So, we’ve established the importance of all members contributing on our boards, committees, or ministry teams, doing their parts (Eph. 4:16). Yet, there are times we notice people with arms folded, clamming up. We scratch our head when someone acts like they don’t care about what we’re doing when they said they wanted to be on the team. We question why people aren’t contributing.
Then there are times we struggle to understand why someone reacted the way he/she did to what we said. Other times we get frustrated by the person who keeps bringing up a new way to look at the issue when we thought it was settled. We get skeptical about the person who seems to always want to take charge to get things moving. We want people to contribute but at times we struggle to accept their contribution.
And, have you noticed how different meetings go during the absence of one member or when a new person gets added to the team? So much got accomplished the last time you met but this time you struggle to even come up with ideas. In the one meeting, people opened up, freely sharing ideas and concerns, but in another, people needed prodding to talk and conversation stayed on the surface.
What We Need to Understand about Team Members Contributing
- We need to understand group dynamic and make adjustments as needed.
Group dynamic can be affected by:
who is there
various personalities
various learning styles
(Clicking on the above links will take you to posts on the TrainBibleTeachers.com blog. Though written with teaching in mind, you might nonetheless increase your understanding about group dynamic that also affects committees, boards, and ministry teams.)
Don’t expect that each meeting will go as previous times. Be aware of changes to the group dynamic and adjust.
- We need to understand how we’re different and pull on each other’s strengths.
- Due to personality temperaments, we will tend to express ourselves relationally in different ways and approach tasks differently.
- Due to our various life experiences and backgrounds, we will tend to have varying perspectives on issues.
- Due to different spiritual gifting, we will tend to have different ministry abilities.
When group members understand each other better, they’re more likely to seek out one another’s input in ways that count. They’re more likely to accept the way members react and respond. So, work at increasing team members’ understanding and appreciation for each other’s talents, preferences, communication styles, leadership qualities, and challenge areas.
All Posts about Boards, Committees, Ministry Teams:
- Purpose in Boards, Committees & Ministry Teams
- Healthy Church Boards Exercise Body Life
- Agendas Versus Relationships
- Contributing in Committees, Boards, Ministry Teams
- Differences of Opinion Don’t Have to Divide
- Division of Responsibilities
- Boards, Committees & Ministry Teams Need Focus
- Boards, Committees & Ministry Teams Need Accountability
- Christ-like Boards, Committees, Ministry Teams: Purposeful
- Christ-like Boards, Committees, Ministry Teams: Servant-Oriented
- Christ-like Boards, Committees, Ministry Teams: Team-Oriented
- Christ-like Boards, Committees, Ministry Teams: Upward-Focused
- Christ-like Boards, Committees, Ministry Teams: Process-Oriented
- Effective Church Committees or Ministry Teams
- Understanding Needed about Team Members Contributing
- Christ-like Boards & Committees Possible Due to the Gospel
- Christ-like Boards & Committees Because of the Holy Spirit
- Pulling on Spiritual Gifts of Board, Committee, Team Members?
- Spiritual Gifts of a Board or Committee Chairperson
- Christ-like Boards & Committees a Result of Grace
- Coming Together Because of the Name of the Lord
- Christ-like Boards & Committees Keep His Word Central
- Overcoming Power for Church Boards and Committees