Best Practices for Leaders at Hancock Church Hancock Church accomplishes its many ministries through a partnership of ordained and lay staff, and lay volunteers organized into permanent Committees and ad hoc committees and teams. As such, the committee and team members at Hancock have two important functions: to advance the work of Jesus Christ in the world, and to engage members in experiences that grow and deepen their faiths while experiencing the joys of common purpose and fellowship. The effectiveness of committees in achieving these ends can be greatly enhanced by good lay leadership. Hancock Church is committed to supporting and training all of its members who are called to lead. The following summary of best practices for leaders at Hancock Church grew out of leadership training provided by two members of the congregation in the fall of 2014, with guidance and input from a small group of interested parties convened by the moderator. The list includes best practices for team leadership gleaned from other faith communicates, not‐for‐profit organizations, and even business. It is not prescriptive; in other words, there is no one mold for a good leader, and no requirement to meet certain standards. However, every leader has both skills to build on and room to grow into a more effective leader. At Hancock we strive to foster an atmosphere of respect for all members, collaboration and transparency in our communication. We encourage you to experiment with these best practices, observe the results, ask questions, and use them as a springboard to challenge yourself to be the best leader you can be. The document is "organic;" it is expected to go through many iterations as suggestions for improvement are incorporated as part of an annual review by leadership. Church Leaders and Committee Chairs All church leaders participate in leadership training sponsored by the church. Once a year, leaders have an opportunity to meet in fellowship with other church leaders to discuss joys and challenges of leading committees. Committee leaders facilitate and manage process. They lead meetings that have clear desired outcomes, are inclusive of all members and keep discussions and flow of meeting on track and focused. Leaders plan and execute agendas that have clear desired outcomes or goals, time frames for discussion topics, identification of who will led discussion of each topic, identification of who will be time keeper and note taker and action steps for each topic. Leaders practice effective listening skills by checking for meaning, checking for understanding and checking assumptions with committee members.
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Leaders are inclusive of all committee members, respectful of the various gifts and working styles within the group and understand how and when to delegate tasks.
Leaders model and encourage communication between committee members that is proactive, respectful and courteous.
Leaders orient new members in the first meeting as to the mission and work of the committee.
Leaders develop basic skills for resolving conflicts and handle argumentative/ disruptive behavior respectfully and directly by referring back to the committee’s agreed upon norms for working together and or having a one to one conversation after the meeting with the member . Leaders exhibit transparency in leading, are reliable and proactive, and share the responsibility for success of the committee by acknowledging individual and group contributions and showing appreciation of committee members.
Leaders and Their Committees
Committee workings and decision‐making are transparent and done in view of entire committee
All committees develop in the first meeting of the working year a set of “Norms for Working Together,” that will serve as a covenant for the group in their work. This set of norms is revisited periodically or whenever new members join the committee to make sure norms are still relevant, and to add additional norms that could help the group work efficiently and cohesively. These might include such things as: o Meetings begin and end on time o Everyone should feel free to speak and that their opinion is valued; no single member can dominate discussion o Value collaboration o Respect for the opinions of others o We exist to serve the church o Decisions should represent the collective thinking of the group o Group should find ways to include everyone’s gifts o No electronics during meetings
Committee leaders and members have a clear understanding of the mechanism and processes in place to communicate and collaborate with the church staff and are able to: o Identify who are the staff members and their roles
Leaders and committee members make sure that the work of the committee is always linked to the church’s ministry and is in the service of the church.
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Understand reporting relationships Understand resources within the church Understand publication deadlines Understand work flow Partner with staff Give lead time when collaborating with staff Communicate clearly so that staff and committees understand each other’s expectations o Show respect and appreciation o o o o o o o
Best Practices for Leading and Facilitating Meetings Meeting preparation and agenda 1.
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Before scheduling a committee meeting, consider if a meeting is necessary. While some committees may need to meet regularly once a month due to the nature of their mission, others may not need to meet monthly. Meet only when necessary. Plan and distribute at least 2 days before the meeting an agenda of topics to be discussed. As appropriate, consider indicating process/method you will use to discuss the topic, clear decision making method, clear desired outcomes, action steps, time allowance for topics, and defined roles. Be prepared to facilitate – particularly when agendas are full or topics difficult, requiring your full attention, consider designating a note taker and time keeper for the meeting ahead of time Be clear about how decisions will be made: i.e.: consensus, gather input from stakeholders and a small subcommittee decides, majority rule, etc. Use members to report/lead discussion on topics Plan enough time for discussion of topics as not all topics are equal– plan flow of meeting Make sure you have all stakeholders in the meeting you need for the various discussions. Know when you need Church Staff at meetings. Ask members to let you know ahead in advance if unable to attend the meeting and if they need to leave early
Conducting the Meeting 5. 6. 7. 8.
