Pastor As Supervisor: Delivering Feedback
by Rev. Mark E. Tidsworth, Founder and Team Leader
Ministers are also supervisors… at least the way most American churches are structured. If there are any employed staff people, typically the Pastor or Lead Pastor functions as the supervisor for these personnel. Clergy rarely anticipate this side of pastoral ministry when responding to a call to ministry. Thus, many are caught unprepared when they inhabit their first supervisory role. Second career clergy may have supervisory experience, but they struggle with how to translate this to the church world.
This triggers a memory of a seminar for Senior Pastors around the Hard People Skill of delivering Constructive Feedback to staff people we did some time ago. The pastor participants seemed to be experts at delivering praise and recognition, while also hesitant and tentative when delivering less enjoyable feedback. They needed specific actionable skills. We drew on the wisdom found in Bob Wall’s book , especially his Performance Coaching Conversation Model. Wall’s definition of coaching is, “a structured conversation designed to enhance, maintain, improve, or correct performance.” I disagree with his assumption this is the definition of coaching in general. I agree this is a fine definition of Performance Coaching, used in the workplace.
Take a look at Wall’s Performance Coaching Conversation Model, with these four components:
Opening Statement: “I want to talk to you about (the category of performance).”
Observation: “I’ve observed (describe the performance or behavior).”
Impact: “The impact is (describe the impact on the job being done).”
Request: “From now on, I’d like you to (describe how to improve performance/behavior).”
On first glance, this model seems stilted and rote. On the other hand, it is a good place to begin. There is specificity and simplicity. One could use it to deliver positive or negative feedback. When the pastor begins with the Opening Statement, over time, the staff learns that the pastor is now speaking from the supervisor role. When a basic working relationship is in place, this approach becomes highly effective. If you want to learn more about Emotional Intelligence, or to flesh out the Performance Coaching Conversation Model above, get Bob Wall’s Coaching For Emotional Intelligence (or contact us).
Reference: Coaching For Emotional Intelligence: The Secret to Developing the Star Potential in Your Employees, Bob Wall, American Management Association: New York, 2007. 220pp.