Mistakes Communicating with Leaders

Mistakes Communicating with Leaders– As ministry leaders, most of us are paid communicators. Our churches and organizations give us the mic and turn up the volume when we have something to say. It is our job to be the upfront and loud person. For some reason, though, many leaders are just not very clear when communicating with volunteers.

Leaders struggle and often make basic mistakes to balance their volume while pumping up clarity. When it comes to God’s word, leaders must share the message of ministry with those who serve beside them as volunteers. These folks are critical because they can either mute the ministry or amplify the vision.

Here are five mistakes leaders make that pull the plug on their soundboard of communication.

Consistent

Nothing is worse than the sound person in the back struggling to find a consistent balance and mix for your microphone. Sometimes it is too loud, and other times it is too low. It is even worse when there is a loud surprising pop or screech! When it comes to sound, it is all about steady and knowledgeable consistency behind the board.

The same is true when it comes to communicating with volunteers. Communication needs to be consistent and regular.

Choose a specific day and time for communications. Volunteers are busy with personal and professional lives. Emails, texts, or posts can quickly get lost in the shuffle of life. Let them know when to expect your communication. Other than special events and emergencies, keep that communication schedule consistent with no surprises.

Considerate 

Don’t be like the band playing the concert a bit too loud for their enjoyment, leaving the crowd struggling with hearing loss. Make sure to balance the pure volume with a good mix of clarity.

Think of the crowd who is listening. Are they going to remember what is communicated by the end? Are they going to enjoy the tone of communication? Even on important and pressing topics, make the tone considerate and caring. No one freely giving their time wants to be yelled at, so know and control your volume for your audience.

Concise

There is always a band at a show that chooses to do an extended solo to show off one member’s skills. We have all been to that conference or service in which the speaker goes just a little too long to cover everything they studied in preparation.

Leaders do the same thing with communication when they make their message longer than it needs to be—whether it is virtual or in-person. The communication becomes wordy and packed with extra information that is not required.

Keep your communication concise and on topic so that volunteers will want to read or listen to what is being communicated. While a leader may be skilled, knowledgable, and well-prepared, the volunteers only want the concise information they need to succeed.

Constructive

Communication should be more than a loud megaphone of announcements and information. It should also be a whisper of instruction and encouragement to volunteers. Volunteers should receive not just what to know and do but also learn know-how and how-to.

Leaders should take the batteries out of their megaphones of announcement-based communication and recharge their volunteers with constructive training and spiritual encouragement.

Make sure to share ways to plug into what needs to be done and provide kind, constructive instruction to improve the team. Additionally, allow moments to celebrate success and reflect on failures to construct a better ministry team.

Conversational

Talking to an audience is different than talking with an audience. Many leaders and communicators struggle with this nuance, especially in ministry settings. Leaders who preach and speak to an audience may find it challenging to flip the switch to teaching volunteers.

Conversations are powerful ways to communicate. Volunteers need leaders that will talk and walk with them in two-way communication. They need the invitation to respond, give feedback, and contribute, leading to ownership.

No matter the method or type of communication, the style should be conversational. Use language that is personal and casual as often as you can. Volunteers in your ministry want to feel like valued companions and partners. How you communicate with them directly impacts this relationship.

If you want to be heard this school year, consistently communicate with your volunteers by adjusting the volume and improving the balance of your clarity through considerate, concise, and constructive conversational communication.

Listen in to my related conversation about “Communicating with Parents”– ON THE SIDEKICK PODCAST.