to situations. What's truly important when you boil all of this down, is for me to lead out in the specific ways that I want my team to perform. Die to self. I'm Second. Period.
Note to self: Get the safety team guys a little something for Christmas to say thanks for serving!
