10 Strategies for Recruiting and Retention of Volunteers & Leaders

It takes all kinds of people to reach all kinds of people. Every type of leader to reach every type of student. Retention is as important as Recruiting. Team health assures Team history. Leadership development assures Leadership longevity.

As an athlete or musician, I will draw the same type of person to myself. As an academic or alternative, I will draw the same type of person to myself. So, the importance of diversity on your team in Next Gen ministry is vital to reaching all kinds of teenagers.

Our leadership team must be strategic and intentional in make-up. A diversity of age, race, gender, socio-economic background, education, and even vocation. Because our target is as diverse in each of these areas!

A Superman or Wonderman ministry doesn't work because Superman and Wonderwoman have a weakness. However, when you incorporate the entire cast of Avengers, there is no weakness. A plurality of leadership under a singular vision will reach more people than you can imagine. There may not be a better way to naturally reach more people than to recruit and to develop more leaders.

Tired of Leadership Development?

We all get tired of hearing about leadership development. But I think if we would increase the spiritual leadership development of the soul and total health, we would see a greater impact on the church, ministry, and our organizations.

Look at your desk or bookshelf. Probably a lot of books on natural leadership - Systems, Skill-sets, Traits of leaders, Personality and Gift tests, Organizational health, Heirarchy, Job Descriptions, and Influence as the buzz words for contemporary leadership books.

Those are not what we were raised on when I was becoming a leader.

We saw more spiritual leadership themes - Spiritual disciplines, removing the Educational lid, Character, Empathy, Theory and Why versus goals and practice, and Leadership Integrity.

The problem is, as we have all seen over the years, every church (or organization for that matter) rises and falls on leadership. Good or Bad leadership. Leadership becomes the thrust or the movement of a church or organization.

It’s not enough to recruit leaders. We must retain leaders. And to retain leaders we must train Leaders.

Every church needs a plurality of leadership, but, with a singular vision. This will help to assure the health of present leadership and recruit new leaders to the organization. Valuing leadership development and shared-ownership and delegation, assures the health of the ministry.

When it comes to recruiting and retention of leaders, here are my 10 Non-negotiables of Leadership Development:

1. Look for a sense of CALLING or desire in people - don’t force the recruit. Because it is much easier to develop people who are called and have the leadership desire to serve people.

We don't need bodies. We need hearts. People yes, but, people with a purpose.

2. Look for CHARACTER or integrity in potential leaders. You cannot replace character with hype. That is a 100 Meter dash that doesn't last.

We need marathoners who can finish with integrity. Because integrity is key to a strong foundation that lasts. What is an integer? An unmixed number. Integrity is an unmixed leader.

3. Look for COMPETENCIES or skill-sets also. It will take both the heart and the hands. The spiritual and the Natural giftedness of leaders.

The competencies are the gifts and skills of a person. Everyone is a pro at something. So identify the strengths of people and let them run.

4. Place the CULTURE or DNA of your organization into the protégé or potential leader early and often - say it, say it again, and say it one more time. Does everyone know the 411 short on why the ministry exists?

We need everyone pulling in the same direction. As the analogy goes of one horse pulling 7 thousand pounds. Well, 2 horses do not pull 14 thousand pounds. They pull 21 thousand pounds. Exponential work and growth.

5. Every protégé or potential leader should have a CONNECTION or sweet spot. As leaders we must place them in their primary role to assure their success.

Everyone on the Right bus. In the Right seat. With the Right driver. And headed in the Right direction.

6. Recognize that it takes CONTINUITY or a process to develop protégé’s – and that process includes both natural and spiritual coaching.

Deal with the heart and the spiritual disciplines. And, deal with the hands and the natural disciplines. Prayer and Promotion. Fasting and Food. God and Goals. Obedience and Organization.

7. Every leader should live by a CODE or understanding of the importance of the organization. A set of guidelines or framework for success and wins. The vision and the mission.

It is normal to experience dual loyalties and multiple desires of vision for the ministry you work with. But, if you don’t promote a SINGULAR VISION for a plurality of leadership the organization will lose and not win.

8. The CONTENT or education of our leaders removes lids. We cannot deny that Next Gen leaders are Rabbi's. Teach. Train. Increase knowledge and watch the fences be broken down. Knowledge will produce confidence in your leaders also.

We do this through conferences, seminars, books, personal coaching, webinars, guests, etc.

9. Once the team is assembled, next gen ministry needs unconditional COMPASSION for a generation they are trying to reach. Leadership empathy will take a next gen ministry to the next level.

Empathy is not just knowing students names, but, knowing their stories. Compassion fuels health in any organization.

10. Every next gen ministry should value CREATIVITY in leadership development – it takes all kind of leaders to reach all kinds of students.

Allow for difference and diversity on the leadership team. We do not want the leadership team to look, talk, think, or act exactly the same. Plurality of leadership with a singular vision.

Finally

Retention is as important as Recruiting. Team health assures Team history. Keeping this in mind will guide you to gather the right kind of people.

Building the team takes these important principles. They may change in some settings, but, these are my non-negotiables in putting together the right team around you.

When looking at shared ownership in a church or company, seek to include these kind of elements that build a healthy next gen team.

It takes all kinds of people to reach all kinds of people. Every type of leader to reach every type of student. Retention is as important as Recruiting. Team health assures Team history. Leadership development assures Leadership longevity.