systems

Good Systems Enable Good Work

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We can create systems that allow our work to be done easier and better.

Systems are the procedures and practices – even rituals – that we put in place in order to do a job. Some of these emerge naturally as we repeat certain tasks, but often we need to carefully think about crafting a system that will enable us to do our best efficiently.

A system includes all the little things we do in order to accomplish a task. Adhering to well-known systems helps people understand new settings or tasks with little training. People generally know where to park when they go to the local mall. There are curbs and signs and pained lines that everyone understands and can follow easily. We don’t need a training session every time we go to a new parking lot because the system is usually pretty clear.

The ushers at my church have a system that allows each usher to know when it is their turn to serve. They know they are to wear an “usher” tag and know where to find it. They know where to stand to greet people and ensure they find a seat.

They know when they will be called on to collect the offering and where to get the offering bags. They know where to take the bags when the offering has been collected. They all do it the same way every Sunday, no matter who is on, because they follow a clear system.

When I write a sermon, I have a system I have developed over the years. I don’t have to learn how to write a sermon every week because I have a system of how I choose a scripture text and create a sermon. I know how I will do my research. I have a list of questions to ask myself to guide the interpretation and research part of the process. I know how to write an outline. I know what questions to ask to make sure I have an appropriate application. I have a list of questions that guide me to bring creativity into the presentation.

A system helps me complete the work efficiently and accurately. Sometimes, when things are not going well in a church or organization it may simply be that we do not have a clearly defined system that everyone follows. This can cause conflict when individuals try to work according to different systems.

If something falls through the cracks, it may be that we have a faulty system. For example, if important announcements are consistently absent from the weekly bulletin, it may simply be that the person responsible for the announcements did not know how to communicate those to the person creating the bulletin.

As we develop new programs or change existing ones, we need to think of what systems to establish to set up the new program for success. Systems give clear directions for what to expect, when, and in what order and help us remember to do things that we might otherwise forget.

In developing systems be clear about the expected outcome. Identify the steps required to achieve the outcome and make it as simple as possible so that new people taking on the responsibility for that area can easily and quickly know what is expected, and then do it efficiently and accurately.

Here are some simple steps to develop a system.

  1. Think through the whole process and what steps would help you get a consistent result.
  2. Determine which person in which role is responsible for each step along the way.
  3. Lay out the best order for the tasks to be completed.
  4. Print out or post the complete system step by step indicating who does what in the process.
  5. Train people to know how to do each step and give them authority to do those steps.

Systems enable good work. Take the necessary time to develop them clearly and make them available to the right people.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

4 Documents That Keep You Organized

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I am leading a church through a transition period right now. One area of my focus is helping the church become more organized. Some churches are afraid that the more organized they become, the more the church resembles a business. That fear is founded in the idea that if a church becomes businesslike it loses its role as a church. But an organized church will run more efficiently and be more effective. Let me suggest four documents that will help the church become more organized and move you toward your full potential.

  1. Bylaws

Every organization must have a written document that guides their practices. Even when a denomination has a constitution, the local church still needs to have their own bylaws that give clarity to how they will function. This document directs how membership works, who can become a member, and what benefits and responsibilities members have. It clarifies how the leadership board is formed, including who is eligible for board roles and how they will be selected. Church Bylaws should include their Statement of Faith so everyone knows what their key beliefs are.

The bylaws should not include things that may change from time to time. Bylaws need to be reviewed regularly but should not be changed lightly. Instead, practices that may change from time to time can be included in a policy manual.

2. Policies

Every organization needs policies on how to handle things as small as who gets keys to the building and as complicated as how facility rentals work. Policies guide leadership in knowing how to address situations without requiring a unique decision every time when faced with a similar issue. For example, instead of addressing every request for a key separately, policies are established which can guide every distribution of keys without another board vote needed. This creates efficiency for both the leadership and church members in that each person should know what is required of them and the correct process for achieving their desired outcomes.

Further, a policy manual reduces the amount of decisions made at the leadership level because everyone can check the policy for how to handle situations that come up.

3. Job Descriptions

Many churches are lacking in providing good job descriptions. One church I served never even had a job description for their Lead Pastor – me. Good job descriptions give direction and hold people accountable. A good job description outlines the basic responsibilities that a person must meet to fulfill their role. This gives a board criteria to evaluate the individual’s efforts and keep them accountable to.

The latest job descriptions we were working through were for the Welcome Team at church. We established clear job descriptions for the Greeters, the Ushers, and the Coffee Crew. We even had one specific to the Head Usher who would captain the team on Sunday morning and cover a few extra responsibilities. Now, as we recruit people to these roles, each person will know exactly what we are asking of them.

Job descriptions need to include the job title, who the person will be responsible to and who will be responsible to them. It needs to list the qualifications for someone to step into this role as well as a list of responsibilities of the job. It is helpful to also determine a term, so everyone knows when this role is complete.

Job descriptions help identify and organize roles within an organization, which is valuable for ensuring everything that needs to be done.

4. Systems

This is something that many organizations, churches included, never even think of. It is helpful to have systems in place. These are basically a step-by-step instruction how to handle certain situations.

For example, a Welcome Team may have a system that guides them how to get contact information from new guests and how to pass that information on to the right people who will then follow up in some way.

The clearer the system is, the more likely it will be followed.

We all benefit when things become more organized. What documents have you found to be helpful for your organization or church?

I hope you have these documents in place. Let me know if you would like help developing these for your organization.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe