guidelines = guardrails

Our team here at Grace Community just got done creating a new policy and procedure manual for our staff. We all saw it, we talked about it, we signed it, and we filed it away. It is simple, short, and clear about some sticky staff issues we wanted our team to embrace. I am allergic to the word policy. I have worked in the past with people who thrive in the middle of policy and that is not my style. What we created for our team is a set of staff guidelines. Guidelines sound so much better! We are now five years old as a church and I feel we just now landed at a spot where we could create our guidelines so they enhance our staff culture. I feel the same way about our family ministry team and we are just now putting many guidelines with have been living out down on paper for our staff and volunteers to see. Growth demands guidelines be put in place. The more you and your team grow the more need you will have for clear guidelines. Guidelines provide guardrails for our ministry. Here are some things healthy guildelines protect...

• Guidelines protect our volunteers >> volunteers lead with their heart! Every volunteer I have needs to know what boundaries they have. Boundaries help them not to make a mistake and also free them to move forward with passion with their role on the team.
• Guidelines protect our financial health >> money is a hard issue for any staff team. Guidelines help make sure staff and volunteers handle money well. God has given us responsibility of investing resources in order to advance the Kingdom of God. We need to handle that responsibility with care.
• Guidelines protect our relationships >> the heart of leadership lies in relationships. Healthy guidelines help protect people from making relational mistakes with the people we lead and those that lead with us. I have seen too many leaders fail morally because there were no guidelines to protect them.
• Guidelines have potential to keep us united >> the idea here is that when people know the process of communicating and have a clear understanding of their role in the organization teams have a better shot at staying united. Most staff conflict flows from a lack of clear direction and clear communication. Guidelines can help us stay connected behind a common mission and strategy.
• Guidelines can always be CHANGED >> guidelines are not eternal. When things don;t work anymore things need to be changed. Want guidelines to be effective...keep it simple, keep it clear, and always be open to change.