Several years ago William Vanderbloemen and I had a conversation where he asked me to force-rank important qualities to consider when bringing a new person on the team. Many leaders have used three our four C’s as a helpful alliterated tool to describe essential characteristics when interviewing potential team members. You have likely heard the…
Hiring
6 of the Best Pieces of Hiring Advice I Have Received
Leading a team is one of the biggest privileges a leader has. You are able to cultivate a culture through the people you place in significant roles, and you are able to serve others alongside the team you serve alongside. Leading a team is also a massive responsibility. You steward the time and energy of…
2 Views on Hiring from Inside/Outside
A role is open on your team. Is your first inclination to hire from outside your organization or to hire from within? Most leaders have a default position on this issue, where their mind initially goes. They either tend to think first about hiring someone from within or they think first about what type of…
2 Views on Hiring Friends
Should you hire a friend to work for you? If you are sitting among a group of leaders and that question is posed, you get a variety of responses, each with a heavy dose of passion. “Don’t hire anyone you can’t let go.” “Life is too short to serve alongside people you don’t like. So,…
Are You Thinking of Hiring This Guy, Jimmy?
I was recently in a large meeting with my friend Jimmy Scroggins, pastor of Family Church in West Palm Beach, and we watched a video of a local church student ministry leader who was speaking both passionately and strategically about discipleship. I saw Jimmy take out his phone and start to type notes, so…. Me:…
4 Reasons I Believe “Hire Slowly, Fire Quickly”
If you are responsible for leading a group of people, you know how important building a team is. The people on the team form the culture and fulfill the mission you have embraced. Just as the flavor of soup changes with each ingredient, each new team member changes the collective flavor of a team. If…
Two Common Hiring Mistakes Churches Make
Every hire is a risk. Every time I have hired someone or have been hired, there was a risk involved. Some argue that proven track records eliminate the risk, but in reality a great history only minimizes the risk. Even when hiring someone who has a proven track record, it is hard to separate the…
Getting Hired: 3 Lessons from My Wife
My wife, Kaye, is an awesome teacher. And I am not just saying that because she is my wife (objective evidence: she was “teacher of the year” when we lived in Cincinnati). She is super-encouraging, creative, and passionate about helping children learn and become who they were created to be. When we started having our…
4 Groups to Whom the Leader Should Listen
The culture and direction of entire organizations, churches, ministries, and institutions is driven, in part, by whom the leader listens to. These people impact much of the leader’s decision-making, direction, and perception of reality—both challenges and opportunities. As I recently shared, wise leaders ensure they are hearing the right voices and listening to people who…
Theology of Staffing
Pastor David is perpetually frustrated, and he is self-aware enough to know it. As his church is growing, it seems he is always overwhelmed with details, dropped balls, and urgent discussions and decisions. In response, he is about to hire another part-time staff member. He thinks, If I can just get another body on my…