Creating Moments For Coaching

Your anxiety heightens. Sleep leaves you. Your palms get sweaty and your heart races. There are few things more nerve-racking for a worship leader. Yep! It's the moment you fall back and let someone else step up to your microphone and lead worship.

This is a scary day, but its a critical day. In order to be a successful worship leader you must allow room for others to grow. Every athlete in the world understands that one element of consistent growth is the input of a great coach or mentor. Worship leaders need coaching as well. You have the opportunity to be that coach for those around you. They need you. They need your input. You are their leader.

Being a coach is not easy. And finding moments that allow for effective coaching can be even more difficult. Here are some thoughts that will make it easier for you to find those moments and capitalize on them.

In order to create moments for coaching you must:

1. be willing to fail

- The reality is that the best moments for coaching come from our failures not our successes. When we are down we are more open to input. When we are up we tend to be closed off from input.

- It's tough to be willing to see something go wrong in a Sunday morning service just for the sake of coaching. Therefore, you must find a spot for people to start. It can be a small group, men's/women's group/etc. It could be in your home! It could be anything. JUST GET PEOPLE STARTED.

- I often allow people to lead one song, then two, then three until they are prepared to lead an entire service. This keeps them from becoming overwhelmed and keeps me from rushing people into positions they are not prepared for.

2. be willing to confront

- You can't coach without being willing to confront. Just get over it. I'm not saying you need to be argumentative; that won't accomplish anything positive. However, you do need to clearly communicate faults and failures as well as a plan to remedy these issues.

- I do this by providing a worship leader evaluation* after every time someone else leads even a song. I always include positive things they did, around 3 things they could improve on, ways they can improve those things and a word of gratitude and encouragement.

*contact me if you would like an example of a worship leader evaluation.

3. be willing to let go

- As leaders, we naturally "own" our positions well. However, if we view our job not so much as the act of ministry but the training of others for works of service, we will greatly increase our joy in the success of others. That joy will motivate us to let go of our need for position and let others succeed.

- Part of training others for works of service is displaying (a part most of us really enjoy and are good at) and the other is observing (not very glamorous and rarely enjoyed). It's nearly impossible to observe while displaying. Humility is key in being an effective observer. You cannot have the pride of the position and observe well.

Let others try! If someone had not allowed me to try, I wouldn't be here. One of the great aspects of letting others try is that it promotes a safe and appropriate avenue for coaching and mentoring. Work hard to create moments of coaching and you will not be disappointed! Your leaders will grow. You will grow. And your church will benefit greatly. God bless and have fun!

- PN

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