“Pity the
leader caught between unloving critics and uncritical lovers.”
John
Gardener, Leadership Scholar
A healthy children's ministry team makes time to reflect and refocus through feedback. Feedback is a vital part of team growth. This includes giving feedback and gathering feedback.
Why it's important to give feedback to your volunteers...
- It helps them grow as disciples. (Hebrews 10:24, Philippians 4:9)
- It helps them live out the mission of your ministry.
- It helps them become self-motivated learners.
- It helps them feel valued and affirmed.
- Privately
- Ongoing
- Takes the person toward a goal
- Based on relationship
- Ask for permission
- Use the word "and" instead of "but"
Wrong way - "You did a good job teaching, but your voice was monotone."
Right way - "You did a good job teaching and I think you can be even more effective if you vary your voice levels.")
How to gather feedback...
- Build in a healthy rhythm to gather feedback from volunteers.
- Gather feedback after events.
- What went well?
- What was missing?
- What needs to be changed?
- What needs to be added?
- What needs to be dropped?
- What will make it better?
- Gather feedback from parents through focus groups. See more about this here.
- Gather feedback from guests through new family surveys. See more about this here.
- Gather feedback through online surveys. (www.surveymonkey.com)
- Gather balanced feedback. Use a diverse group of people such as new families, families that have been in the church a long time, single parents, etc.
- Don't take it personal. Everyone says they are teachable until there is a lesson to be learned.
- Listen to it.
- Thank them for it.
- Work through it with your team.
- Implement what will be helpful.
- Use it to cast vision and redirect. If you get feedback that goes against the vision or core values of your church, use it as a time to share with the person why you do what you do.
- Loop back and let people know what you did with the feedback and any changes you were able to make.
