Continuing on our journey through things I believe are essential for church communications directors, today I’d like to focus on adaptability.
“Adaptability [enables] you to respond willingly to the demands of the moment even if they pull you away from your plans. Unlike some, you don’t resent sudden requests or unseen detours. You expect them. They are inevitable. Instead, on some level, you look forward to them. They are inevitable. You are, at heart, a very flexible person who can stay productive when the demands of work are pulling you in many different directions at once.”
– Tom Rath, StrengthsFinder 2.0
Adaptability is the name of the game today.
We are living in a new world and are doing church in a new way. While the message we proclaim will never change, how we communicate and disseminate it has changed dramatically over the past decade.
When I started in church communications, the key communication vehicles our church had were our weekly bulletin and monthly newsletter. We had a volunteer who designed a simple website for us but it contained static information and wasn’t an essential piece of our communications strategy. Today, churches are printing less and less and are, more often than not, dependent on the web to communicate with their church and newcomers.
Those of us who are in church communications are entering into a time in the life of the church that is full of unprecedented opportunity to get the message out there.
We’ve never had as many resources or opportunities to proclaim the message of the Gospel and new media is enabling our message to extend beyond our communities and to reach people we may never even meet… that’s scary and exciting at the same time.
The challenge in new media is that trends change, quickly.
A few years ago none of us would have ever imagine life without MySpace and within just a couple of years, Facebook boasts a population that could equal the size of the fifth largest country in the entire world.
Being able to adapt is an essential part of doing your job well. Being able to read trends that are coming and how they will impact your church is an indispensable commodity. All of these things are important. The speed of change demands adaptability.
Adaptability = Change
It used to take years or even decades for products to change. But today the moment a product is launched, updates are inevitable. [How many of you are like me and waiting for the next generation of the iPad?] The culture of rapid change we live in brings about some particularly unique challenges for church communications people because as we know, in most churches, change can be a four-letter word.
A challenge you’ll face is explaining why you need to change how you to do this or exactly why you have to do that differently… it’s all a part of leading up and leading through change.
That’s where the skill I mentioned last week, empathy, comes in handy.
As you adapt and change, you have to remember the people you’re taking with you and be mindful of that fact that most people resist change. Put empathy to use and as you adapt, lead people through change.
Adaptability on the Job
Adaptability isn’t only necessary when determining what direction you need to take your church communications, what tools you need to use or how to convince people why you need to change… it’s also an essential part of doing your job well.
If you work for a pastor or leader that tends to be a visionary, buckle your safety belts. Visionary leaders thrive on new ideas and insights, which is awesome, but they can change course on a whim with only a moment’s notice.
Being able to change gears quickly is essential, even if that means reprinting something or completely overhauling a design, website, or brochure after you’ve invested hours in making it perfect. [In those moments remember to breathe, count to ten, avoid an emotional outburst or emotionally-charged email and roll with it.]
Churches, although resistant to systemic change, are always changing their minds and adding a new program, ministry, or anything else that seems like it would be a good fit for fulfilling their mission. And oftentimes those decisions come out of nowhere and all at once. [Example: In the span of six weeks we launched a stewardship campaign, a new church campus and celebrated Easter.]
Those decisions mean a tremendous amount of work for church communications people… we’ve got to get the word out, design fliers and logos, add content to the web, and get the word out to the masses. If you’re like me, things like that can be incredibly energizing and exciting… but they can also mean some long hours, rethinking how we do what we do, and ultimately adapting our communications.
Here’s a few things to remember…
There will always be many moving pieces, but remember what’s core to who you are and make sure that never changes.
In the midst of change hold remember to hold tight to what matters. Change for the sake of change is never a good thing. Change for the sake of effectiveness, efficiency, or the furthering of the mission/vision of your church is always a good thing. No matter what the winds of change may bring, remember what is essential! While how you do something may change, why you do something shouldn’t. Define what’s unchanging and let everything else remain fluid.
Be a calming voice.
In the midst of change, remember to be a calming voice to everyone else around you. Be positive. Be optimistic. Remember your nonverbal cues are just as important as anything you say. Talk sense into people who might need to be talked off a cliff when you tell them you’re not going to do a weekly bulletin anymore… coach someone through the process of how to set up an online registration. Just keep your cool – if you do, they will too.
Adaptability gives you grace to respond instead of reacting.
Reacting is never a good thing. EVER. Nothing good comes out of a reaction. Instead, let adaptability give you the grace to respond. Whether negative or positive, a well thought-through response is much better than a knee jerk reaction. As change happens you’re going to have to discernment and be willing to speak up about how you feel. As a communications person you’re a gatekeeper and can oftentimes see blind spots other people can’t. Remember to raise the flags when you need to, but do so in a constructive way.
Remember constraints are your friend.
“Constraints help us manage our energy and execute ideas. While are creative side intuitively seeks freedom and openness, our productivity desperately requires restrictions. Constraints serve as the kindling for execution.” - Scott Belsky
I work better under pressure. That may not be a good thing, but regardless, constraints and limitations are a good thing. Cherish them.
Know your boundaries. Be flexible, but not to the point that you break.
Just because you’re adaptable doesn’t mean you have to let other people cramp your style. Set some boundaries around yourself… you’ve got a job and goals you’re trying to achieve, so don’t get caught dropping everything for every perceived ‘emergency’ that comes your way. Learn to say no and say it often. But also be willing to be talked out of it or willing to help create solutions on the fly.
Organize Your Chaos
Get a details person to help you organize your chaos. If you don’t have the luxury of an assistant, check project management tools like Basecamp or Action Method. Don’t live by Post-It Notes.
Be willing to try new ideas and quickly modify or can ones that don’t work.
If you’ve made change happen and see it’s not working or isn’t getting the response you’d hoped for, be able to adapt and fix it or kill it.
Live in a perpetual state of evaluation and modification.
If it didn’t work right the first time, figure out what NOT to do next time.
Churches are rather notorious for letting suffering dogs live… be empathetic about how you do it, but when the time comes, be ready to do what needs to be done. People understand that things change and your willingness to change will garner a much more positive response from your audience than keeping something that needs to die alive.
Analyze Your Numbers
A benefit technology brings is the ability to track clicks, opens and downloads. When you make change, measure people’s response to it. Track your clicks, keep a tab of downloads, watch who’s subscribing and unsubscribing, and share that information as much as you can. Evaluate your effectiveness by tracking your stats. There’s proof in numbers.
Remember adaptability and empathy go hand in hand.
Be nice.
The Adaptable Apostle
The Apostle Paul was a masterful adapter. He coined the phrase “becoming all things to all people…” He knew the value of changing to meet the needs of the people you may find yourself with or the circumstances you my find yourself in… and he did a great job. Read up on his life and ministry as you seek to be more adaptable to the ever changing world that is church communications.
Your Turn
- What stands in the way of you becoming more adaptable?
- What are areas or challenges you’re facing where you know you need to adapt or change?
- Have you compromised and let other people bend you too far? What are some boundaries you feel you need to put in place?
- What are some ways you ride the wave of change and avoid being crushed?
- How do you keep up with requests that pile up in your inbox on top of everything else you have to get done on a weekly basis?
