Regardless of our role, we are all leaders. We are not “just” a tech person. We are capable of helping steer the direction of our church teams' temperatures.
In a fast-paced world like that of church production, the only constant is change. Last-minute adjustments will be made, people will make mistakes, and equipment will fail.
Knowing that, there’s a tremendous amount of importance on our ability as leaders to navigate those changes with a healthy and even emotional keel.
As leaders, we set the course for how our team will respond to moments of crisis or chaos, and our choices in those moments can either lead to success or cause long-term damage that can have repercussions we never would have imagined.
So, when the stress and anxiety get raised and the pressure starts to rise, will we be a thermometer or a thermostat?
A thermometer doesn’t do anything to change the temperature of the room. It simply reflects it. When someone enters a room, they don’t have to try and gauge on their own how the room feels because it’s already written on the thermometer.
Is this how I act as a tech leader?
When stress and anxiety are high and there’s lots of tension, is it written all over my face? Do I wear my emotions so visibly that people around me can tell if I’m stressed simply by how I respond to other people? Do I snap more quickly and get more visibly frustrated? Does the pitch of my voice rise and do I get louder because I’m now under more pressure? This all then transfers my anxiety and stress onto everyone I interact with.
When the pastor or worship leader are stressed due to the complexity of the service flow, do I feed off that and then pass it off to my team, causing them to be stressed and on edge, as well, ultimately increasing the risk of mistakes?
What about, instead of being a thermometer that simply reflected my environment, I became a thermostat that set the temperature of the room?
On the flip side, if my team is stressed (maybe because a key person didn’t show up for rehearsal, or because a piece of equipment is behaving erratically), do I then allow that to channel through my behavior and then cause that to unnerve the ministry leaders I’m around, ultimately eroding their confidence in my ability to handle responsibility and pressure?
What about, instead of being a thermometer that simply reflected my environment, I became a thermostat that set the temperature of the room?
A thermostat isn’t passive; it’s an active device used to determine the course that a room’s temperature will take.
What kind of leader do I tend to be?
When things are falling apart all around me, do I have the ability to actively work to change the tenor of the environment? Can I stay calm under pressure and reassure my leadership that everything is under control? Can I effectively communicate that we’re making adjustments and are prepared to address any necessary changes and will do it with a cool head and can-do attitude?
When things aren’t going according to plan, can I still project confidence to my team that they don’t need to worry and just need to listen to the direction I provide? Can I reinforce my belief in them so they know that, regardless of what happens around them, I still believe in their ability to function at a high level? Am I modeling self-confidence that others can tap into?
When things aren’t going according to plan, can I still project confidence to my team that they don’t need to worry and just need to listen to the direction I provide?
When I set my mind on being a thermostat, I create more long-term opportunity for myself than I can possibly understand. My team grows in confidence, knowing that even if all the answers aren’t on the table, they can still trust me to look out for them and carry them through uncertainty. They can hitch their wagon to my horse knowing that I’ll be able to take care of them, nurture them, encourage them, and provide the emotional support necessary for them to be effective.
My leadership will see me as a problem-solver and someone who can be relied upon to focus on solutions instead of just harping on the issues that created them. My influence will increase because I bring stability to situations and can help calm and inspire people around me. I become a person that people know they can build a team around because I’m consistent and reliable.
My influence will increase because I bring stability to situations and can help calm and inspire people around me.
Regardless of our role, we are all leaders. We are not “just” a tech person. We are capable of steering the direction of an entire organization and influencing more than just the people right next to us.
It’s just a question of whether I’ll influence them in a positive or negative way.
Sunday’s coming. The heat is rising. Will I be a thermometer or a thermostat?
