Jump to     PRACTICES Dwelling in the Word Celebrating Life Valuing the Other I Have a Dream If I Could Change One Thing Role Play Different Perspectives Body of Christ My Favorite Scripture     Jump to     TOOLS Assessing Your Team Climate: Components for Establishing the Right Climate Assessing Your Team’s Communication: An Examination of Behaviors and Skills

Building a Pastor’s Leadership Team

by  STASSI CRAMM

Many of us, when asked to serve as pastor, experience an overwhelming sense of inadequacy. We ask ourselves if we are really the best person and whether we will be able to rise to the leadership task. If we are fortunate enough to feel gifted as a leader, we may question our ability to provide spiritual leadership. We might ask how leading the congregation in its mission relates to the leadership skills developed in the secular world. Some of us feel ready to lead without much assistance.

The reality of congregational leadership is that every pastor needs a pastor’s leadership team. The pastor’s leadership team is not simply a crutch for the person who does not feel gifted to lead. Experience has demonstrated that leading and sustaining a congregation in mission today requires a pastor committed to shared leadership. The multidimensional role of pastor is challenging and cannot be fully expressed in the giftedness of one individual.

The first step in modeling “community” in Christ is to build a pastor’s leadership team. Even if we feel like we can handle the job alone, there are a multitude of reasons a team is better.

First, recruiting a leadership team enables a broad spectrum of gifts to be developed and expressed in leading the congregation.

Second, developing a leadership team provides a more comprehensive and sustainable approach to leadership. The pastor and congregation benefit from multiple perspectives, mutual accountability, and a shared approach to discerning, planning, decision making, and engaging in mission.

Third, leading as a team models shared leadership for others by showing how to discuss, disagree, and build consent on matters of importance to the congregation.

Fourth, committing to a team approach helps develop new leaders and provide continuity during pastor transitions.

Recruiting a Pastor’s Leadership Team

The key in recruiting your pastor’s leadership team is to select a group of people with a broad spectrum of gifts that can be developed and expressed in leading the congregation.

Begin by reviewing the list of duties and responsibilities of pastors found at www.CofChrist.org/policy in the Church Administrator’s Handbook (2005 edition) on pages 9–10. This list can feel overwhelming. Remember, this is why you are building a pastor’s leadership team.

Next, adapt this general list of duties and responsibilities to create a custom list that applies specifically to the leadership needs of your congregation. Which of the duties and responsibilities are most important for the pastor’s leadership team in your congregation? Which duties and responsibilities can be set aside (at least for now)? How can you group your custom list of duties and responsibilities into leadership gifts needed to lead your congregation in mission?

To develop the best possible pastor’s leadership team for your congregation, honestly and humbly reflect on your own gifts as a leader. Prayerfully consider what gifts you have that are on the list of what the congregation needs in the leadership team and what gifts you are missing. Be honest about both your strengths and weaknesses. After personal reflection, ask trusted friends or your mentor how they would describe your strengths and weaknesses. Receive their observations as gifts.

Compare the list of your strengths and weaknesses with the list you made of gifts needed to lead the congregation. Now identify the gifts and skills needed in the pastor’s leadership team members that support and complement your strengths and weaknesses. For instance, here is a sample list of gifts you might need to lead your congregation in mission:

• Vision and passion for outreach ministry
• Vibrant worship planning
• Facilitating a team
• Developing others
• Project planning and management
• Spiritual formation skills
• Disciple formation skills

Once you have decided what gifts you need in the team, decide on the number of team members needed and who to ask to join the pastor’s leadership team.

There is no single best answer on what size team you will want to develop. This will depend on the gifts needed by the team and what potential team members have to offer. A general guideline is to have a team that is between 10 to 20 percent of the number of active participants within the congregation. This means if you have 30 people who are active members and participants at an average event, you might want a leadership team of three to six people including yourself.

Start with a list of all members and participants. Prayerfully consider each one and each one’s gifts. Pray and reflect on who would create a good pastor’s leadership team for your congregation. Be open to possibilities.  

Developing a Pastor’s Leadership Team

Now that you have recruited a pastor’s leadership team, share with your team what gifts you perceive each person brings and how you envision those gifts can work together to lead the congregation in mission. Share your personal image of how the team can function and be shaped by the vision of the team.

Building a team takes time. Avoid the temptation to jump straight into “business,” and invest time together in the following three things. These things may occupy the majority of the team’s time for a while.

