In watching Undercover Boss each week one of the things I find to be a common thread is that breakdowns in an organization occur where there are no systems in place to carry out great ideas.
I love good ideas. I love creative concepts but anyone working more than one day in kids ministry understands that if you don’t have a system in place you are never going to grow your capacity. Where there are no systems in place great ideas give birth to frustration rather than fruition.
When I begin something new here are the steps I usually take to put systems in place
1. What needs to stay what needs to change – I try to assess this through prayer and talking to the people who are most involved in the process I am evaluating
2. What are the jobs or task that need to be created to accomplish the overall vision
3. What is the best way to create a structure that can not only survive but thrive when I am not present
4. How can I create organizational clarity – I am a big fan of, job descriptions and check lists and am working on creating a new form of a procedures manual that is actually usable.
5. How can I pete and repete the vision of our church in the context of what we are doing in that particular department or ministry.
6. Recruit with vision and have a place for anyone and know where to place everyone. (Never recuit out of need, people don’t like to join a sinking ship)