Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

I recently came across an article in the Harvard Business Review on Twitter. The article is about the differences between management and leadership. “Management is about coping with complexity,” it explains. Leadership, on the other hand, is about coping with change. 

There’s been some talk about the distinction between management and leadership, I gather, after Bishop Sean Rowe, at a meeting of the Task Force for Reimagining the Episcopal Church, said that he believes the Episcopal Church is over-led and under-managed. I’m not sufficiently involved in the national church to have strong opinions about this at that level of governance, but I have experienced local churches that were under-managed and others that were under-led. 

A manager, according to the article, deals with planning, budgeting, staffing, controlling, and problem-solving. A leader, on the other hand, deals with setting a direction, aligning people, and inspiring people.

Both roles are absolutely necessary. Sometimes, of course, a single person, usually the priest, fulfills both roles him or herself. In any case, to avoid a chaotic church and to keep people inspired and to articulate a clear vision, the church vestry, staff, and priests should ask themselves if the church is being adequately led and managed, and by whom.

Look at your staff and the leadership of your church. Do you have leaders? Is someone setting a vision and getting people on board with this vision?

Is someone managing the church? Even a small church can be a complex place, with strong personalities, buildings to keep up, and highly diverse programs. Who is making sure that all the pieces work together?

Every priest, especially, should be aware of his or her strengths and weaknesses. If you are good at inspiring people but less skilled at strategic thinking, then make sure you recruit someone to your staff and/or vestry who can be play a strong and active role in that. If you are good at making plans and budgets but not particularly visionary, make sure you recruit leaders and vestry members with a strong sense of the church’s mission.

Finding the right balance of vision and planning can be difficult in any organization, including a church. The Church needs everyone, the leaders and the managers, those with big ideas and those who can make a good spreadsheet. Without both, we can’t fulfill our mission.

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