For better or worse, ministry is a people business. And for those of us who may mainly be technicians by nature, this was probably a surprise when we realized all of the duties that rolled up into the job description of a church “technical” director.
Whereas many of us probably assumed (or hoped) we’d spend most of our time each day just dealing with gear, the reality is that how we interact with others is just as critical, if not more so.
What and how we communicate is a central key in our ability to serve and lead effectively in ministry. And in an area with as many moving parts as live production, being an effective communicator is critical in order for us to do our jobs well and move the ministry forward.
I can never leave my team in the dark or keep the information to myself.
Communication is all about creating a connection: between a presenter and an audience, between a leader and his or her team, or between an employee and his or her boss.
Here are three ways to ensure that you can stay focused on communication in your role as a TD and build effective connections with others who serve around you:
1-Clarify the vision
Everything starts and stops with vision. It’s the “why” in the process that determines the “what” and “how.”
For technical teams though, sometimes it’s most important that we understand that it’s the vision of the ministry teams at the church that determine how we respond, and not the other way around. They don’t have to do things a certain way because of my policies and procedures, but their vision determines what I need to do or implement in order to help fulfill that vision.
However, this can often lead to a disconnect; sometimes ministry vision doesn’t line up with the reality of available resources. And we, as technicians, can then choose how we want others to see us: as dream killers, or dream fulfillers.
Too often, we fall back on our black-and-white, no-margin nature to quickly jump straight to facts about why certain things can or won’t work.
Too often, we fall back on our black-and-white, no-margin nature to quickly jump straight to facts about why certain things can or won’t work. All this does is serve to alienate other teams and lead to us being slapped with a label for “giving pushback,” being narrow-minded, or being unwilling to help.
Instead, we should first strive to gain a better understanding of the “win”. What goal are the other teams trying to accomplish? What’s the outcome they’re striving for? Perhaps, through that dialogue, we can come up with a better means to the end instead of just assuming there’s only one way to do it.
That shows others that we have a willingness to play ball and help, and it can also help other teams get a better picture of what all we have to juggle to pull off their vision.
2-Clarify the expectations
I once heard it said that unclarified expectations are nothing more than premeditated resentments.
When expectations are not clarified, both parties end up striving for what they think is right, and often that leads to a disconnect in results.
I once heard it said that unclarified expectations are nothing more than premeditated resentments.
As an underling, it’s my job to seek out clarity from my supervisors. What’s important? What should I be focused on? What are the parameters for how something should be accomplished or implemented?
If I fail to seek these out and just assume I know the answers, I run the risk of investing time and energy in something that may end up missing the mark. Instead of waiting and letting others come to me, I should aggressively seek out a solution or an answer.
Many times we choose to play the blame game or victim card: “So-and-so never told me what to do, so I blah blah blah....” We fall into the role of a victim so we can demonize our ineffective leaders or peers for their failure to communicate. However, I should take my future in my own hands and go looking for the information I need. Others will see that level of initiative, and it may lead to unexpected opportunities or influence.
On the flip side, when I’m leading a team, the best thing I can do for my team is set clear expectations for their performance. A team will forgive my lack of competence; after all, it’s unrealistic to expect someone to always know everything. But they won’t forgive my lack of clarity. If there’s a constant haze of confusion on my team, or there’s persistent lack of clarity regarding a process or a destination, my team will eventually leave so they can find something that’s less stressful to be part of.
If there’s a constant haze of confusion on my team, or there’s persistent lack of clarity regarding a process or a destination, my team will eventually leave so they can find something that’s less stressful to be part of.
When it comes to communication, my job as a leader is to empower my team. Does my team know their exact role during a service, and how it impacts what everybody else does? Does everyone know backup plans and procedures? Have they been properly trained to know how to do their job successfully?
I can never leave my team in the dark or keep the information to myself. If I don’t set a clear picture or path before my team, they won’t be my team for much longer.
3-Clarify the roles
Ambiguity can inflict a lot of damage. Much like clarifying expectations, when people aren’t sure who the point person is, or who’s in charge, or who’s the go-to decision-maker, chaos can erupt.
Ambiguity can inflict a lot of damage.
By not making it clear who is serving in certain capacities, I just make stressful moments even more stressful, because nobody knows who’s in charge, and we now suddenly have five cooks in the kitchen fighting for control.
Sometimes in ministry, we shy away from a certain level of clarity in this because we’re afraid of hurting people’s feelings. If I define one person as a leader or director instead of someone else who’s been here longer, I may alienate people on the team or make someone feel insecure or angry because they weren’t chosen.
I must choose to see it from a different angle. My role as a primary leader is to ensure that my team is all sitting in the right place on the bus. Sometimes people’s talents and giftings determine that they need to sit in a place different from what they originally thought.
That’s where I need to step up to pour out affirmation and support to that person and help them see how great they will be in a certain role, and how critical they are for the team. Instead of focusing on why they aren’t well-suited for another role, I should emphasize why they’re perfect for something else. When I focus on people’s strengths and how they will make the entire team better, I can create more buy-in because people know exactly what they’re doing and the impact it has.
Without effective communication, any team or organization can fall apart.
Without effective communication, any team or organization can fall apart. Vision will never be reached, communities will never be impacted, and people will never become fulfilled.
As technicians, we must step out of our comfort zones and force ourselves to develop our roles as leaders and communicators to ensure that we’re bringing clarity to the environment around us. When there’s clarity, anything is possible.
