I've never been a fan of disciplinary action processes. You know, the process a manager or supervisor is supposed to go through with an employee who is doing something they shouldn't or not doing something they should. It's not that I don't believe performance problems should be addressed; it's just that I believe the point is not to discipline the person. You know, like giving your 3-year old a "timeout" because … [Read more...]
Performance Evaluations Are Overrated
Do Performance Evaluations Really Improve Performance?
Performance appraisals are good. Right? Of course, periodically giving people feedback on their performance is a good thing. Isn’t it? I guess that depends on what you mean by a “good thing.” Doing performance appraisals seems like a good thing to do intuitively, but have you ever given any thought to what they actually accomplish? No … I mean “really” give it some thought. They give managers something to do at … [Read more...]
Difficult Decisions
Three Things To Remember When Making And Implementing Difficult Decisions
I've been doing this leadership thing for as long as I can remember. One of the things I've discovered is how making and implementing difficult decisions is one of the hardest and most painful things we do. Whether it's church discipline, trying to help people experiencing financial hardship, or identifying and addressing unacceptable behavior; making and implementing difficult decisions is, well "difficult" and … [Read more...]
Performance-Based Compensation For Pastors
Is Compensating Pastors For "Good Performance" A Good Thing?
So, a senior pastor is successful in growing his/her congregation by 20% this year and is rewarded with a bonus, based on some predetermined set of parameters related to growth. Good for the pastor ... good for the church ... good for the kingdom? A campus pastor is successful in getting a campus launched ahead of schedule and under budget. The church compensates the pastor to reward good performance. This is a … [Read more...]