Communication Direction In Church Leadership

Running a church can at times feel like running around chasing a chicken with no head. There is always a runner and a chaser. 
Someone avoiding the confrontation 
Someone looking for explanations
Someone busy but never get things done 
Someone excited but has no direction 

What happens when communication breaks?

Some moments feel like everyone is sitting around doing nothing. Some moments make us feel like there are not enough hours in a day to get all we need to done. You just want things to get done promptly but also correct. Am I right?

As a communications director for politics, consulting, and media I know a thing or two about the power of timely communication and the downfall of failure to communicate.

Let's look at some of my best practices:

1. Communications Director: You need a designated person whose sole purpose is to hear the concerns, crises, and kinks that are happening in real-time. If an email from a concerned parent comes in at 2 am it gets forwarded to the CD at 2:01 am. The best success is the best-strategized success. You can not strategize solutions if you are playing catch up, avoiding the conflict, being scared to share, or concealing. The best way to approach a concern or crisis is quickly and non-emotionally. The way to stay non-emotional is to not chase the clock. Be willing and ready to address the concern and implement a solution. The thing to know about leadership teams is that just because someone is anointed to teach doesn't mean he's equipped to problem-solve. Your CD is anointed not appointed to problem solve. Degrees are great and all but experience is a MUST.
2. One on Ones: Your CD should be conducting one and ones to isolate concerns and implement solutions. your CD's job is not to do the job of others but to train in strategy for the best success in each field/ministry.
3. Lock-In Day: Twice a year there should be a lock-in day. Usually conducted in the off-season. This is a chance for leaders to not leave their offices. This is a chance to clean up or create processes that will help them in communication and implement execution for the next semester. This is not a "work" day. Meaning you do not want them returning emails, answering calls, or taking appointments. A lock-in is also a lock-out. This is only a strategy day. The CD should be checking in to see what the strategy is, do they need help building a strategy, and whether was it successful if not when, and why was it abandoned. 
4. Bridge The Islands: The most successful leadership teams move as one. These teams communicate as equals. Think of a wave that moves in and retreats all in a single breath. It knows just where to break and when to swell. It always communicates in its movement. A ministry should move like this. When there are many ministries and those ministries move like islands the communication tries to move around each piece of land. The water never goes all the way around each piece of land. Some land will dry up and others swallowed by the sea. For communication to move well you must lower everyone to the same level and communicate as one body of water.
5. Transparency Translates: Where there is an opening there is a way for the enemy to enter. When we deal with ministries often we only deal with leadership. Why do we do this? Because we are limited on time. So the best way for us to know the truth and be transparent about how our leadership is doing is to ask teams or volunteers. These one on ones should be across the board. No one ministry singled out. This can help you understand a problem a leader may not be able to see about themselves. Maybe they fail to communicate, forget processes that are vital to safety, or are not accessible enough for teams. You won't know unless you ask. After receiving a concern, follow scripture to see if there is more than one person who feels this way. Following a second confirmation, observe DO NOT just assume. This gives you credibility when discussing solutions without there being defensive reactions.
6. Anonymous: Allow a box for people to drop in anonymous tips or concerns. Sometimes people feel like a concern will sound silly or they are afraid. Vet these with the same steps as above. Always observe don't just assume.
7. Gratitude: Make sure you are not just saying thank you in team meetings. Always start and end with positive communication. Never end on a negative note. 
8. Set Goals: Goals guide people. These are not meant to be hard sales lines. These are meant to be a helpful focal point for someone who may need a little guidance and direction on where to focus time and energy.
9. Do not Don't: Focus on what someone should be focusing on. Let them know High Priorities, Mid-level needs, and low-level busy work. If high-priority items are not don't we don't need to be doing LL busy work. We do not want to walk around saying don't do this or Stop doing that. Focus your language on what to do, what you need to be done, and at work level of priority it is. 
10. Never Assume: Never assume someone knows what to do, when to get it done, or where to access what may be needed for the task. Create communication that oversimplifies and holds their hands. So much time is done correcting and doubling up on what should have been done correctly the first time. Most of the time the simple explanation is that the instructions were not clear. In these situations, remember to ask yourself if it was his/her fault that it was done wrong or mine. Place accountability accordingly and own it when it is your communication error. Nothing says better leadership than when we can take ownership of a situation. This only works when we are actually at fault. If we cover for others we stunt their growth. Lead by actions first, listen intently, and execute solutions fully. There's no such thing as "we will fix it later." These dangerous assumptions can often be our most costly.