After graduating from grad school, I had a desire to open my own gym. I still do. Initially though I had a mindset to open it and coach all the time. There was a part of me that wanted to be the guy that did it all driven by both pride and a need to prove myself. As I’ve grown and matured, especially in my faith, I realize life isn’t meant to be done alone. I learned that valuable lesson through community groups.
This applies to the professional world as well. Working by yourself is not sustainable for the long term. Many people want an opportunity to create an impact. You can leverage that impact for them and invite them into a shared mission with your business. I’m not a gym owner yet. Currently I work at an amazing training facility. I still have a goal to do it, but only in God’s timing and His will.
With this training facility I have seen how team integration is so impactful and successful. I believe we all should strive to develop a team around us. Even Jesus didn’t do life and his ministry alone. Jesus would pray for who he should chose as his disciples. He would ask God, His Father who should be a part of the beginning of his ministry. Jesus is a great example about gathering a team for a mission.
When it comes to staffing and team development there are certain steps you will have to take. Even more you will have to take a step-in faith. The best way to do this is to look at the one who lead so many people well, Jesus. We can learn so many valuable lessons and life applications when we read through the Bible. Even if you read from a non-faith perspective you can gather wisdom in how to lead and love other people properly.
This article is about staffing and team development. Below are thoughts on an approach to gathering a team assuming you have a well-established mission and vision. It’s your job to build a team that buys into the same mission and vision. As you embark on this process remember life and work are not meant to be done alone.
3 STEPS FOR STAFFING
Step 1: Pray
Take time and pray for God to send the harvest. Ask Him, ‘Send people with the heart that will align with your mission and vision’. You cannot beat the blessing of a hard-working individual that is willing to do whatever it takes for the vision and go beyond the call. Of course, look for people who qualify but begin the process by asking God to send the right ones. Prayer is always the first step we take. What it does it aligns our mindset under God’s authority, and we begin to see people who strive for purpose.
Step 2: Interview
Ask questions that will provoke their hearts. Find out what their personal mission and vision are for their life is. For most, our mission should be sharing the gospel in our individual lives and advancing the Kingdom of Heaven. Then, take time to ask them what their personal time looks like. You can know a lot about of person in what they do in their personal time. That is the difference between someone who is looking to get by in life or strive in life. Find out what they do outside of any job. They could be serving in the local community in some capacity or spending quality time with loved ones. Either way find out who they are and if they fit for the mission. If they have a mission that lines up with your mission, then you will know they are essential to the team. Jesus had a mission and brought people to be a part of that mission, but they did have be a fit to do the work that was needed to be done. Ask questions (these are just examples):
- On a typical day off what do you do?
- What is your personal mission statement or if you don’t have one what would it be?
- Do you have a vision for your life?
- What was the most creative task you were apart of over the past year?
Step 3: Training and Continual Development
We live in a day and age with high turnover rate. This is an issue most business face which is lack of employee retention. There is a lot excitement to any new job and roll, but after the newness wears off people begin to look for the next thing. Over time this puts stress on higher level management for a continual hiring loop. Our aim is to bring on the right team players and pour into them to develop them. Not just hire and let them phase out.
Look to Jesus in how he would teach His disciples. He would pour into them all He knew and would give them insight on why he would say certain things. For example, Jesus was explaining to a crowd about a farmer planting seeds. He explained three different examples how each seed either grew or died off. The disciples wanted to know a deeper meaning. Off to the side Jesus took the time to discuss with them the real meaning behind the illustration, which brought better understanding to them. This is what mentorship is. It is raising people up.
Continual improvement and growth development will be help employees maintain excitement to stay at your business. Check out the book called ‘Escape from the Box: The Wonder of Human Potential.’ The main point was continual incremental improvement. When people grow, they will want to stay longer. The main goal for any job as you are building a team is “retention.” Team development and continual growth is the key for employee retention. When people are growing it gives them more excitement to keep working there. Similar to working out, when we see progress, we want to keep training. Obviously, people will have to leave for another job, but the goal should be to train them up with the mindset of launching them forward. We are to steward their time under our supervision. The church I attend does a great job building pastors within and mobilizing to start their own church. They are trained and well equipped to take on that step. If they do have to leave, then you equipped them and launched them towards their next mission objective.
