A32 Be creative as a line manager

How to develop paid staff

First published on this website in February 2014 and last updated in December 2023

Synopsis

In my investigations of church staffing and operations over the past few years one theme has emerged with worrying regularity: the poor quality of staff management.

This article seeks to correct that by explaining seven areas that a good and creative staff line manager should pay attention to.  They are as follows.

Preparation
1        Attitude – clarifying what line management should be about: change
2        Analysis – understanding yourself and the one you manage as people

Documentation
3        Foundations – clarity in job description, person profile, employment
4        Plan – personal aims, personal targets and your own commitment

Engagement
5        Review – a range of ways to review their work and plan for the future
6        Encouragement – the vital need to build people up
7        Reprimand – its need, key principles and due process

The point made is that these all have about equal value and all need to be considered. If every church and Christian mission managed their staff in this way there would be a significant increase in morale and effectiveness.

This article forms the basis for a training event on managing staff. It has been updated in December 2023 with some minor amendments.