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Ten Tips for Administrative Leadership at Church
- Make sure you are reliable. If you say you will do something do it. Your credibility as a leader will be enhanced, and the ministry as a whole will benefit.
- Keep your time from being eaten up by the details of administration. Everyone has a different tolerance for these tasks but you will find it hard to lead effectively if you are spending your time proofreading the newsletter. Find someone else to do these detailed tasks!
- Exercise the ministry of delegation. Others will grow as you are able to let go. Even if you are a fabulous administrator and love it, find ways to involve other people.
- Understand the difference between leading and managing. Both are essential and they are not the same thing. Know your own strengths in these two key areas and find others who can complement you.
- Remember that the best leaders surround themselves with people who are better at certain tasks than they are. Don’t hesitate to do this in all areas of church life, and especially this one.
- Know your own rhythm of work. One of the blessings of ministry can be the great freedom around setting your schedule. (But be sure to show up Sunday morning…)
- Set limits for meetings. They expand to fill the time allotted.
- Respect the challenge of change in this as in all other areas. For example, long-time administrative assistants are a very important part of the system. If you need to make a change here recognize that there will be waves and prepare for them.
- Bear in mind the emotional aspects of time management. It’s not just about setting priorities and making lists. Just working harder and trying harder is not the answer to every problem—sometimes letting things sit is the better part of valor.
- Ask for help when you need it, whether you struggle in this area or feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of paper or e-mail.
Rev. Margaret Marcuson works with churches that want to create a ministry that lasts and clergy who want more impact on the people they serve best. She is the author of Leaders Who Last: Sustaining Yourself and Your Ministry (Seabury, 2009). She served as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Gardner, Massachusetts for thirteen years. Get the free mini-course, "Five Ways to Avoid Burnout in Ministry" at http://margaretmarcuson.com/.
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Margaret Marcuson
Rev. Margaret Marcuson works with churches that want to create a ministry that lasts and clergy who want more impact on the people they serve best. She is the author of Leaders Who Last: Sustaining Yourself and Your Ministry (Seabury, 2009). She served as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Gardner, Massachusetts for thirteen years.
