5 More Ways to Champion Your Team

As leaders, part of our job is to evaluate the performance of those who look to us for guidance and direction.  But if all our teams get is evaluation with tips on how to correct what they’re doing wrong, morale will deplete very quickly.

Here are five ways you can champion your team so that they continue to serve inspired and fully committed.  In turn, they will know that their service is valued, appreciated and fulfilling its purpose successfully.

During rehearsal, the focus of the worship leader or musical director is to identify and fix things which will cause distraction during corporate worship.  In addition to fixing problems, take just as much time to identify things your team is doing well and let them know. When offering instruction or feedback, make it constructive; cheer them on and give them something to build on for the next time around. Statistics show that if you want a person to achieve their best, you should point out seven positive things they do for every three negative things.  Man, have I got work to do!

I don’t know about you, but when our team comes off of the platform, we immediately look to each other for feedback about what just happened on the platform.  This is not a good time to point fingers or try to figure out why something didn’t go as planned.  Those kinds of things can be saved for a later time in a different setting.  But DO take a moment to celebrate the good things that took place. Perhaps there was a worshiper in the seats who engaged for the very first time.  Perhaps a transition that you struggled with in rehearsal went flawlessly.  Celebrate it!  It will go a long way.

One of the biggest morale busters in a worship team is wasted time during rehearsal. Nobody, especially those with busy work and families schedules, appreciates standing around while the task at hand is not prioritized.  Fellowship is necessary for a strong team but it should be limited when it’s taking place during a designated rehearsal time.  Design times of fellowship through team nights or similar activities.  Prayer requests can turn into hour-long story-telling.  Have a plan when you go into rehearsal and set the expectation that you’re team’s personal lives are valuable but you’re there to get work done.  Encourage your team to work out their parts in advance so you’re not trying to figure it out while everyone else stands around.  This may need to be done on a regular basis until they get the point. Over time, the prepared team members will begin to reveal the weakest link in the chain; there’s nothing wrong with that kind of pressure. Even better, it’s not coming from you.

As a leader, it’s very easy to be the one who does all the talking. After all, you’re the one with the vision and the plan.  However, if you do all the talking and don’t allow feedback from your team, they can begin to feel like a puppet being jerked by their strings.  Sometimes we can get so focused on a certain task or sound we’re looking for, we don’t even realize when a team member is struggling or not understanding something.  After you’ve worked through a song or section, take time to ask if anyone has any questions.  It makes them know that you care about their success.

Vision casting is one of those things that needs to be done often. As we prepare week in and week out, our teams need to be reminded and inspired as to why we do what we do.  It’s our job to remind them.  If you’re worship ministry doesn’t have a mission statement or purpose statement, create one.  Share it with new team members as they come on to the team, at team night or retreats, and at ministry kick-offs. Sharing the ministry vision will breathe new life into your teams.

Periodically treating your team to a special treat now and then provides a great opportunity for fellowship and let’s them know that you’re thinking about them as more than just musicians.  For example, during the summer, start rehearsal with watermelon or take them out for ice cream after rehearsal.  One Sunday, show up early and make breakfast for your team.  If you’re brave enough, surprise them when they get to rehearsal by taking them out to dinner and move rehearsal to another time later in the week. Special little surprises are always worth it and your team will function better for it.