Creating and Experience
May 7, 2010
A few years ago, I was sitting in my local Starbucks and happened to overhear a group training session for new employees. And it was awesome! The employees were being trained on the atmosphere and experience that they were hired to create. The mission statement was given clearly through examples, so everyone could grasp it. The meeting was visionary. I was just about ready to fill out an employment application! The people holding the training had a picture of how the employees were to treat each other and the leadership, but the tone was not focused on what the workers wanted to get out of the job. Instead, the training was centered around the experience they were to provide for each other and in turn, the customers. They were taught to be relational with frequent guests and sensitive to those who might not even know what a latte is. What if we, as the church, put this much effort into inspiring workers—volunteers and members alike—with a vision for how the church could be and the atmosphere we would create for our visitors? Without this alignment, is it any wonder why we often come across as so fragmented and ineffective to the people we are trying to reach? Is it a surprise that there are so many churches connecting with so few people? What are you doing to align your ministry team? Do you have an atmosphere that's deliberate and effective? Think about it! Pastor Matt
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I absolutely love your blog and I'm trying to absorb as much of it as I can. I appreciate the insight you share and I really look forward to learning more of these principles. Thanks!
Thank you so much for this blog. I've been reworking some vision for our church and this is one of the things I had written about. I put together some of my material about a week ago. This confirms so much for me. I whole-heartedly agree with it. I want to thank you for this site in general too. It's so helpful and such an encouragement. Thank you!
I think you are right that we could learn a lot from Starbucks in this department. Too often we recrute people to join a ministry and just kinda "throw em to the wolves." We don't spend any time with them explaining what our vision is for the ministry and how we expect them to fulfill that vision. Our ministry team (pastors) spend a lot of time together not for the sake of hanging out, but to ensure that we are all on the same page. That way, when we are before and among the congregation, we cast a uniform picture and vision for the church. We have not yet carried that method over into our lay ministry teams, but I imagine that is only a matter of time.
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