Issue 1: Is it Burnout?
Plus: A manager myth, bringing up problems, and develop-y links
COVER STORY: A BETTER DEFINITION FOR BURNOUT
Burnout lurks on church staffs. It helps to know what it actually is.
For 15 months I faced the fog of burnout, on staff at a church. It was awful. And yet God used it in my life, profoundly. I’ll tell that story sometime.
But one bright lamp in the fog was discovering solid descriptions of “burnout,” instead of the hazy ways people tend to use the word. Getting a more accurate definition for burnout helped start my road to recovery.
Burnout is actually a well-researched – and pretty well defined – issue. For example, I learned that exhaustion by itself does not equal burnout; it just equals exhaustion! A good definition also helps us realize that burnout’s causes can be complex, which means it doesn’t always arise from wrong actions or an unhealthy heart.
Two learnings put my puzzle together more than any other:
Burnout arises from the gap between what someone expects for their their job (their ideals) and what’s actually taking place (the reality).
The full spectrum of burnout includes 3 ingredients (not just 1):
Detachment or cynicism
A strong sense of personal ineffectiveness
Exhaustion
This useful two-pager is one fruit from my burnout season. It highlights burnout’s definition, it’s main causes, and a path forward. This has already been useful for several coworkers who seemed to be facing the burnout monster.
TO LEARN DEEPER…
It’s not easy to find Christian resources that start with a solid definition of burnout, but here are some resources, Christian and otherwise, if you’d like to explore further. (FYI: I earn a little bit when people buy something via my Amazon links.)
HBR Ideacast interviews Christina Maslach (podcast & transcript), perhaps the leading burnout researcher. Distills a lot of the research + adds how leaders can help those facing workplace burnout.
My journey toward a better description (and therefore a better prescription) started with The End of Burnout. This unique book brings the research alive and includes faith elements. (I found the early chapters more useful than his recommendations for orgs/systems.) Email me if you want my takeaways.
HR Ministry Solutions (video) treats burnout as the complex issue it is, even if it could have defined burnout more clearly. Includes good ideas on helping heal. Very useful for church world, especially when paired with the two-pager.
Dr. Arianna Molloy of Biola University speaks about “healthy calling” at THINQ (she wrote a related book). The video starts from a solid burnout definition, then expands to discussing burnout from one’s larger calling.
Disillusionment Assessment: A checkup measuring the components of burnout. Connected to an interesting-looking book from Peter Greer & Chris Horst about combating ministry idealism. (Idealism was a big factor in my own burnout story.)
THE BLURBS
YOU’VE HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID…
“DBMP;BMS” only sounds like great managing
“Don’t bring me problems; bring me solutions.” This pithy statement is common manager-speak. Church managers love how positive and edifying it sounds.
But it’s not good managing. Better managers encourage their people to bring up concerns/questions/problems, even if they don’t have a solution. This article provides great reasons to avoid this common statement. Adam Grant argues faster in this YouTube short (which autoplays – sorry).
Takeaway: Every church leader should help employees know candor isn’t only tolerated, but desired. “BMP;WSIT”: Bring me problems; we’ll solve it together.1 (And really, why would a manager want folks hiding their concerns?)
LEADING UP
But if you do have a problem to bring up…
While leaders should welcome hearing about problems (see above), tact still matters. This is sticky because (a) no one likes bad news, (b) leaders might feel dumb for not noticing the problem, and (c) they might have caused the problem.
So if you notice an issue, be wise when you talk about it. (Especially important if you’re a problem-pouncer like me.)
Checklist: When you bring up a problem to a leader,
Imagine the approach they will be receive best
Come with a possible solution if you can – even a half-solution, the start of a solution, a dumb solution – whatever shows you’re a problem-solving partner
Even better: Bring a few options (many leaders LOVE options)
Prepare to hear, “I’ve thought about that, and…” (Maybe they have!)
At the very least, let them know you’re IN to help solve
OTHER DEVELOPMENT DROPS
A few things you might find useful
Staff Dev Verses: If you’re facing the fire (from congregation or fellow staff), read Jeremiah 1 with me. I’m helped by God’s insistence that Jeremiah IS ready for his calling – or more accurately, God is ready for Jeremiah’s calling.
Do you regularly lead group discussions? I recently stumbled on these six tips for better Bible discussion – insightful (and a little stretching).
Should you fix your job description – or others’? This upcoming webinar from HR Ministry Solutions will tackle better church job descriptions and why they matter.
Leading Change is a key staff development topic, so I’m intrigued by this creative IVP Press / Tod Bolsinger bundle.
Many church staffs prefer Celsius, Monster, Ghost to gold, frankincense, myrrh. I’ve recently been recalibrating my caffeine intake; this article helped.
Thanks for serving on staff – it matters. See you in a few weeks.
–Benson
AFTERTHOUGHT (FOR THE CHURCH NERDS)
I’ve recently been thinking about whether there’s a Practical–Idealist spectrum for churches and church staffs. Practical churches gravitate toward what works. Idealist churches lean toward what’s ideal. Going overboard on Practical becomes unprincipled; too far into Idealist creates unwise or unworkable expectations. Categories I’m chewing on.
The manager who brings you into the solution process is even better than the Vanilla Ice manager, who welcomes hearing if there’s a problem - but, yo, he’ll solve it.