Whatever you do, do it heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
Colossians 3.23
I have several caps to my credit. I am a coach but also a web consultant and president of a non-profit organization. Through these different activities I have to work alone, with clients or with volunteers.
If there’s one thing I’ve understood beyond the importance of being an effective leader, it’s that the surrounding team will determine the heights you will reach. It is your responsibility in all projects you undertake, whether for God or for profit, that you understand that it is up to you to choose “Your Dream Team”. Because if you fail, you alone will be responsible! It is sometimes necessary to separate yourself from certain members of your team, not necessarily because they are bad, but because their characters, their behavior does not fit with the progress of your project
Today, I am addressing those who are starting a project and need help without having the financial means to do so. You should know that there are volunteers. I am seriously interested in the advice of those who have already gone before me, and who are doing things similar to what God is asking me to do. I recently realized that these selection principles, which I have applied, have also been applied by them.
If you also have to work with volunteers, I propose 10 principles to help you gather around you a team to accomplish what God has put in your heart.
1- They must be passionate about your vision and have the same values as you
Someone who is not passionate about your vision will not have the heart to help you. Everything will be a burden for that person. You will end up begging someone and that will discourage you. They must also have the same values (faith, ethics, family, integrity…) as you do. In the context of my association, we are all Christians.
2- They must be able to work on their own.
Setting up a project takes time, you can not babysit the members of your team. At their level, they must be effective. Only we go fast but together we go further provided that everyone does his part.
3-They must be mature.
A mature person, aware of his or her identity, uniqueness and singularity. She will never compete with you or anyone else because they feel comfortable “in their shoes”. Nothing can be built in an atmosphere of competition or comparison…
4- They must be teachable and flexible
Some adjustments will be needed as you go along to advance the vision God has given you.
5- They must be respectful
It is possible to say things, to disagree while being respectful. When one becomes too familiar, it can damage your credibility. Those who know me know that I don’t like “protocols” but I am adamant about respect. Your team should address you with respect, which is not incompatible with jokes and some teasing. There are just limits.
6- They must be involved
For example, to have ideas or to suggest improvements… they should keep in mind that they are not the visionaries and that they need your approval for certain strategic decisions. I have never experienced this myself, but I have seen volunteers taking ownership of the visionaries’ project to the point of making critical decisions and giving directions without consulting the person in charge. I cannot explain to you the state of the leader, especially when the changes do not correspond to his or her vision. The atmosphere in the group suddenly became tense, and it took several weeks to recover the group’s cohesion.
7. If they are your friends, they must be able to make the difference between your friendship and your visionary role.
The cap of the friend and the cap of the visionary or the leader are two different things. Expectations of a friend and expectations of a manager are completely different. For example, you can be late to a girlfriend’s party, but you can’t be late to a business meeting. These two relationships are different and should be treated as such.
8- They must be creative solvers.
Unexpected problems will always be there. Having a team that proposes and looks for solutions instead of reporting every problem will save you a whole lot of time. It will also help to maintain a healthy atmosphere within the team.
9- They must be able to accept your refusals without taking it personally.
You are the visionary, they participate with you in the creation of a concept, an idea that God has placed in your heart. They are your Aaron and your Hur! It is to you, Moses, that God will hold you accountable if you stray from what he has entrusted to you. If you refuse part of their proposal, it must not create tensions between you or the team. I would add that a refusal should not reduce their commitment to give their best.
10- When you have the opportunity to pay them, natural selection will have highlighted over time those who are destined to continue the road with you.
Time always reveals character and the professionalism of those around you. Pay attention to the details. One day, your project will become profitable and those who will have stood the test of time will be the perfect employees or contractors.
I have learned these ten principles over the past seven years in the non-profit association of which I am the president. I believe it will help you as well.
Are you blessed by this post? Feel free to share it. It will certainly be a blessing for your loved ones as well.
Post first published on medhiemarinette.com