First, to help the team get to know one another, consider having the team read article 25 on page 72 of the Church Administrator’s Handbook (2005 edition). Discuss who on the team is best equipped to meet the ten expectations for leadership identified in this article. No single person will be best equipped to meet all the expectations.

Second, spend time together reviewing and discussing the enduring principles (www.CofChrist.org/ourfaith/enduring-principles.asp) and mission initiatives (see the “What Mission Means” article in this field guide). Everything the leadership team does should be grounded in the enduring principles and driven by the mission initiatives.

Third, it is crucial that the team has opportunities to grow as a team by deepening their relationships with one another and with God. Engaging in various spiritual disciplines or mission practices each time you gather will keep the team centered on Christ, listening to God’s Spirit, and building your relationships with one another and God. For instance, start each team meeting with the “Dwelling in the Word” practice and consider sharing in the “Celebrating Life” or “Valuing the Other” practice once a month as a team. These can be found in the practices section following this article.

Leading as a Pastor’s Leadership Team

Leading as a pastor’s leadership team is different from leading as a pastor with counselors. Counselors offer advice and suggestions to a pastor but are not responsible for the final decision. With a pastor’s leadership team, the pastor releases the sole responsibility and burden for making and implementing all leadership decisions. The pastor and the team members are interdependent as the leaders and shepherds of the congregation. The pastor’s leadership team is like a symphony where the conductor and each musician all have a role in creating the music. The beauty of the sound is dependent on how each one functions as part of the whole.

The keys to success are to make sure that each team member understands his or her responsibilities and how each position fits together to create leadership. Likewise, it is important that team members, especially the pastor, honor and allow each one to fulfill their responsibilities. It is wonderful to support and to cover for one another, but there is a fine line between support and micromanagement. Honoring the agreed-to responsibilities of each team member is critical for smooth team leadership.

It is also important that team members understand how the team will make decisions and lead the congregation. Developing guidelines for working and communicating with one another avoids misconceptions and failed expectations within the team. Here are examples of guidelines to get you started:

• We will use respectful words and tone in our conversation.
• We may disagree on specific ideas but these disagreements do not impact our personal commitment to each one as a child of God.
• When discussing a topic every person on the team must have the opportunity to speak before any member speaks a second time.
• We will uphold strict confidentiality about our team discussions and only discuss items with others that we agree are appropriate for sharing.
• We commit to sharing openly and honestly and will encourage any team member who is not sharing to be more vocal.
• We will not talk behind one another’s backs. If one has a problem with another, conversation will be held between the two with a facilitator as needed.

It is important for the team to agree as a group how it will make decisions. The team should agree which decisions will be made by individuals based on their assignment and decisions made by the team as a whole. It is also important to consider which decisions should include the congregation as part of the decision-making process.

Before the team faces its first conflict, it is important that the team has discussed and agreed on how the team will handle disagreement and conflict. One reference to get you started in having a plan for managing conflict is to read and discuss article 29 (“Conflict in the Church,” Church Administrator’s Handbook, 2005 edition, pages 76–77, www.CofChrist.org/policy). Training and other resources are available through Peacebuilding Ministries, www.CofChrist.org/peacebuilding, phone 1-800-825-2806, ext. 2353.

Periodically evaluating how you are doing as a team is an important part of continuing to improve your team leadership. Two evaluation instruments, “Assessing Your Team Climate” and “Assessing Your Team’s Communication,” (Craig E. Runde and Tim A. Flanagan, Building Conflict Competent Teams [San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2008] 200–208) can be found below. Encourage adjustments to how you function as a team based on your periodic evaluations.

Remember that leadership in the congregational context is more than simply being effective, it is also about being faithful. Consider how you will seek God’s guidance in your leadership. Use various practices such as “I Have a Dream,” “Change One Thing,” “Body of Christ,” “My Favorite Scripture,” or “Role Play Different Perspectives” to help provide space for God’s Spirit to guide your leadership team. (See these practices following this article.)

Committing to a Pastor’s Leadership Team

As any pastor transitions from the more traditional role of pastoring as a pastor with counselors to pastoring with a leadership team, there will be moments of doubt about the level of effort required to lead as a team. Is it really worth it? The undeniable answer is “Yes!” As stated earlier, the pastor’s leadership team engages a broader spectrum of people, it models community and shared leadership, helps develop new leaders, and makes leadership transitions easier. In addition, images and understandings of leadership are changing, and younger people are experiencing shared leadership models as the most appropriate and effective way to lead. Consequently, implementing a pastor’s leadership team has the potential to make congregational leadership more relevant to new generations of potential leaders.

