Building a Successful Team

Lifeway Kids Ministry Specialist Klista Storts can often be found mentoring and training new kidmin leaders on how to build successful ministry leadership teams. Klista’s ministry experience has put her in situations where it was impossible to be a one-woman-show. There was no option except to build a team and delegate responsibilities to others.
I recently had the opportunity to observe Klista in action as she trained a group of new kidmin leaders. Following are some of the key points for building and leading a team.
• Pray before enlisting team members and then pray for team members regularly.
• Be interested in them personally, not just the job they can perform. It’s all about relationships.
• When a team member responds to an idea or responsibility negatively, don’t assume the person’s negative reaction is about you. Do not let negativity derail you, your team meetings, and your team.
• Don’t assume. Ask questions and be genuinely interested in the responses.
• Humble yourself. Serve your team and respond to their needs.
• Ask their advice. Accept that you are not always right nor are your ideas always the best.
• Praise publicly and correct privately.Praise often and correct sparingly.
• Offer to help get the job done but overcome the temptation to take over.
• State expectations clearly and seek needed clarification.
• Remember – God made them in His image…not yours.