Leadership Teams: What and Why?

Rev. Nancy Bowen

Leading a Beloved Community

Current Situation is often Small elected

committee = Nominating

Works for a few months To fill the slate for the

annual meeting With little consultation And minimal

accountability.• Providing “Checks and

Balances”

Leadership is understood as

People in elected office Anyone willing to serve

is worthy of any roleNo specific skills are

neededLittle orientation is

offeredNo training or support

are offered It is very democratic but

not especially effective.

Let’s Explore Another Model

Group of 7-10 folks working year round Experiment with a collaborative and supportive

model Inviting members to discover their leadership

gifts Supporting current leaders Consulting broadly with Board, Minister, other

Leaders Accountable to congregation, minister and board. Seen as an important partner in effective

governance

Leadership in the new model Partnerships are commonMembers share their gifts to

support the missionMembers are oriented and

supported in leadership Leaders support the mission

of the congregationAuthority and accountability

are clear and shared

Change

Change is the recognition of

A different reality

A new understanding

Transition

Transition Is the psychological

and emotional work needed to accept a new reality.

Needs clear, compassionate support, and repeated invitations.

How to initiate this change:

Define a bold experiment in leadership development

Gain authorization for it Recruit bold thinkers

with the right skills for the experiment

Consultations to find partners

To make the change talk to

Minister Board president Current Nominating

CommitteeMembership CommitteeAdministrative staff with

data

What is the experiment?

Implementation of a bold experiment to demonstrate the benefits of collaborative and supportive identification, recruitment, orientation and support for elected leaders.

Demonstrate higher satisfaction with leadership roles.

Make a planAsk a lot of

questions about:Skills setsRequirementsTrainingsOrientation Support RewardsTypical tenure Who has served where

Skill sets for the experiment People focuses

people Data loving people Event planning

people Facilitators Detail focused

people Big picture people

Your questions:

Let’s get specific

The Nitty Gritty Change theory indicates that in voluntary

organizations folks need to experience a new model before accepting it.

Some relevant systems theory:

Don’t resist the resistanceChanging a system is hard workUnderstand and articulate the values

involvedStay the course of the experimentMaintain relationships with everyone

In your congregation:Who needs to authorize a culture change

experiment?

Who needs to support the experiment?

Are there other significant changes happening now? How do they relate?

What are your communication vehicles?

Congregational ExperiencesWhat have congregational experiments

taught us?

How is the change best described?

What are the roles of the Board and Minister?

Congregational ExperiencesWhat has a successful timeline looked like?

Who is enjoying this new model?

Some examples Opportunities for increased self awarenessTrue ColorsSocial Styles inventorySpiral dynamicsLearning styles Compassionate Communication

A diverse experiment team

People focused people

Data loving peopleEvent plannersFacilitatorsDetail focused folksBig picture people

Make a planAsk a lot of

questions about:Skills setsRequirementsTrainingsOrientation Support RewardsTypical tenure Who has served where

AuthorizationProposal Timeline Recruitment Consultations Actions

Make a plan

Take courage friends. The way is often hard, the path is never clear, and the stakes are very high. Take courage. For deep down, there is another truth: you are not alone.

Rev. Wayne Arnason