Tuesday, June 11, 2019: “A Call to Action”: Over or Under Communication in Congregations? As I observe congregations, I see more under communication than over communication. Both happen. Too many congregations do not clearly communication about events, processes, cultural happenings, decisions sought, and many other things.
This week I was panicked about not getting a new passport to replace mine that had expired. I had two different experiences with the USA passport system. First, was the online experience to get inadequate updates about the processing of my passport application. This was supplemented by calls to their customer service center where I received different and confusing information each time I called.
Finally, my passport was ready and given to UPS to delivered to me overnight. I could see updates almost every hour as to where my passport was in its less than 18-hour travel from Portsmouth, New Hampshire to my front door. The information I received was so accurate that about the time I expected it, I walked downstairs from my home-office, opened the front door, and there was the UPS truck pulling up with my passport.
How is communication doing in your congregation? Too much? Too little? The way to find out is to ask your congregation to tell you. It is to let them say how they like to receive information and in what format. It is to ask them about recent events and decisions in the congregation and if they received helpful timely communication. Did they get the type of information they needed to be inspired by the decision to be made, feel ownership of the decision, and have passion around the actions that would be taken?
Your call to action, if you choose to accept it, is to work on improving your communication.