The pastor’s leadership team does not take away the pastor’s authority or stewardship. It can however, enhance and deepen the pastor’s effectiveness in leading the congregation in mission.

1. Who do I need to share this article with in order to build support for approaching leadership in this manner?
2. As a pastor, who might I sit down with to confidentially review the gifts and backgrounds of congregational members and participants?
3. When will I begin?

		Dwelling in the Word
	PRINT THIS PRACTICE	Return to Top

OBJECTIVE
To read and hear scripture as a spiritual practice that leads to new understandings. “Dwelling in the Word” is a practice based on our understanding that God continues to speak to us in the context of our day and calling. Listen for God’s voice in scripture to connect with God’s mission in Christ. Listen to the voices of others about what God is doing in their lives. This practice is not about gaining information about scripture. Rather, it is about listening to how God is speaking, calling, and sending us to join in Christ’s mission to our communities and the world.

PROCESS
Provide a printed copy of a scriptural text. A printed copy allows participants to hear and see the words for reflection. Read the scriptural text out loud and pause for a few minutes to allow people time to reflect on what they’ve heard.

Read the passage a second time. Ask people to make note of a word, phrase, or image they are drawn to as they hear it read again. After a short pause, form into small groups of no more than four or five people to provide opportunities for each person to share their responses to questions like ones provided below. If someone wishes to remain silent, that is acceptable. It is important to make sure the reflections are personal and do not become an exercise in biblical interpretation.

Here are some questions:

• Is there a place I feel drawn to dwell or explore?
• What words, images, or phrases are speaking to me in this text?
• What is God’s invitation to me in this scripture?
• What is God’s invitation to our congregation in this scripture?

This is a practice of discovery, be expectant that God’s mission in Christ is among you as you gain insights from listening to one another and to God.

PROCESS TIP
Be patient with the practice. Encourage participants to remember it is a spiritual practice that invites scripture to transform our understanding and our way of being and doing. Do not let this become an intellectual exercise which will limit the transformative impact of this practice. Like any practice, this will take time to fully understand.

		Celebrating Life
	PRINT THIS PRACTICE	Return to Top

So God created humankind in his image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

                                        —Genesis 1:27

OBJECTIVE
To celebrate the gift of our own life and the lives of others who are part of our community. We are children of God created in God’s own image. We need to celebrate our life as a gift from our loving and generous creator. Often in the midst of our busy schedules, we forget to stop and celebrate our life as well as the lives of others who are important to us. Celebrating one another’s lives is an important aspect of community building and remembering whose we are.

PROCESS
Once a month plan a party to celebrate everyone’s life who has a birthday that month. Use one of the following methods to express your gratitude for each celebrant or create your own way:

• Have everyone make a thank-you card for each celebrant identifying what they celebrate most about the person having a birthday. Share the cards with the birthday celebrants.
• Take a picture of the birthday celebrant and create a print with a white border. Have everyone write one word compliments about what they appreciate about the person.
• Create a “gift of gratitude” by filling a gift bag with small colored pieces of paper that people write their compliments on for the birthday celebrant.
• Create a “bouquet of thanks” by having each participant place a single stem flower in a vase and share a story about why they appreciate the celebrant. Give the bouquet to the birthday celebrant.

PROCESS TIP
Sometimes we are “shy” about sharing our feelings of gratitude or affirmations about each other. Encourage everyone to be extravagant in their sharing. Trust that the process of celebrating life will become easier and more comfortable each time it is practiced.

		Valuing the Other
	PRINT THIS PRACTICE	Return to Top

OBJECTIVE
To deepen conversation and understanding by developing active listening skills.

PROCESS
Use an object such as a rain stick or ball that will pass easily from person to person and be visible to the whole group. Outline the following ground rules for group discussion:

1. When a topic or question is before the group, the person holding the object has the floor. Set a time limit for speaking such as three minutes unless the questions or sharing need more time. It is the responsibility of each person to listen carefully to the person speaking.
2. For a person to speak he or she must receive the object from the person speaking. To receive the object from the person speaking, one must be able to restate what that person just shared in summary fashion to that person’s satisfaction. Note: it is important the person feels heard and understood. This is a critical part of the journey of deepening relationships and creating a safe place.
3. This process continues until the group is ready to move on to another question or topic.
4. At the end of the meeting provide time for discussion about how people felt about the experience. Some people will feel the process was cumbersome. We often feel that we already listen carefully to others when often we are formulating our own thoughts while someone else is speaking.

