Organizational Coaching Services

Following is a description of the organizational coaching services that I offer to spiritual communities.  If your needs are more, less, or a variation of what's described, I am happy to discuss the development of a customized service.

Leadership & Board Effectiveness.  Does your board have a consensus perception of what the church is here to BE?  Are all of your board members aware of their general and specific responsibilities?  Have you explored what is expected of leaders in your spiritual community?  Are your board members and minister(s) consciously governing the church – i.e., have they explored the thoughts and beliefs that shape their expectations of each other, so that they can specifically choose and create the relationships they desire?  Have you explored and established how you wish to address and transform conflict situations?  How can board service accelerate the spiritual development of individual board members?  What is the philosophy and role of your board in relation to church prosperity?  I will work with you to design and facilitate a comprehensive, full-day board development program that (i) incorporates spiritual and peacemaking principles, and (ii) deepens board members’ understanding of church service and their sense of connection to each other.

Values, Vision, Purpose & Intentions.  Have you explored, identified and articulated your organization’s values?  Do you have a vision of what you desire your organization to become or what contribution you desire to make in the world?  What is your community’s purpose?  Have you identified the major intentions that, if achieved over the next 5 years, would move you surely and steadily toward the manifestation of your vision?  If not, let me help you reveal your strategic plan.

Governance & Decision-Making.  Does the operation of your church organization reflect trust, clear lines of responsibility, and accountability?  That is, does your membership trust your board of trustees, and does your board of trustees trust your staff and other volunteers?  Are your business meetings (both membership and board) filled with discussion of operational and programmatic details?  Do they go on for many hours?  Are there commonly understood expectations regarding the kinds and depth of information that the board needs to make informed decisions?  Do board decisions reflect a clear expression of policy or do they go beyond that to include prescriptive details related to how the policy should be implemented?  Are board decisions structured to enhance accountability (i.e., with description of desired outcomes and completion dates)?  Does staff regularly and effectively inform the board of the status of important operational and programmatic matters?  Do the staff and committees effectively prepare the board to make informed decisions?  Are board decisions adequately documented and board records conveniently maintained (by staff or board secretary) so that time and effort is not wasted by unnecessarily revisiting issues?

The effectiveness of governance and decision processes goes to the heart of an organization’s ability to function.  Inevitably, they also reflect the trust and the nature of relationships of the stakeholders – i.e., the membership, the board of trustees, committees, and the staff.  If you feel that your governance structure and decision processes need a review and/or improvement, I can help.

Board/Staff Authority & Responsibilities.  Are you grappling with how certain important issues should be handled?  Is the all-purpose answer – “the board sets policy and the staff carries it out” – inadequate guidance?  Is the lack of clarity in how these issues should be handled creating conflict that burns up valuable time, energy, and trust?  I can help you develop relational clarity that is compatible with your organization’s size and culture.

Bylaws and Policies & Procedures.  Do you amend your bylaws frequently?  Do important decisions that could be made by your board of trustees have to wait until your membership decides them at its annual business meetings?  Do you have written policies and procedures to ensure that policies and responsibilities are clear and that church programs and activities operate smoothly and consistently?

These are just some of the issues with which church organizations frequently grapple as they establish and adjust the rules by which they operate.  Not surprisingly, these issues and tasks frequently take a back seat to more immediate and pressing responsibilities of the staff and volunteer leadership.  Yet, the fundamental questions remain:  Do your bylaws and policies and procedures adequately serve you?  On a given topic, can you quickly and easily determine what the current policy is?  If not, contact me to see how I can help.

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