We all start at zero when at a new position at a church. People generally get excited when someone new comes on staff. It means growth and potential of new ideas and insights. On the flip-side, being a newcomer means there is fear. Fear of change and that people will be territorial.
Here are a few things which will help you integrate into a new community as a leader.
1. Make lots of coffee dates and get to know everyone you can as fast as you can in the immediate sphere of people you will be working with. If they don’t drink coffee, drink tea. This will allow you to be more productive when it comes time to create something. Listen when you meet with people; they will share their heart and desires. You will be able get a feel for where people are. You need to be able to move laterally in your position.
2. Find out if you were hired to take the place of a person who has everything set up or if you were hired to overhaul and start from the ground up. Remember, the organization was running before you got there, for years perhaps. Acknowledge the way they do things is good. Yes you very well may see a way that is better, but changing things without proper recognition communicates the way they have been doing up until you got there was wrong and you are better. Read here about change. Willaim Bridges breaks it down in the chapter of his book offered free online.
3. Find out the people who are toxic from your staff and leadership. There are people in every church and organization who are toxic. To think otherwise is setting yourself up to get burned. Before you dive into a project with anyone, ask people you trust about them. Ask: are they good to work with, do they follow through with their work or do they need an encouraging nudge at times?
4. Get messy. The more people around you who see your heart and see you as a flawed, messy human being, the more they will relate and want to help.
5. Show up early to everything at first and once you feel a routine set in you can show up a little less early. Showing up late communicates a lot of negative about you: disorganized, arrogant, egocentric, lazy, disrespectful and insensitive, among other things. If you are going to be late call and explain why you are going to be late.
You will mess up... probably a lot... a whole lot. Ditch your pride, ask for forgiveness be honest and transparent and get back to it because you will get it right... and mess up a little less.
What would you suggest a new person do when coming on staff?
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