PROCESS TIP
The facilitator should be alert to how people are responding both verbally and nonverbally. Be sure participants feel they were truly heard before they pass the object to the next person. Listening with all our senses so we not only hear but feel what the other person said is a practice that takes concentration and time to develop.

		I Have a Dream
	PRINT THIS PRACTICE	Return to Top

In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. —Acts 2:17 NRSV

OBJECTIVE
To stay focused on the possibilities that await us in the future and to unite our decision-making processes by the guidance of our collective dreams. Sharing our dreams helps us envision new possibilities for the future. It also helps us find ideas and hopes that we have in common with each other. When we prayerfully combine our dreams, it helps us discover how God is leading us into the future.

PROCESS
Give everyone who will be gathering a question to pray about in preparation for their time together. The question should focus on the future and what people are sensing about that future. Some example suggestions are:

• What do you envision as you dream about our community in the next few years?
• Who do you dream about providing leadership during the next five years?
• How do you dream about our congregation living out mission in the next few years?

PROCESS TIP
The facilitator will need to encourage people to dream big. Sometimes the “realities” of our current situation take away our imagination and our ability to envision a better future.

		If I Could Change One Thing
	PRINT THIS PRACTICE	Return to Top

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. —Ecclesiastes 3:1–10 NRSV

OBJECTIVE
To listen to each other about the one item that each one would change if given the chance so that collectively the group can decide what might be the best activity to focus on next as a group. Sometimes life and leadership become overwhelming. We feel consumed by everything we sense we need to do. Yet, there is a rhythm to life and sometimes we just have to stop, breathe, and rediscover that rhythm. Stopping and focusing on what one item we would like to change can help us break the frozen nature of being overwhelmed.

PROCESS
Each group member is given a few moments to consider what one item he or she would change if given the opportunity. To allow more time for reflection, group members could be asked this question before the meeting. Each member then shares what she or he would change and how she or he would approach making the change.

PROCESS TIP
Sometimes we are hesitant to share what we would change. We are afraid that we might accidentally offend another person in the group. Help the group create a safe environment where everyone is open to anything that might be shared even if the item that someone else would change is one of our “sacred cows.”

		Role Play Different Perspectives (based on Six Thinking Hats®)
	PRINT THIS PRACTICE	Return to Top

OBJECTIVE
To look at challenges and opportunities from different perspectives. This can be very effective with a leadership team where individuals who fulfill a variety of roles in the congregation can bring new and useful insights to discernment and decision making by role playing different perspectives.

PROCESS
Go to Edward de Bono Thinking Methods at www.debonogroup.com/six_thinking_hats.php. In your leadership team meetings, use Six Thinking Hats^® to improve the quality of your conversation and decision making. Look at the conversation, issue, or decision “wearing” each of the thinking hats in turn. You can assign hats to team members and even change hats in the midst of the meeting.

PROCESS TIP
Six Thinking Hats^® is a good technique for looking at the effects of a decision from a number of different points of view. It allows necessary emotion and skepticism to be brought into what would otherwise be purely rational decisions. It opens up the opportunity for creativity within conversation and decision making. The technique also helps, for example, persistently pessimistic people to be positive and creative.

 

		Body of Christ
	PRINT THIS PRACTICE	Return to Top

OBJECTIVE
To affirm the gifts that each person brings to the team or group. Everyone on a team or in a group brings gifts to that team. Sometimes we forget what we have to share or how we are an important part of the body.

PROCESS
Read 1 Corinthians 12:12–31 aloud.

The person selected to start identifies another person on the team, states a gift that person brings to the team, and thanks that person for sharing that gift.

The person whose gift was identified now picks another person, identifies a gift that person brings to the team, and thanks that person for sharing that gift.

Then the person whose gift was just identified chooses another person and the process continues until each person on the team has had gifts identified about them and been thanked for their contributions.

PROCESS TIP
Sometimes it can be awkward for a person to hear positive information about one’s self. Help people understand that it is important for the group to affirm one another and identify the giftedness in one another.

