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The Power of Feedback
One of the greatest tools for a leader or speaker is truthful feedback. Unfortunately, in our church cultures, we often develop feedback-averse environments.
People might find themselves in one of two wrong extremes:
1) We believe that a leader (or preacher) should have heard from God and not care at all about feedback. This attitude robs us of valuable input from objective people.
2) We rely only on what other people say and think. While people’s feedback can help us grow, we shouldn’t always be swayed by their opinions. A good leader will know when he or she should lead strong no matter what people are saying.
This week I’ll talk about developing a culture of feedback.
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Look forward to hearing more on this Craig. Accountability is good (obviously) but it has to be a willing proposition on both sides-the pastor to listen and the listener to speak truth. Finding the right person is essential but so is knowing whom to listen to and who not to listen to. yep, look forward to this week.
It is funny you are talking about that this week. Here is a quick story about this: every Sunday I have people telling how much they “enjoyed” the message. I threw them a curve one Sunday a few weeks back and told them that it was all nice that they told they “enjoyed” the message but if they did not plan on changing when they left I did not want to hear it. It made for an uncomfortable and somehwhat awkward moment when they were leaving that Sunday.
I think this is funny because yesterday as I walked back to my house I though about how my wife is the one I really listen too when it comes listening to feedback.
Thanks for getting me thinking and looking forward to the week.
Thank you Craig. The stakes are too high not to hit this one right. We’ve been known to give one another some honest feedback about contents of sermons in between services. We’re talking about the eternal destinies of people’s lives and their continued spiritual growth! Why wouldn’t we want to give and receive feedback that will make our ministries more effective?
By-the-way Manager-tools.com has some great instruction on how to give and receive feedback. It has more to do with one-on-ones with direct reports, but it is good in any context.
Blessings,
Dave
Most People do not REALLY want Feedback, they want praise and a back pat. It takes a very strong person to listen to feedback with an open heart and a receptive mind. I used to be on the other extreme relying on others to define me…That has now changed BIG TIME and I can say some people in my life have not liked my new outlook and strength. Oh well..I Like where God has me.
Every Sunday morning when we do our “walk through” I ask for feedback from the previous week. Many of our highly committed people are present at this time and we get some really good ideas. This is one way we are able to get feedback.
It’s too easy to get tunnel vision without feedback.
So glad to see this post and the comments. I look forward to more on the subject. I am currently a church board member who is treated as a pariah because I don’t buy into the whol “pretend everything is good” mentality. I am not a complainer but I do believe that honest critique makes for a better church. Too many pastorsbelieve that a lay person has nothing to offer to a professional.
I remember one time at a staff meeting with about several dozen people, the leader asked for a show of hands to “who likes to celebrate wins” and “who prefers to analyze losses.” Only one other person raised his hand with me on the second one besides the speaker himself. Really eye opening for me! I had been feeling like Gerry above and now I knew why!
Recently God sent me a couple of people that serve and are a part of our church that think that way: that analyze, question, and evaluate their experiences at church and offer constructive suggestions. It was honestly like finding a buried treasure. I cherish those people so much! I can see that their respect for our leadership is only surpassed by their passion for the lost.
Looking forward to hearing you speak on this subject Craig, I’ve always tried to be a positive thinker and leader and rarely give an ear to negative comments but sometimes those comments are in the form of feedback and it’s hard to work through that stuff with staff people, on the other hand I’d hate to close myself to mature guidance and growing opportunities around me.
As the bible says in Proverb 11:14, “there is safety in a multitude of counselors”, also love that second point “A good leader will know when he or she should lead strong no matter what people are saying.”, thank you Pastor Craig for being an exemplary leader.