I Caught My Employee Talking Smack
So I’m walking by one of my talented team members cubes and I overhear her on the phone saying…
“Oh my GOOOSSSSHHHH!!! So I just got this book. And it describes me PERFECTLY!!! I can totally relate to it. I think one of my boss’s friends wrote it. I just wish he would read it.”
I suddenly stop in my tracks and turn to see her holding a copy of Mad Church Disease.
When she realizes that I heard her conversation I could see the look of fear in her eyes.
A look that she got caught talking smack about her boss.
I fired her immediately to rid her of her Mad Church Disease.
OK. So that really didn’t happen.
THANK GOD!!!
But Erin did pull me over to show me that she had received her copy of Mad Church Disease and let me know that there is zero acknowledgment to the hours of prayer and fasting I put into Anne’s life.
So seriously.
I LOVE that she is reading it.
That means Erin will be a healthier church staffer.
If she applies the principles in the book she will have a longer run in full time ministry than if she wouldn’t.
Go buy the book.
What one thing contributes to your burnout?
Los
RAIN IT DOWN
Just hung out with Anne yesterday and have read almost the whole book today….GREAT STUFF!!!
What contributes to my burnout? The feeling that "if you want something done right… you better do it yourself".
Graham, some things will never be learned to be done by folks in the church if pastors/staff constantly do them. Sometimes it takes it not getting done for people to realize that help is needed and that they need to chip in. It's hard, but a lesson that needs to be learned.
I agree 100%! I'm currently working on putting together a volunteer video production team where we will help teach our interested youth how to make sweet videos for the church. So much of what I do is image creation and video production… it's incredibly time consuming! Building teams is key!!!
LOL! I noticed that too, no mention of Carlos anywhere and you're the reason I knew about it!
What one thing contributes to my burnout? People….ok well the expectations I think people have for me. In reality they are more likely expectations I put on myself. Also, relationships with other staff members sometimes leads me towards the burnout road!
I know I put high expectations on myself too… I think that can be healthy but too many can be debilitating…
Appears to me Los that the "talking smack" was right up the side of the head. Glad you didn't truly fire her or it could have been worse (for you).
What one thing? Lack of cycling time. I need the physical outlet.
expectations… mine, peers, volunteers
mhmmm. What are some of them?
expected to…
- know what they're thinking
- value their criticisms of our "business" more than they would value our criticisms of theirs
- "donate" hours (i.e. – knowing when "Choosing to Cheat" is/isn't a valid excuse)
- always be available (ministry IS 24/7, but that doesn't mean it doesn't burn a brother out sometimes)
I work fo a large parachurch ministry and I think the experience is similar…though not exactly the same…as working for a church. It seems there is some unwritten rule that since you are supposedly employed by God that you have to go the extra mile (sacrificing your family or personal time) every time you are asked or you are somehow not being true to your "calling". We are told one thing via chapel and memos, but when push comes to shove we're told to "make it happen" usually without adequate time to do it well.
A couple of years ago I went to the doctor, and when he saw who I worked for he literally said, "Man, I see more stress-related illnesses from folks who work for that ministry than any other business." I found that to be a sad thing for our ministry to be conveying to the world.
I love my job, but honestly, it's the most politically/mentally stressful job I've ever had. I still feel called to work here but man…could they learn a few things about honoring their employees.
Good stuff
That post was exactly where i was at less than one month ago. politically/mentally stressed, that is a good way of putting it. It was trying to hit a moving target.
"a moving target"…exactly! Around here ours move minute by minute. It can be exhausting.
i manage the development side for several ministries. I work a lot of hours. And I've had to retrain myself to stop working and turn off my laptop at dinner time. Family is my therapy. It also helps that I live in the woods. I can go outside and see birds, deer, elk, racoons, etc.
But if my daily walk with God is out of key, I''m screwed, big-time. For my wife and I, there is no substitute for time spent in prayer and meditating on God's Word.
Burnout can be rough if you mess around with the Lone Ranger mentality.
What contributes to my burnout?
Trying to motivate a team of non-thinkers to THINK – who would rather continue doing the same thing, expecting different results.
Hmmm. I think I'm going to look into this.
Not knowing the expectations until it is too late and then having to spent hours fixing things that should have been done right in the first place……except no one knew it wasn't right!
love that you refer to me as your employee. how about one of your staff? i feel like employee means you own me
Dang repressed woman. I hear your roar.
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