How To Overwhelm Your Team

Blank stares.  That’s what I got the first time I came back from a conference.  I was so on fire because of all the new information I had gathered on how to run ministry.  And I was so excited to share it with my team and thought they would be as pumped as I was.  And not only was I going to share but I was going to implement them right away.  How did they respond?  Blank stares, and then after a few moments push back…and it was a little overwhelming.
Nonetheless I pushed forward and implemented new strategies in the new year and for the next two there was a lot of resistance and pain.  Some people were shut off, others were confused; therefore, there was tension.  Today 6 years later all is good and everything is heading in a great direction. So one might ask, “Was it worth making those changes then and there?”
Yes and No
When it comes to change there is always going to be push back and if we want to grow we need to change things here and there.  Despite the change what really matters is how you implement ideas and communicate strategy.  When communicating change you need:

• Clarity – When I’m done reading an inspiring book I need time to sit down and reflect on the thoughts running through my head.  If I don’t I won’t be able to communicate to everyone what I’ve learned.  We need to let the adrenaline subside before we share ideas and agendas.
• Vision – This tells you where you are going and paints a picture of what might be.  If you can paint a clear picture people will have clear questions and understanding of where it is you want to take them.
• Patience – You’ve had the advantage.  You read the book, went to the conference and heard the speaker you’ve got a jump start on your ministers.  You need to let your ideas settle in before pushing forward.

Looking back on my particular situation I wish I had just shared my thoughts and then later gone back to share the vision and the plan.  I was new to ministry, excited about implementing all the wonderful things I had learned I just needed to give myself more time to digest it, before giving it to others.

How do you process information from a conference or book?


How do you share that with your team without overwhelming them?