Have you ever wondered whether or not you are doing a good job as a leader? You have been given a title and a position of leadership, but are you actually succeeding? Chances are, the people you have placed in leadership positions ask themselves this same question, your Rooted facilitators included. As a leader, you know the doubt, anxiety, and imposter syndrome this question can cause, so what can you do to remove those feelings from your Rooted facilitators?
The answer may seem too simple, but often the simplest practices are not only the best practices, but also the ones we forget to continue to use. The simple answer; encouragement from you.
Here are some best practices to encourage Rooted facilitators:
1. Ongoing Training: While the initial facilitator training before each round of Rooted is essential, don’t underestimate the importance of the weekly facilitator meetings. A great weekly facilitator meeting contains three important components; review of the previous week, training for the upcoming week, and reminders of important upcoming dates. A well prepared leader is an encouraged leader.
2. Week 5 Thank You: Week 5 is not only the halfway point of the 10-week Rooted experience, it’s also the repentance experience week. What a great time for some encouragement from you! A lot of churches give facilitators a handwritten card of encouragement before the week 5 group time, thanking them for leading so well and encouraging them to finish well. Some churches include a small gift such as a $5 coffee gift card with the note. Other churches provide breakfast or lunch during the week 5 weekly facilitator meeting. Remember, small gestures of encouragement go a long way.
3. Access to You: Remind your facilitators frequently that you are there to help with any questions or concerns they might encounter while facilitating their Rooted group. Individual emails, calls, and text messages to check-in and make yourself accessible go a long way in encouraging our facilitators, ensuring they are not alone as they lead.
4. The Full Set of Rooted Discipleship Tools: Simply put, equipping is encouraging. A Rooted facilitator that has every tool to lead their group through each life-changing discipleship moment and experience will have more confidence in and commitment to the tasks ahead. The best way to provide your facilitators with the small tools that facilitate the Rooted experience is through the Group Kit.
To learn more best practices or to share your ideas for encouraging Rooted facilitators, connect with your Rooted Network Coach or email coaching@experiencerooted.com.
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By Chad Cronin, Rooted Network Coach