Start and finish meeting on time Have visible in the room the “Norms for Working Together” developed by the group on the first meeting, and refer to them if discussions get derailed, conflict arises or there is a need to refocus the group Pay attention to the process of the meeting as well as the content of discussion so that discussions are focused, within allotted time frame and all members are engaged and participating. When facilitating a discussion, be clear with the committee about your dual role; facilitate with impartiality, and participate and lead when you should, 3.
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and do your best not to muddle the two so the committee trusts your facilitation and trusts that their opinions will be heard and considered. This is a difficult but important skill to develop. Make sure all members have equal air time, check with non‐participating members Use “And” not “But” when conveying a different perspective and encourage committee members to do the same when disagreeing with other members Be receptive to new ways of doing things: Outlaw: “because we always have done it that way” At the end of each topic discussion, sum up decision, identify action items, and assign responsibility and timeframe for action. When a topic arises that is not part of the agenda but important to attend: 1. Make it explicit to the group you are deviating from the agenda and ask if it can be put in a “BIN or PARKING ” until the next meeting,. If critical to address then and there 2. Ask members if they are willing and able to extend however long you think the discussion will take to address the issue. Make this a group decision. Make sure to close the loop on pending items from previous meetings
14. Minutes
15. Think about the role of minutes. They can serve two purposes: to record the actions and decisions of the committee for future reference, and to inform others of the committee’s activities. They’re also time consuming and a pain to do. So figure out the needs of your committee, and record the minimum needed to meet that goal. 16. If minute‐taking rotates among committee members, discuss appropriate level of detail and best practices: 17. Draft and distribute them within a week while the memory is fresh for both the drafter and reviewers 18. Once minutes are approved by the committee, distribute them to Standing Committee Fellowship and Prayer 19. Discuss with committee at beginning of year the role of fellowship in the committee’s life and work, keeping in mind that for many church committees, fellowship is an important outcome, not a side benefit. 20. Start or Close meeting with a prayer; remember – you’re doing God’s work, this is not just a business meeting 21. Allow first 5 or more minutes of your meeting for members to share joys and concerns 22. Leaders organize opportunities for fellowship with their committees at least once a year. These may include dinners, changing meeting location to a member’s house, bringing refreshments to meeting, etc.
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After the meeting 23. Be accountable and participate/follow up on actions items between meetings. Check with members tasked with action items. 24. Find opportunities to share with the Hancock Community what your committee is doing via de bulletin, web, e letters, and other media sources. 25. Learn best practice for using the various e modalities by consulting with the church staff in charge.
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Collaborating with other Committees
As a Committee leader, seek opportunities to collaborate with other committees by reading meeting minutes and or talking to other committee leaders.
When actively collaborating, identify liaisons for each committee that can respectfully and efficiently facilitate communication between the committees.
Ask /request time on other committee’s agenda when collaborating or looking for opportunities to collaborate
Selecting new committee members and new chairs
Exiting Committee Chairs are thoughtful about succession in leadership in the committee to ensure that the new chair has basic leadership skills. Use the year prior to exit to help develop these skills in a prospective leader by inviting her/him to serve as a co‐chair.
Nominating committee consults with committee chairs during the recruitment process regarding openings and potential candidates to ensure good match with committees’ mission and needs.
Start identifying and having the conversation in January or February with a committee member to serve as Chair or co chair for the church year that starts in June. This will give the candidate time to become more familiarize with process issues and general functioning of the committee.
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CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Persons elected, appointed, or volunteering to serve as officers of Hancock UCC, or to serve as members of the duly organized Boards, Committees and ad hoc Task Forces of Hancock United Church of Christ serve first and foremost the needs and well being of Hancock UCC. No person serving in such capacity shall use their service to enrich or enhance their own individual financial well‐being or that of their family, their business, or their employer. Persons who have, or who might reasonably be perceived to have a conflict of interest between serving the church and serving other interests are required to recuse themselves from church discussions and decisions in these areas. The official minutes of each Board, Committee or Task Force should note the recusal of any member on a particular matter or decision. Hancock UCC depends for its effectiveness upon the confidence of members and prospective members in the leadership of the congregation. Unacknowledged conflicts of interest erode this confidence, and thus are detrimental to the work of the congregation, regardless of the motive of the person serving. It is therefore expected that all officers and members of Boards, Committees and Task Forces be vigilant in self‐reporting conflicts of interest, potential conflicts of interest, real or perceived, and protect the integrity of church decision making
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