Dina Makhmutova / Unsplash
If you read this newsletter, you are probably familiar with tough questions about leadership and strategy. In one form or another, we ask them in almost every administrative meeting. Should we continue to support, or should we finally eliminate, the legacy program that is no longer effective? How do we shift our budget allocations to better align with our missional priorities? How do we handle the transition of a beloved but ineffective employee or volunteer?
When these questions arise, sooner or later, a group or an individual must decide what to do next. Making hard decisions can be one of the main sources of stress and conflict for congregational leaders. Some decisions are going to alienate segments within the congregation. Other decisions require the church to choose between nostalgia and the long-term well-being of the institution. These are not easy decisions to make, and the distress we experience affects us on a personal and organizational level.
As a leader, how well do you navigate the organizational landmines that stifle good decisions? How do you care for your soul in the process? What steps do you take to galvanize as many people as possible when the decision is necessary but unpopular? Do you — or does your organizational culture — avoid conflict in a way that generates more conflict?
Every leader will have to make hard decisions. It’s part of the job. The more uncomfortable we are with criticism, the harder it is to make these decisions. Therefore, Christian leaders do this work prayerfully and with the goal of following the path that will honor God, bear witness to the good news of Jesus Christ, further the congregational mission and foster greater spiritual health among the members. Hard decisions may not be popular, but they can bear good fruit.
Resources
Leadership grief is the sorrow of unchosen possibilities
Leaders should acknowledge the sense of loss that comes with having to let go of some opportunities so that they can focus on others.
By Kate Rae Davis
Better leadership through better listening
When leaders seek out and pay attention to unexpected voices, wisdom follows, writes a director of grants for Leadership Education at Duke Divinity.
By Victoria Atkinson White
A dying church’s gift inspires a young congregation to help people experiencing homelessness
When asked to use its building and property to shelter women and families, Salt House Church said yes.
By Julia Duin
Sometimes, congregations must back up and start again
If your ministry is no longer achieving its intended impact, it may be time to ask why. Probing a ministry’s purpose and progress may reveal that it’s time to reverse course and start again.
By David L. Odom
Before you go
When it’s time to make a hard decision, one of the gifts I rely on is the wisdom that comes from good counsel. As difficult as it is to make some decisions, it’s even more difficult when we do it alone. In a crisis, we need community — because inevitably, when the resistance is strong enough, we will second-guess whether we made the right call. An advantage of seeking wisdom from others is that when the benefits of a hard decision are not immediately evident, we have someone to remind us of why the hard decision was necessary in the first place.
I thank God for these leaders, friends and family who come alongside us: “for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory” (Proverbs 24:6 NRSVUE). Who will take the journey with you the next time you have to make a hard decision?
You can always reach me and the Alban Weekly team at alban@duke.edu. Until next week, keep leading!
Prince R. Rivers
Editor, Alban at Duke Divinity