Dynamics of a Healthy
Team
LAYING THE FOUNDATION
Basic outline of our conversation

The beginning - dealing with transition and getting on the same page,
being intentional together

Team building - regular conversation, not being too busy, not trying to
please everyone

Team Killers - one-sided, conversation killers, frustrations of ministry

Team Savers - picking each other up, mutual ministry, healthy groups
(ministerium)
The Beginning
LAYING THE FIRM
FOUNDATION FOR TEAM
BUILDING
Saying Good-bye

Before the new internship begins and the building of a new team can
happen, it is important to say good-bye to the previous Intern if this is
applicable.

We have a party, remind people they are not to contact hat Intern for a
year, and generally celebrate the sending out of another apostle.

But we need some time!

Be intentional about this!
In the Beginning…what do I remember
from team building workshop?

This time of healthy Team Building is so very important for laying the
foundation of how, when, why and to what extent you will learn, work and
grow together…

But the reality is, by the time Internship begins, you will need to go over
most of this stuff again! 

If you nail down important dates, discuss how things will begin, plan to
spend some time together at the beginning of internship, and discuss
learning necessities for the Intern and styles of supervision that would be
most helpful, that will be a good foundation for the Internship year.
Intern Congregations

Congregation is on board!

Intern congregations are special! Not every congregation is a good intern
congregation

Committed to helping Interns learn and grow

Allow room for mistakes and learning

Committed to seeing Intern as an Intern and not a cheap employee or
hired hand
Team Building

team building. noun [ U ]

the process of encouraging members of a group to work well together, for
example by having them take part in activities or games:

The company puts a lot of emphasis on cooperation and team building.
From the Cambridge dictionary
A WORD FROM JESUS
After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in
pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. 2He said to them,
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the
harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3Go on your way. See, I am sending
you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. 4Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals;
and greet no one on the road. 5Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this
house!’ 6And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that
person; but if not, it will return to you. 7Remain in the same house, eating and
drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move
about from house to house. 8Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome
you, eat what is set before you;9cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The
kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10But whenever you enter a town and
they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11‘Even the dust of your
town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the
kingdom of God has come near.’ (Luke 10:1 – 11)
Working Well Together
Means:
Being intentional about
our roles!
• Making sure we are on
the same page,
especially calendarwise
• Dividing up
responsibilities before
hand
• Understanding that
interruptions will
happen
•
From The Intern’s Perspective

Don’t be Afraid to Ask Questions:

If You Don’t Understand the First Time

Ask What Your Role Will Be in Various
Events
Working Well Together Means:
•
Being Intentional
•
Focus on the tasks at hand
•
Find time for further discussion
•
Take time to build the team, especially in the first few
months.
•
Taking a few hours every so often to look ahead three,
six, and 12 months.
Team building
BEING INTENTIONAL IN
BUILDING A TRUSTING AND
WORKING RELATIONSHIP
Truck
•
Congratulations Linda!
•
Although everything can
be reached within a few
hours, we often have to
travel
•
Time sent in discussion
about various aspects of
ministry, how I deal with
certain situations, future
ministry opportunities
and concerns.
From the Intern’s
Perspective
•
Being a member of the a
team means being
Flexible!
•
Sometimes you might just
step in it!
•
Even the best plans can
go ca-put!
Build a Cohesive Team

Trust – A great team is one who trusts each other implicitly. This trust can only be earned
when all cards have been put of the table. Each member must openly disclose their
weaknesses as well as their strengths and know that those weaknesses will not be used
against them.

Conflict – It is important to realize that conflict is not a bad word. A team will never think
the same way about everything; the important thing is to discus those disagreements
instead of letting them fester in the background. However it is important to remember
that without first establishing trust, conflict becomes politics.

Accountability – By being open, trusting and unafraid of conflict allows team members to
hold each other accountable for their behaviors and actions. This accountability allows
teams to commit to decisions and push forward together as a unit.
From: http://smallbusinessbc.ca/article/patrick-lencioni-explains-how-build-ahealthy-team/
From the Intern’s Perspective

Team Building is about Relationships

Make an Effort to Get to Know Team Members Personally

Thanking Others for Their Work and Input Goes A Long Way

Be Positive and Supportive of Others

Respect Other’s Opinions At All Times

You will be a Member of Multiple, Inter-Related Teams

Be Honest and Open with Your Supervisor

Share Issues with Them

Don’t Let Things That Bother You Fester
An Intern!?

Sometimes it can feel like
people are being “turned
over to the Intern.

Work towards this is an
opportunity rather than a
turning over

After two funerals in a
week, I joking told Felicia
that I was giving her the
next one.

Funeral in December…
From the Intern’s
Perspective
•
Doing Extra
Work is to Your
Benefit!
•
Get All The
Experience You
Can!
Team Killers
DOING THESE THINGS WILL
SURELY KILL YOU TEAM!
Team Killers

Marriage counseling sessions usually begin with me saying something like:
“You can talk about love, attraction, sexual compatibility, future plans,
how alike you are when it comes to money and a whole host of other
issues; however, if you are not communicating effectively, these things will
break down.”

How do we intentionally avoid making the mistakes shown below by
communicating effectively with each other.
You Can’t Please Everyone!
Being too busy…
•
Yes we will be busy. This is
never an excuse for not
taking the time to build our
team.
•
Never be too busy and
skip the weekly supervisory
session (our exceptions are
vacations and Holy Week)
Not Just another Boss…
Team Savers
PICKING EACH OTHER UP,
MUTUAL MINISTRY,
HEALTHY GROUPS, AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF
MINISTERIUM
Picking Each other Up!

There were times when Linda was tired and would ask for a day or an
afternoon to rest.

There were times when I was not well, had something happen on the farm
or a child was sick.

I had my knee replaced the day after Easter, 2016. For over a month and
really for three months, Linda carried the bulk of the visitation load.

This arrangement helped us all be healthier!
Mutual Ministry
We are in this
together
We are a team for
one another
We have the best
interests of each
other at heart
We like to be
together and it
shows!
There are no Secrets!
Ministerium

The Virginia Synod is known for its collegiality

We intentionally focus on ministerium and the building up of one another

Lone wolves are discouraged

Conference meets at least twice a month for pericope

We gather 5 or 6 times throughout the year for a Corn Roast, Epiphany
Hand bell concert, Reformation Service, Ascension Service, and several
gatherings with Pastor’s and their families

Synod gathers several times a year

We want healthy pastors who work with others!
Discussion

We hope this time has helped jump start some conversations

Questions for further thought:

How do you plan to intentionally focus on Team building?

What kind of nuts & bolts questions should you get out of the way now?

How do you (Intern and supervisor) intentionally plan to help the congregation
understand it’s role in this process?

How do you plan to keep the lines of communication open in order to avoid
problems?

What has been your healthiest team situation and what made it work?

What has not worked and why?