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In our culture and setting Incumbents are often asked to give leadership in congregations that are experiencing membership and financial decline. Sometimes these are compounded by conflict and financial distress. What are some of the turn-around skills that can be crucial to the future of the congregation?
1) The ability to stay calm, confident, and focused.
2) The ability to contain and dampen conflict by building trust, hope and joy.
3) The courage to make changes in your personal circumstances, and in the future structures of the congregation if they are attempting too much and things just can not work out well.
4) The skill of working on two levels simultaneously. You need to hold on to the risks that things might not work out on the one hand, while patiently putting the small pieces and achievements in place that can effect a turn-around.
5) The ability to assess, scout for and recruit new talent.
6) The ability to improve communications so that there is wider ownership of the opportunities and challenges facing the community.
7) The ability to change the climate so that there is time for community building, fun and the new learning and activities that can bring a new perspective.
Item XLII
©2002 Ronald C. Ferris
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