When asked about why he left past jobs, it’s clear inter-personal conflict played
a key part. This is by no means a certainty. Some Ivory Tower Ivans have no
issue with interpersonal conflict. But if you’re interviewing a younger (and
theoretically less mature) candidate, you’ll certainly see this pop up.
When sharing his story, people play a minor role. Hiring managers love to ask
candidates to share their story. You’ll notice Ivan will mention few people when
he does this. Why would he? They’ve played a minimal part in his life so far.
Ask Ivory Tower Ivan This Question
Can you tell me about a person outside of your family whom you’ve invested
your life in during the past six months?
[Bonus Question] Describe a conflict you had at work. How did you resolve it?
What to Do if You’ve Already Hired Ivory Tower Ivan
Encourage Ivory Tower Ivan to step out of his comfort zone. Be patient. It’s
likely not an easy shift for him. Your goal isn’t to turn him into an extrovert. Your
goal is to improve his people skills and encourage him to make an effort at
connecting with other people. You’ll find a variety of great classes out there that
can help employees improve people skills.
3 SIGNS YOU’RE INTERVIEWING
IVORY TOWER IVAN
17
It’s never enough to talk about what kind of
teammates you don’t want on your staff. For every
Dwight Howard you could bring onto your team,
there’s bound to be a Shane Battier—the smart,
gritty forward who helped the Miami Heat win back-
to-back titles a few years back.
Howard had the fancy hardware (multiple All-NBA first teams, Defensive
Player of the Year awards, etc.).
Battier had all the characteristics coaches look for in good players. He
was smart, a hard worker, and a conscientious teammate. And he had
championship rings to show for it.
You’ll have a similar decision when hiring for your church staff. Go for the
flashy superstar who is a poor fit or the gritty hire with all the important
intangibles.
What are the intangibles that lead to a winning combination and will impact
your community for years to come? Start with these.
Multiplier.
Jesus gives every one of His followers a job description: “make
disciples” [Mat. 28:19]. No one gets a pass on this. Staff members don’
t
typically see themselves as practitioners, but you can use all the practitioners
you can get. All church staff must be able to train a new generation of leaders
in whatever ministry they are in.
Team-Player.
No ministry is a solo effort. The New Testament describes
ministry as something that’s done in the context of a local church. Make
sure whoever you hire has a track record of working well with others. A good
teammate makes everyone else better.
THE 6 CHARACTERISTICS
YOU NEED IN TEAM
MEMBERS
18
Grows in Intimacy with Jesus
. You’re putting together a team that will
turn your community upside down for Jesus. Don’t settle for staff members
who can do their jobs with excellence but don’t truly get why they’re doing
it. Make the effort to find people who are growing in their relationship with
Christ.
Forward Thinker.
You need staff who know how to minister in the context of
the 21st century, not the 20th. This isn’t about age either. Look for staff who
are willing to adapt to current ministry models—and to technology.
Exemplifies Your Values.
Your values can’t simply be words on a page in
some dusty employee handbook. For them to guide the ministry practices
of your church, they must guide the work of your staff. If you claim to have a
passion to reach new people with the gospel, then hire people with a pattern
for personal evangelism in their lives. If you value authenticity
, hire people
with a track record of demonstrating it. Go through your set of church values
as you pray through any potential new hire.
Handles Conflict.
Nothing will detonate a church staff quicker than
unresolved conflict. You’re not looking for people who avoid conflict or charge
forward uncritically. You want to bring people on your team who know how to
handle conflict in a healthy, biblical manner.
You’ll never find a perfect candidate for any open position you have. But
if you pursue the characteristics above (and avoid the five described
throughout the rest of this ebook), you’ll take a great step forward.
Shane Battier is out there.
Don’t settle for Dwight Howard.
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