Getting a Teammate to Leave
Let me begin by saying that I long for the day when God will move someone out of one place to another when:
1. Their personal growth (either spiritual or skill) has been accomplished and they are now prepared for their next assignment.
2. The purpose for their work within the team has been accomplished.
3. The celebration of one or both of the above is a good thing.
I am sad to say that after over 20 years in ministry and work I am straining to remember an experience like this. While I certainly have experienced public celebrations of people "moving on", most times I am privy to what has gone on behind the scenes. I know that everyone is just trying to put a good face on a problematic set of events. Now I know that this is inevitable but does it always have to end like this? I lament over it every time I see it or experience it.
I know of one pastor whom I served with that used the scripture above to justify his benign response to another leader leaving his ministry. He even referred to the scripture above multiple times, over multiple exits of other leaders. Instead of looking inward for the ultimate reason he was loosing his leaders, he found comfort in the fact that the apostle Paul got into a disagreement with Barnabas. He, like many pastors, think that somehow this is how God really designs how He moves people around. I would challenge anyone who believes this kind of thinking.
While God does uses these events to accomplish His purposes, He did not design things this way. In reality, He is subjecting Himself to use the sin of man that is inevitable. While many, if not most, pastors would agree with this theology, most would rather connect with the behavior of Paul and Barnabas. It is just easier and takes less time.
Even so, there will come a time in your leadership life when it will become evident that a change is needed on your team. There are two distinct kinds of circumstances.
1. You have authority over the person. This is hired staff in churches and employees in business.
2. They are volunteers. These can be your equal in authority as volunteer teammates, OR they are followers of your established and assigned leadership.
Each of these situations calls for a unique set of behavior by their leader. However, might I suggest two courses of action that can be taken in the beginning of each case.
1. Plan on taking more time than you would like addressing the situation. Then figure on doubling that.
2. Focus on the person's strengths and gifts. In most cases the problem is that the person's strength is not being used or just can't be used to its fullest potential.
When the leader and the person come to agree on the use of strengths and gifts, only then can a good plan of separation and celebration be implemented. If you do the above, I believe you will rarely have to "fire" someone, ... not even mentally. Sometimes terminating someone is the only choice. However, don't terminate someone to feed the need to demonstrate your power and authority. Your sinful nature might celebrate, ... but only for a few days.
Sometime ago, a certain team called me to help them through a problematic situation. The more I studied the problem and talked with participants it became evident to me that one member was not a good fit. That person had godly intentions but just did not fit the environment. Instead of just recommending this persons dismissal, I met with the person several times and coached the person through their perspective and beliefs about the organizations needs. Eventually this person came to the conclusion that they needed to move on, knowing that their expertise was not going to be used to it fullest potential.
Do you have someone that is not working out well? You trying to develop a plan for their exit? Try the approach above and see if you both can "celebrate" in a godly way.
Maybe even Jesus would put a good face on that.
Ron Porter
TheChristianLeader.org
|
