A while back, I wrote a post stating that in youth ministry, “communication is key.” The statement holds true. One of the ways that you find out that communication is so important is by witnessing the result when communication breaks down. Programs fail. Leaders get offended. Parents become impatient. When communication fails, things get ugly.
And while there are many pitfalls that beckon the unwary to their demise, here are three that I have had to recover from first-hand.
- Assuming that you don’t need to communicate. There have been many times when I didn’t want to bother others with communicating information, assuming that they had already heard. However, often, that is a poor assumption to make. People are busy. And especially as it relates to youth ministry, no one will be more focused on what your ministry is doing than you. So it’s probably safe to err on the side of over-communication rather than make an incorrect assumption.
- Assuming that you only need to say it once. Repetition is the mother of memory, or something like that. It places additional needed emphasis on whatever it is you’re trying to communicate. When you have your message, your mission, your whatever, repeat it. People catch what you’re saying a lot less than you feel like you’re saying it.
- Assuming that you don’t need to follow up. So many good ideas or projects have died after someone failed to follow up. I’m usually that person. This one comprises both of the other two because after you’ve communicated once, you assume that the other person has got and that they don’t need you to follow-up and remind them. A lack of follow-up leads to those awkward moments when you ask yourself, “who was supposed to order the pizza?” Don’t let the children go hungry. Follow-up.