You want to create elements and events along the way that act as filters . One example is requiring an application . If someone doesn ’ t complete a simple form , they ’ re probably not a good fit for your team .
Just having a multistep audition process is enough to filter some people out . Because of Carl ’ s skill level , I fast-tracked past many of our usual steps . I thought I was extending him professional courtesy . It turns out I was aiming a loaded gun at my own foot .
5 . Not Preparing People To Hear NO Telling someone , “ NO , you can ’ t be on the team ” can be brutal — for them and you . But it has to be done .
As hard as saying NO is , the alternative is worse . It ’ s easier to tell someone NO upfront than it is to remove them from the team later .
The solution . Prepare people to hear NO before they start the process . An easy way to do that is to include a “ we might say NO , and here are some reasons why ” section in any audition documents you may have .
6 . No Practice Required If someone doesn ’ t prepare for an audition , he won ’ t prepare when he ’ s on the team .
If personal practice is an expectation for your current team members , then personal practice needs to be a part of the qualification process . So look for ways to require preparation .
I made this mistake more than once , including my interview with Carl . He was such a phenomenal keyboard player that I just listened to him play some songs and we jammed a little .
Had I given him a few of our current songs , I would have learned something critical : Carl couldn ’ t play with a band . At least , not unless the band is following him .
Are you seeing the imminent train wreck ?
7 . Tilting Too Much Towards Talent This was the biggest blunder I made with Carl . I was looking solely at his talent .
We get enticed by talent . But talent never trumps toxic . Talent is never enough to overcome …
• a lack of commitment
• a self-focused person
• a lousy attitude
• an overly-busy person
• a sense of entitlement
You might be able to tolerate it for a while . But , eventually , you ’ ll get a strong sense that the musical or technical skill isn ’ t worth the relational and emotional turmoil .
The solution is determining what else you need besides talent . Then , shape your qualification process in a way that lets you detect the toxic people .
Again , at the upcoming webinar , we ’ re giving away a premium resource that helps you determine your standards in five different areas . ( And only one of them has to do with talent .)
8 . No Onboarding or Orientation Plan The final part of the qualification is one of the most critical — how do you move someone from an invitation into the team to fully invested in the team ?
You have to have a plan to help new team members know what to expect and what you expect of them . Too many times , I invited a new person on the team only to find a few months later that they were frustrated , and a few were even ready to quit .
I hadn ’ t intentionally onboarded them .
You need to create a process that moves someone from the end of the qualification process into full acclimation into the team . That might include standard training , ‘ shadowing ’ during rehearsals , frequent follow-ups , and even a formal review after serving a specific amount of Sundays .
A good onboarding process ensures that your new team member will be successful and integrate fully into your team .
THE TRAIN WRECK The first week Carl played was an unmitigated disaster : He didn ’ t play any of the actual parts . He got off the click . He stepped all over the bass player . And both guitarists . On one song , his part was so completely off the beat that the worship leader had to stop the song and start over .
Thankfully , Carl wasn ’ t on the team long . By what I can only say was God ’ s mercy , Carl moved away shortly after joining our team .
My failure to qualify Carl wasn ’ t just a disservice to my team and church , but it was also a disservice to Carl . He knew the train wreck was his fault . And while musical hubris might be blamed , I take full responsibility for not qualifying and preparing him to fit in with our team .
As the leader of your ministry , one of your roles is shepherd . We think of that as a nurturer , but that ’ s also a protector role . Your qualification process is a gateway , and you , like a shepherd , are the gatekeeper . If we ’ re going to have a healthy worship ministry , we have to have a healthy qualification process .
And these blunders are all preventable with a healthy qualification process . If you want to avoid these ( and other ) blunders by building a better audition process within your ministry , register now for the Healthy Auditions : 3 Secrets to Avoid Toxic Tryouts and Keep Dysfunctional People OUT of Your Worship Team .
Matt Miller Matt lives in Cincinnati , OH with his wife Kara and their daughter Melody . He ’ s the Head Coach of WorshipTeamCoach . com and WorshipWorkshop . com , two sites that help worship leaders make every Sunday exceptional . If you want to explore coaching or mentoring with the WorshipTeamCoach team visit this page . WorshipTeamCoach . com WorshipWorkshop . com
36 May 2024 Subscribe for Free ...