Alternative: If this process is too awkward for the team or group, a variation would be to provide a sheet of paper with all team members’ names on it. Then give each team member a stack of small papers and a small sack. Have them write a person’s name and identify a gift in that person for which he or she is thankful. Have them create a paper for each person and place their notes in each person’s sack. Then everyone gets to take home a sack full of affirmations and gratitude.

1 Corinthians 12:12–31
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

		My Favorite Scripture
	PRINT THIS PRACTICE	Return to Top

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. —2 Timothy 3:16–17

OBJECTIVE
To deepen our relationship with one another and with God by sharing important scripture passages. Scripture is a formative part of our lives as faithful disciples. We learn about one another, connect in deeper ways, and gain various understandings of scripture by sharing our experiences with scripture.

PROCESS
Focus on a particular section or book of scripture such as the Hebrew Scriptures, the Gospels, or the Book of Mormon. Give every participant two to five minutes to think about a scripture from the focus area that is of particular importance to them now in their lives. Have each participant take turns sharing their favorite scripture and why it is important to them.

OR

Ask a particular question of the group such as:

• What scripture brings you hope?
• What scripture gives you a sense of peace?
• What scripture gives you energy and excitement for missionary outreach?

Give every participant two to five minutes to consider their response, and then have each participant share.

PROCESS TIP
It might be helpful to have several copies of Community of Christ’s three books of scripture available for the group to look through as they consider their response.

		Assessing Your Team Climate: Components for Establishing the Right Climate
	PRINT THIS TOOL	Return to Top

Five essential components for establishing the right climate are considered in the questions below. Use the following scale to indicate your level of agreement with each item. Give each item a rating or numerical score. Next, add the items to arrive at a total score for each component. This tool is from Craig E. Runde and Tim A. Flanagan, Building Conflict Competent Teams (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2008) 200–208.

Scale:
4=I agree
3=I agree more than I disagree
2=I disagree more than I agree
1=I disagree

Attitudes

_____ Most team members approach conflict as an opportunity rather than an obstacle.

_____ Most team members have had experience dealing with difficult conflicts in the past.

_____ As a general rule, nobody on the team fears or avoids conflict.

_____ We have shared our perspectives and views about conflict.

_____ My teammates would agree that the differences should be embraced, not eliminated.

_____ Attitudes Total

Trust

_____ I believe that my teammates have my best interests at heart.

_____ My teammates are skilled and capable of producing excellent results.

_____ My teammates share the same basic values.

_____ Our team leader is trustworthy.

_____ I believe that my teammates have integrity and communicate with me honestly.

_____ Trust Total

Safety

_____ Team members show genuine empathy and concern for one another.

_____ I am willing to take risks and be vulnerable with my teammates.

_____ Team members are willing to disagree even when in the minority.

_____ Team members are never taken advantage of by others on the team.

_____ Team members have a strong sense of mutual respect.

_____ Safety Total

Working Together (Behavioral Integration)

_____ My teammates share information freely and frequently.

_____ Team members readily give each other the benefit of the doubt when sharing views.

_____ Teammates explore issues deeply and engage in vigorous debate.

_____ Team members are interdependent and rely on each other heavily.

_____ Individual team members identify themselves as members of this team to others.

_____ Working Together Total

Emotional Intelligence

_____My teammates recognize that internal conflicts are inevitable and natural.

_____ My team has discussed how we will deal with emotional issues.

_____ Team members have shared their personal hot buttons with each other.

_____ Most team members are adept at displaying empathy with one another.

_____ My team knows how to cool down and slow down when things get intense.

_____ Emotional Intelligence Total

---

Individual Summary

_____ Attitudes                                              _____ Trust

_____ Safety                                                   _____ Working Together

_____ Emotional Intelligence

---

Team Total Summary

_____ Attitudes                                              _____ Trust

_____ Safety                                                   _____ Working Together

_____ Emotional Intelligence

---

Team Averages

_____ Attitudes                                              _____ Trust

_____ Safety                                                   _____ Working Together

_____ Emotional Intelligence

 

Analysis and Suggestions [for Assessing Your Team Climate]

Add all team members’ total component scores together to determine a team total for each component. Then divide each team total by the number of team members who completed the checklist. This results in a team average score for each component. The components with the lowest relative averages are most in need of attention for establishing the right team climate.

