“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”                                    -The Way of the Shepherd

Putting processes over people can be a threat to your ministry, and I’ve been guilty of it. Naturally, we enjoy relational time over being talked to or informed by a single person. When there is relational time involved people make a connection with those they are talking to and are able to contribute to the relational aspect. When receiving information or being talked to, many shut down because it’s a one way street they can’t turn onto, they just have to sit at the red light awaiting staring at the traffic of information until the relational green light flips back on and they can once again engage with those around them.

I do my best to find a balance for my leaders. I try to start every meeting with a conversation starter that will help the leaders exchange personal experiences in life so that they can connect with each other. Although this is true I do my best to make the conversation starter tie to the thought or win for the day. I also ask them to rotate through different leaders so they can get to know some that they might not know so well.

My leaders look forward to connecting with each other every week, I don’t have to ask them to be on time to a meeting anymore. They show up expecting to have some relational time accompanied by some information for the week.

Do you simply hold the floor when it comes to talking or do you create a space for the leaders to engage relationally with one another?