The New Year represents new a new beginning. It is a chance to start with a clean slate and make a resolution not make the same mistakes we did in previous years. However, have you considered making a resolution to grow your team?
As a tech director the next few weeks probably represent a chance that you can finally relax a little bit since the big holidays are over. But id you know that this is normally the time that our teams get neglected. We recruited, trained and ran around like mad for weeks on end before Christmas, and now we have crossed the finish line and one of the last things on our mind could be the team that made it happen.
The next few months is a great time for you to spend building relationships with your team, recruiting new members and conducting training. Since there are no major holidays until Easter, you have some time to put into the team that you might not have later on in the year.
Proverbs 11:14: Where there is no guidance, the people fall, but in an abundance of counselors there is victory.
Thank Them
The first thing is to show appreciation for those who served during the Christmas season. This can be verbal, or better yet send them a little card thanking them for making things possible. It might seem like a drag to you to jot a note on a card, locate their address, drive to the Post Office, purchase a stamp, place the stamp on the envelope and then drop it into the mailbox, but these small acts of kindness do not go unnoticed. I can assure you that the morale boost it will give your team will be well worth the few minutes of effort that it takes.
Ask Their Goals
This is a great time of year to do a quick check-up on your team members. Just ask them how they are doing and perhaps if they are interested in trying out a different area of your ministry, or what their goals are. You may find out that someone who has been running the monitor mix actually has a new passion and interest for video and may be interested in making a change. People will respect you if you give them opportunity to move around and grow.
Recruit New Members
You should be recruiting all year long, but now is probably one of the most fruitful times because people are getting back into the swing of things after the holiday. Asking your current team members to do some recruiting is a good idea. Maybe you could even consider a finder's prize such as offering a $10 iTunes gift card to anyone who recruits a new team member over the next two months.
Train New and Current Members
It is obvious that new team members will need some specialized training, but don't forget about those that have been working week after week. Maybe instead of a formalized training you could bring them to a seminar or trade show about their department or maybe you could contact a local dealer or contractor and have them arrange for training, a clinic or even a tour of their facilities. All of these things will help to better equip your team and it will make them feel like they are valuable enough for you to invest in them.
Two Types of Growth
As you ponder growing your team remember there are two kinds of growth. Deep and wide. Wide would be the amount of people that you have in your current ministry, and that is an important number to grow. Deep, however, is probably more important and this is how skilled and connected your team members are. Don't forget that you are not simply over the technical ministries of the church but you are also the one called to disciple your team. So, as you put effort into making your team grow in width make sure you are also helping them to grow in depth.