Communication Skills—one of the recommended leadership development competencies—include:
- Understanding different styles of giving and receiving information.
- Being able to communicate across different communication styles.
- Understanding differences in communication across cultures
- Developing the ability to listen deeply.
- Learning how to speak in ways in alignment with your faith.
Core Values
Process Theology and American Pragmatism encourage us to encounter, experience and integrate diverse ideas and values to work our way closer to our understanding of the “truth.”
Practices
- Develop active listening skills.
- Create a congregational culture that understands and caters to different communication styles.
- Participate in covenant groups (e.g. chalice circles, small group ministry, sacred text study groups, lectio divina groups etc.).
- Develop a practice of listening to all voices, especially those at the margins.
Resources
Videos
- Language as a Generative Act (YouTube) (12:12) by Rev. Nate Walker
- 10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation (11:44) by Celeste Headlee
- Communication as a Leadership Discipline (YouTube) (2:33) by Helio Fred Garcia
- Speaking Tips (YouTube) (7:59) Stop Worrying and Start Presenting! by Erin Manning
Web Articles
- Ten Tips for Better Church Announcements by Dan Wunderlich (Alban)
- The Problem Trap: Escaping Our Limiting Stories by Larry Peers
- 10 Things to Do When Your Team’s Not Listening by Karin Hurt
- The Art of Powerful Questions (PDF, 18 pages)
- Cleaning Up Bad Communication Habits by Kibbie Simmons Ruth, Karen A. McClintock
- Speaking the Truth in Love by Kibbie Simmons Ruth, Karen A. McClintock
- How to Complain or transforming a Ministerial Relations Committee or a Committee on Ministry to a Healthy Communications Team by Daniel O'Connell
- Is E-mail the New Parking Lot? by Susan Nienbaer
- The Sabotage of Rumors by Arthur Paul Boers
- Myths about Communicating Congregational Identity by Lynne M. Baab
- How Does Your Congregation Communicate? by Michael Euliss
- Speaking Faithfully (Developing Your Key Messages) by Jim Naughton and Rebecca Wilson
- Crucial Communications During a Crisis: Q&A with Helio Fred Garcia
- 5 Ways to Get People to Actually Listen to You (from the book The Power of Communication by Helio Fred Garcia)
- Difficult Conversations: Nine Common Mistakes by Sarah Green, Harvard Business Review
On-Demand Webinars
- What's in a Brand? (34:40) Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley
- Channeling Your Success (YouTube), (56:41) Mark Bernstein
- Best Practices in Virtual Meetings (YouTube) (15:50) Rev. Renee Ruchotzke
- Compassionate Congregational Meetings (free registration required) Rev. Dr. LoraKim Joyner
Books
- The Power of Communication: Skills to Build Trust, Inspire Loyalty, and Lead Effectively by Helio Fred Garcia
- The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business by Patrick Lencioni