Onboarding
What On-Boarding Offers
A new leader on-boarding experience can radically transform feelings of anxiety to excitement and clarity. This powerful experience is well-established and time-tested in organizations where a great premium is placed on starting well. On-boarding has a flexible format that allows for both one and two-day approaches that relies on the expertise of a trained facilitator to help teams proactively share information in both directions; team to senior pastor and senior pastor to team as well as laity leaders to senior pastor and senior pastor to laity leaders.
On-boarding consists of three steps: time with the team and the facilitator, a coaching session between the new pastor and the facilitator, and a session with the staff which the pastor leads. The process allows members of the new church team to share their insights and learn about the new pastor so that bonding takes place early and together. It not only maximizes the potential for a powerful beginning/ it also lays the groundwork for effective strategic planning that serves as a jump-start for all involved. The process is then repeat with the laity leaders in a modified format.
How On-Boarding Works
The on-boarding experience for a new pastor can anchor the first full staff meeting. It would follow generally this schedule and format:
Step One:
Facilitator with direct report (and others as desired):
The new pastor does a 20minute welcome to the on-boarding session and then leaves so that the facilitator can ask the staff 12 questions that have been pre-approved by the pastor. The facilitator records responses and comments without names to keep the respondents' anonymity.
Examples of Common Questions:
1. What do we already know about our new pastor?
2. What do we wish we knew about our new pastor?
3. How would we describe the DNA of our congreagation?
4. What are our hopes and dreams for our church?
5. What can we offer our new senior pastor?
Step Two:
A Coaching Session with the Facilitator and the New Pastor:
The staff members leave and the pastor returns to examine the team's responses to the questions. In this private session, the facilitator prepares the new pastor to lead the Step 3 Session.
Step Three:
New Pastor Leads the Meeting:
The pastor thanks the staff for their input and leads the morning meeting, responding line-by-line, thought-by-thought, to the list of questions and responses created the previous afternoon. Healthy dialogue emerges as the new pastor responds to questions and feedback to promote group clarity and understanding. As the pastor leads the meeting, the trained facilitator observes from afar and takes notes about decisions made, items for follow-up, and questions that remain unanswered. When necessary, the facilitator keeps the meeting moving forward.
Step Four:
Facilitator Leads Laity Leader On-Boarding Dinner:
Using the same process, the facilitator walks the laity leaders through five questions during the course of dinner. Examples of the questions are: What our hopes and dreams for our church? what do we want from our new pastor's leadership? After welcoming the leaders, the pastor leaves the room and returns after the questions are answered. After a short coaching session with the facilitator, the pastor leads the session with the laity walking through the responses to the questions.
On-Boarding is Early Team Building at its Best
This on-boarding experience gives the new team a unique opportunity to address hopes, concerns, clarify assumptions, discover and unpack new perspectives, and identify items for further study. At the core, this exercise provides a deep connection in getting to know each other, allowing the new leader to see the team together and start the assessment process. This process also gives the new pastor an occasion to commend the staff and laity leaders for communicating information vital to the success of this new leadership assignment and the future of the congregation. The time with the staff, laity leaders and new senior pastor ends with commitment for a shared future and mutual understanding among the team. As a result, the pastor, staff and laity leaders have a strong foundation for communicating, collaborating, and cooperating in ministry. On-boarding is recommended before arriving for the appointment but can be done in the weeks leading up to the appointment or within the first few weeks at the new church.
A Priceless Value
The process of new leader on-boarding can jump-start new leader transitions and spare months of hearsay and frustration. With the hlep of a trained facilitator, this launching process can instill vitality, begin building trust, and help participants discover shared values by revealing the wisdom that is already present in the church and the new pastor.
Hear What Pastors Are Saying About Onboarding
Hear What Laity Is Saying About Onboarding
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