FRONT OF HOUSE
LESS THAN | Kent Morris
As techs , part of our job is to stay current on technology as it progresses forward , leading to hours spent online and in front of equipment learning how it works and what benefit it brings to the table for our ministry . We love this part of the job , for it feeds our need to know and have others know we know . But , what happens when we don ’ t know , or worse , aren ’ t known ?
Recognition is at once , vital and detrimental to our lives . We thrive on those rare moments when leadership notes something we did or acknowledges our contribution to the greater good . However , living for those widely spaced mountain tops means we spend a lot of time hating the long valleys between them . How then , do we rectify our innate need for confirmation by others with our understanding of what it means to remain in servant mode , with invisibility as our operating standard ?
By its nature , tech services is a behind-thescenes function . A famous trope notes we are only noticed when something goes wrong and it is true . Perfect AVL execution elicits no response from leadership or audience . Notice is solely reserved for moments of feedback , incorrect video slides or the wrong lighting cue . This fact makes tech the natural habitat of recluses , the socially challenged and introverts . We enjoy the dark environment , black attire and anonymity that comes with the job . However , at some point , we must interface with the world at large and , thus , we should find ways to do so without awkwardness or overthinking the situation .
First , remember , we are dealing with generalists whose concept of detail seldom moves beyond “ microphone ” when you dive off into a dissertation on polar patterns and the nuances of spread spectrum geometry . Keep it simple ; just give them bottom-line answers and hold the subtleties at bay . Realize you are not less than ; you are greater than and you are there to distill complex situations into a palatable solution .
Next , when it is time to meet with leadership , speak slowly and with conviction , but without emotion . It is the rare leader who gravitates toward our world , meaning we need to establish a peer basis for conversation if we are to have any chance of reaching our goal . Speak with a clear point made up front and then bolster it with one or two short supporting notes . Practice a heads-up , direct stance with defined wording and a visibly forward body language . Remove any emotion , pleading or personal attachment to the conversation .
Learn to say no . Our nature is to seek to please , but we often do so at the expense of our own health and the well-being of our spouse and family . Continually pulling the proverbial rabbit out of the hat leads to resentment on our part and gross assumption by leadership that it will always work . After a difficult service , wait a day and then meet with leadership to lay out a plan to prevent last-minute chaos . If the plan is later thwarted , write out the failure and hold your line . It is agonizing , but any other approach removes respect for the tech position . Logically explain there is no magic and offer to have leadership join you in the trenches to see what it actually takes to make services happen .
Our identity is in Christ and that fact is hard to accept when we are known as the person who solves technical problems and makes the most out of scarce resources . Rest in being you as enough . If God has to remove our self-identity to mature us , it can be a painful exercise . Better to recognize our tendency to self-realize and ask His help to recast us in the image of Christ than to have Him do so without our willing participation .
In this life , we will never receive accolades on a regular basis , but what we have waiting for our faithful service eclipses any throng or standing ovation here on Earth and that is definitely greater than .
Kent Morris Kent is a 40-year veteran of the AVL arena driven by passion for excellence tempered by the knowledge digital is a temporary state .