Episcopal Church Foundation Vital Practices - Blogs

February 27, 2012

Jesus Didn’t Micromanage

While trying to plan a fundraising event several years ago, I learned just how difficult delegating can be. I was working for a small nonprofit, and I was in charge of planning and execution. This included arranging for dinner, silent auction items, a speaker, and a venue. I had some interns and staff members to help, and a tiny budget. At first, I found that I gave either too much or too little instruction. I hadn’t quite worked out my vision for the fundraiser, and so we were all muddling through. The people I delegated to were sometimes frustrated by lack of direction, sometimes dreading their tedious tasks.

What I was reminded recently by an experienced Episcopal priest is that authority is not about being in charge. Authority is not about control. Authority is the ability to get things done. Yes, people like clear instructions; but it is just as true that “no one likes to coordinate other people’s plans.” Connecting the dots isn’t nearly as satisfying as making your own drawing. In the same way, volunteers, staff and parishioners will feel empowered and invested in their tasks if they are given space to use their own skills and creativity, as well as a clear goals and a vision for the project.

This is in line with Jesus’ leadership. Jesus led by his wisdom and his works. He gave authority to his disciples, which did not diminish his own authority. He sent them out to do his work with little specific instruction, only a clear vision for the Kingdom of God and the commandment to make disciples.

Delegating well requires vision and knowledge of the staff or congregation. The following year, when planning the fundraiser, I knew better what needed to happen and what I wanted the fundraiser to look like. I also knew the staff better, and was able to delegate tasks according to their abilities. I put some of the more charming interns in charge of getting items for the silent auction, had one of my very organized coworkers to help me coordinate logistics, asked a friend who was an excellent cook to plan the meal, and had our persuasive executive director send out emails to help us get a speaker.

It’s easy to see how this might work within a congregation. The parishioner in charge of the Sunday school or church garage sale, for example, should be given some leeway. Being constantly reminded, “this is the way we’ve always done it,” can suck the enthusiasm out of any creative and capable volunteer. Some volunteers might need more guidance than others, of course, but giving them some room to exercise their skills and creativity will make them much more likely to maintain their enthusiasm for the project.

In my experience, this can even work for administrative staff. Some tasks, such as bookkeeping, require fairly rigid procedures, but allowing your administrator to develop procedures for the office that work for him or her can make an enormous difference in his or her enjoyment of and investment in the job.

Most of us prefer to be given a job to do, not simply a set of steps to follow. This isn’t always easy. We all know how attached we can be to “the way things are” or to our own vision, but micromanaging is not sustainable. Giving others room to get things done using their own talents and ideas is the best way to build a vibrant and creative community.