Inviting Newcomers into Leadership
October 1, 2001
Q. In my congregation we seem to have difficulty inviting new people into leadership positions. The same people serve over and over again, getting burned out. We say we want to share the load with newer members, but somehow it never happens. There's also a perception that new people don't want to serve—that they're happy to have the older members do it. How can we do better?A. Good management includes delegating authority and developing successors, says Janet Puistonen of the First Parish in Portland, ME(300 members). The first step in getting people into leadership is getting them onto committees. It has to be a gradual process. Once they are on committees and active, they can be asked to be vice chairs, with the understanding that after a specified term (one or two years, normally) they will become chair. And so on.
Have you explored why people are unwilling to serve? If you don't do it already, I'd suggest that you hold an annual leadership retreat, probably at the start of your church year, covering such issues as facilitating a meeting, filing reports, recruitment, etc. If training is available it may embolden some to take on leadership roles.
For more information contact interconnections @ uua.org.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