THE 2 PARTS OF TEAM BUILDING
Start team building toward a family mentality. Most of your time will be shared with the people you work with and your actual family. Here is a potential step by step process to look to when you are building your team:
Part 1:
1) Get to know them
- Individually
- One another
2) Construct Culture
- Base off values and the mission
- Give expectations of them and yourself
3) Call them (people might not know better, so it is our job to make them better) by coaching them
- Build them collectively
- Build their awareness
- Provide information for them via equipping resources
4) Challenge them
- Push them further
- Allow them to sink and swim a bit
5) Critique and celebrate them
- Give constructive feedback (In a loving way to call them up and not call out)
- Tell them what to sharpen
- Encourage them to keep going
6) Continually pray for them
- Make people your priority not the product
- People need prayers especially the team you lead
7) Create an empowering environment that is
- Safe to fail
- Inspired to be creative utilizing their strengths
- That matches the overall mission and vision of the business
Part 2:
1) Encouraging continual growth and education should always be the focus
- Do your people have a growth plan?
- Does your business have growth plan?
- Do you have a growth plan?
The best way for your team to grow is for them to learn what is growing you. When you have a team it keeps you accountable for your growth and development as well. Teach them what you know, but also what you are currently learning.
Also have a plan for education. Where I work, we have both staff and intern education. Learning increases enjoyment and overall motivation to come to work. This also helps with employee retention because they are growing not just doing a job. People deep down want to be better and they need you to be pour into them. Find out how you can grow your employees/team, so when they do leave then they can say working with you made them a better person.
Motivate them to meet the need then exceed need. Through the education process keep it to the foundation. We should know our jobs at the fundamental level as well as our faith at the foundational level. For example, in strength conditioning we should know energy systems and how the body adapts under stress. The foundation of our faith is the gospel. We should be able to describe the fundamentals of our faith through the great commission.
- Teach foundations of fitness- Human Movement and Capabilities
- Teach the foundations of faith- Gospel
2) Evaluate and appreciate
- This keeps everyone accountable, but it mainly leaves an open conversation to discuss how things are going between leadership and staff
- Evaluation should aim around the common mission and vision
- There is always something to learn, sharpen, or refine
Finally, your evaluation can just be a sit-down conversation. Have an ‘open-door policy’ with each of them individually, but also gather them together to let them know how they are doing collectively and coherently.
LEADERSHIP APPLICATION
Overall, this provides a framework and a focus to guide your team. The ultimate goal is to develop them individually and collectively to increase productivity, maintain high moral, and steadiness. This likely hasn’t answered all your questions, but this is where faith plays a critical role. In this entire process ask God all your question and concerns. Seek His guidance and provision through continual prayer. Knock persistently at His door in times of defeat. In the end, this team is your flock. Lead them using the 3-S’s of Stewardship:
You are to shepherd them both in their secular of the business and their spiritual development. What this means is to guide and direct them along the path. You don’t need to know it all nor force it upon them. Just lead them the way you are being led by Jesus. Provide encouragement and continually love. Each person might have a different love language, so learn it and apply it towards them. Your role will shift from the business to people development. As you develop the team you will see production within the business or mission. When they leave, make it your goal to launch them into their own business or future ministry. Your goal is to take care of all is under your supervision.
Let your team be your highest priority next to the business after you equip them and train them for their specific duties. Be willing to get your hands dirty just like when Jesus washed the disciplines feet. Genuinely care form them and help them with their day to day activities. Ask them “How can I support you?” or “How can I make things more streamline?” Show them how it is done and lead by example.
As a leader you should be willing to go further than the team. Know when to make the decisive call, but mainly make the jump. You have to be willing to do what they are not willing to do. Sacrifice can be many things, but it will be something to do with ‘time.’ Be willing to give up your time for them as long as it does not burden your personal family time. God is number one, family (spouse and kids) number two, and then church/work follows. Within that order know when to sacrifice for your team. When your team sees you sacrifice then they will want to model what they see. Give it your all for your team day in and day out. True sacrifice means giving it your all no matter how you feel as long as it is the right thing to do.
Finally, we should always see the potential within them. Even beyond what they can see just like God sees us. He sees our potential and even though we may not see it. Don’t give up on them just like God doesn’t give up on you. Love them how Jesus loves you and you will see a well-constructed team ready to work diligently, ethically, and efficiently.
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