Use the following guidelines to assess your team’s effectiveness:

3.5 and higher: This is a team strength area.

• Actively reinforce teammates who demonstrate effectiveness.
• Consider how this strength can be leveraged in other areas for improvement.
• Celebrate!

2.9 to 3.4: This score range is solid but could be improved.

• Schedule time during a team meeting to discuss this area.
• Actively reinforce teammates who demonstrate effectiveness.

2.0 to 2.8: This area is in definite need of improvement.

• Schedule a single topic team meeting to address this area.
• [Consider consulting the mission center president.]

1.9 and lower: This is cause for real concern.

• Ask all team members to spend time reflecting on this issue.
• [Contact mission center president to request facilitator for assistance.]

		Assessing Your Team’s Communication: An Examination of Behaviors and Skills
	PRINT THIS TOOL	Return to Top

Four major communication sets are critical for conflict competent teams. This tool enables you to assess your team’s current effectiveness in these areas. Use the following scale as you analyze each question. Give each item a rating or numerical score. Next, add the items to arrive at a total score for each category. This tool is from Craig E. Runde and Tim A. Flanagan, Building Conflict Competent Teams (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2008) 200–208.

Scale:

4=Excellent or almost always; we perform very well.
3=Good or usually; but we could improve.
2=Average or sometimes; we could definitely benefit by improvement here.
1=Below average or seldom; this is cause for real concern.

Reflective Thinking and Delay Responding

_____ My teammates call for time-outs when discussions become too heated.

_____ Our team leader senses when we need a break.

_____ Our team temporarily tables decisions when we have significant disagreements.

_____ Team members coach each other to cool down, slow down, and reengage.

_____ We give each other opportunities to think things over.

_____ Reflective Thinking and Delay Responding Total

 

Perspective Taking and Empathy

_____ During important discussions, we ask many questions.

_____ When differences arise, we explore them fully.

_____ My teammates go out of their way to check for understanding.

_____ Teammates are good at acknowledging and describing each other’s feelings.

_____ Our team leader effectively summarizes key points made during meetings.

_____ Perspective Taking and Empathy Total

 

Expressing Emotions

_____ Team members are honest about their feelings and emotions.

_____ My teammates seldom raise their voices, swear, or use accusatory language.

_____ When asked by others, teammates admit feelings such as frustration or concern.

_____ We routinely engage in straight talk with each other.

_____ My teammates share good news and accomplishments freely.

_____ Expressing Emotions Total

 

Listening for Understanding

_____ Team members leave team meetings with a good sense of where everybody stands.

_____ We seldom interrupt or cut one another off.

_____ My teammates ask lots of questions when trying to understand other points of view.

_____ Team members encourage the use of examples, analogies, and metaphors.

_____ On the whole, we are a team of very good listeners.

_____ Listening for Understanding Total

 Individual Summary

_____ Reflective Thinking and Delay Responding

_____ Perspective Taking and Empathy

_____ Expressing Emotions

_____ Listening for Understanding

Team Total Summary

_____ Reflective Thinking and Delay Responding

_____ Perspective Taking and Empathy

_____ Expressing Emotions

_____ Listening for Understanding

Team Averages

_____ Reflective Thinking and Delay Responding

_____ Perspective Taking and Empathy

_____ Expressing Emotions

_____ Listening for Understanding

Analysis and Suggestions [for Assessing Your Team’s Communication]

Adding all team members’ total component scores together gives a team total for each component. Divide each team total by the number of team members who completed the exercise to get a team average score for each component. The components with the lowest relative averages are most in need of attention for establishing the right team climate. Use the following guidelines as you consider your team’s results and action steps:

3.5 and higher: This is a team strength.

• Actively reinforce teammates who demonstrate effectiveness.
• Consider how this strength can be leveraged in other areas for improvement.
• Celebrate!

2.9 to 3.4: This area is solid but could be improved.

• Schedule time during a team meeting for discussion of this area.
• Use team-building activities and exercises to enhance development in areas for improvement.  

2.0 to 2.8: This area is in definite need of improvement.

• Schedule a single topic team meeting to address this area.
• [Consult mission center president to consider the use of a facilitator for assistance.]

1.9 and lower: This is cause for real concern.

• Ask all team members to commit to improving their skills in this area.
• [Contact mission center president to request facilitator for assistance.]