WORSHIP LEADERS
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR TEAM (EVEN IF YOU’RE CRAZY BUSY) PART 1 | Jon Nicol
I'm going to make a prediction: This week, you will team musicianship, or spiritual growth. Your
see a team member issue (relational, spiritual, or team might need to work in all these areas, but
musical) that requires training and/or development. the singular focus is critical.
commits, then it's time to reinforce it.
Here are three practical ways to reinforce the
I didn't say, "Thus saith the Lord," so stoning me
commitment to the micro-training.
is not an option if I'm wrong. But it'll come true. STEP 2: CLAIM YOUR TRAINING TIME. How do I know? Because unless your team is Determine specific times you can infuse training out the training, call it out in front of the team
filled with perfect people, you've got training and into your team. Think 'natural rhythm'—as with intentional and specific praise. Remember,
development gaps. in, what gets celebrated gets repeated.
what's
already
• First, celebrate wins. When you see people living
happening:
rehearsals,
sound checks, warm-ups, green room time, • Second, picture success. Look for memorable
However, there’s a bigger problem. With the high etc. Then ask yourself, "Where can I inject ten and easily repeatable statements that either
demands of Sunday, when are you supposed to fifteen minutes of training and discussion reinforce the theme you're teaching or paint
to have time to develop your team? And even without derailing Sunday?" Remember, these a future picture of what you're trying to reach.
if you have time, your team members are busy are micro-doses of training - so it’s just a few Use these statements ad nauseam. When your
volunteers with full schedules. So that's what I minutes of content. You've got to leave time for team starts mocking you, you'll know you've
want to answer in this article and the next: How conversation. You also want to leave your team repeated them enough. Here are two examples:
can you make time to train your team, even if wanting more, not dreading these micro-training 1. Practice is personal; rehearsal is relational.
you're crazy busy (and your team is busy too)? sessions.
If you're focusing on better preparation,
this statement emphasizes learning songs/
I'm going to give you two practical tactics (one STEP 3: CURATE YOUR CONTENT. this month, one the next) to train your team - It's best to have the bulk of your content even if you're crazy busy. But before I get to determined before you start. It'll be too easy to 2. Your platform worship will never exceed
either of those, I've got to say this, “Your team abandon this micro-dose approach the first time your private worship. If you're focusing on
member training and development can't be you don't have something to show or share. (If your team members growing spiritually, this
about just sounding better on Sunday”. Only you're not sure where to get content, there's statement communicates that we need to
chasing musical growth will create an unhealthy a vast digital archive of practical training here worship ministry filled with selfish, entitled, and inside of Worship Musician magazine.)
parts during personal practice, not during
rehearsal.
be more than "Sunday worshipers."
• And third, expect commitment. If you
shallow team members. Here's what I've learned
aren't holding your team members to new
after building my own worship ministries and STEP 4: CULTIVATE REAL CHANGE. helping other leaders building theirs…You might Here’s a four-part “learning framework” to see accidentally build a good team if you focus mostly real change from these micro-trainings: Teach Now, can you expect immediate change as you
on having great Sundays. But if you focus mostly it. Discuss it. Apply it. Reinforce it. The transfer start "micro-dosing" your team? Heck no. In
on building a great team, eventually, you'll always of information (teach it) rarely has lasting impact fact, your job will probably get tougher (at first).
have great Sundays. without the other three. The informational content But your mission, should you choose to accept
needs to run through the filters of relationships it, is to infuse small, focused, and intentional
So, what is this first tactic to build a great team? (discuss it) and experience (apply it). Then when training into your team - and then solidify it with
Focused Micro-Dose Training. That sounds it's reinforced over time, you'll start to see lasting the learning framework - so you can see real
illegal. But it's not. It’s intentionally injecting small change. change in the culture of your worship ministry.
standards, those standards won't stick.
amounts of training into your worship ministry at
Seriously, if you want to accept the challenge,
specific times. Here's our four practical steps to Applying the training content is tougher than shoot me an email at jon@worshipteamcoach.
do that. discussing it, but it's critical. Always finish your com. I'd love to walk with you on your journey.
micro-training with a question that leads to
STEP 1: CHOOSE A FOCUS. action within a specific time. So use a question
Select one team development theme to focus like, "What can we do this next week (or month)
on for two or three months. For example, you to start doing [the idea/concept]?" Then, ask
might choose preparation, platform presence, for a commitment to do so. Once your team
52
December 2019
Jon Nicol
Jon’s the founder of WorshipWorkshop.com and
WorshipTeamCoach.com, two sites that help worship
leaders build strong teams and lead engaging
worship. He lives and serves in Lexington, Ohio with
his wife Shannon and their four kids.
WorshipWorkshop.com
WorshipTeamCoach.com
Subscribe for Free...