13Oct 2010 by Nigel Ring

Planning and Implementation – pt 2 – some basic questions

Administrative Skills, Equipping, Good Practice, Planning
As I teach on planning I address two basic questions. One is ‘Why plan?' The other may not be openly expressed but is often close to the surface: ‘Is planning just adopting the world's methods?' 1. Why plan? In my introductory blog I shared on this topic and will enlarge on it further in subsequent postings. Put simply it is the best way of achieving the desired goal with minimum effort and maximum effectiveness. By careful forethought much time and resource can be saved as they are channelled in the most productive direction, and goals will be reached with greater accuracy. I agree with John Maxwell when he said "The longer we spend in preparation the shorter the time in implementation." In contrast I have heard an anonymous speaker quoted:…
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08Oct 2010 by Nigel Ring

Planning and Implementation – pt 1 – Introduction

Equipping, Planning
Overview Planning is a part of good stewardship. God has entrusted resources to us - time, money, health etc - and we have the responsibility of using these effectively. By planning we can significantly raise our level of effectiveness as we avoid taking wrong turns which result in having to retrace our steps or undo something we have done. Any architect will tell you that without plans it is impossible to produce anything but the most basic building. Even the garden shed has had plans drawn on paper or in your head! Goals Through this series I hope to: 1. Help you appreciate the place of responsible planning without eliminating the work of the Holy Spirit. 2. Bring some practical suggestions to help you plan 3. Give guidelines on implementationDefinition…
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28May 2010 by Nigel Ring

Effective Meetings pt 7 – Taking minutes

Administration in the Church, Administrative Skills, Equipping, Good Practice, Meetings, Planning
The Importance of Minutes The lack of adequate minutes can lead to frustration and inefficiency. ‘Minutes’ may seem a bit formal but notes of some sort are not negotiable - a ‘must’ from every meeting if the full benefit of the meeting is to be realised. The detail included in these notes can vary – there is no right or wrong. Some people like to keep the notes simple and record only decisions and actions. Others (including myself) prefer to have some of the discussion that led to the conclusion. It is rarely necessary to give a version which includes ‘he said this…’ ‘she said that…’, although the Houses of Parliament in the UK require this and the result is famously embodied in the Hansard proceedings! What I am sharing…
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25May 2010 by Nigel Ring

Effective Meetings pt 6 – The importance of good Chairing

Administration in the Church, Administrative Skills, Equipping, Good Practice, Meetings, Planning
Skill Chairing meetings is a skill; effective chairing is measured both by the outcomes of a meeting and the fulfilment of those attending. What I shall share here is for the more formal type of meeting and will need to be interpreted appropriately into different settings. Who should chair a meeting? Often the ‘senior’ person assumes he or she should chair the meeting. But there may be several reasons for this not being good. Particularly, a) They may not be skilled in chairing. b) They may be the major contributor (e.g. the Lead Elder or visionary) and can dominate because they also chair. Many meetings I attend are chaired by someone whose primary role is to handle the dynamics of the meeting, leaving those who are the major players opportunity…
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17May 2010 by Nigel Ring

Effective Meetings pt 5 – Agendas. A practical example

Administration in the Church, Administrative Skills, Equipping, Good Practice, Meetings, Planning, Zimbabwe
International eNews Before continuing this series on Effective Meetings, and looking at Agendas, I want to commend the International eNews of Newfrontiers. Through this you can receive a monthly update of news around the world (see extract from the current one below) and have food for prayer for yourself or the church. To subscribe Click here>> Agendas To many people an agenda is just a list of topics you plan to discuss in a meeting. But it can provide so much more if you give it a little fore-thought. This can really serve you and save you a great deal of time. A well constructed agenda can also make a meeting much more fulfilling as it ensures everyone knows where you are going and it guides you to the essence…
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10May 2010 by Nigel Ring

Effective Meetings pt 4 – making an Agenda work for you

Administration in the Church, Administrative Skills, Equipping, Good Practice, Meetings, Planning
Meeting with purpose Meetings should be purposeful and all attending must be clear about the purposes. To assist with this an agenda is essential. This may sound a bit formal for some meetings but even if it is constructed on arrival due to the meeting’s spontaneity it helps focus the minds of those attending on what it is intended to accomplish. In a Newfrontiers context we would see relationship as a high priority. This can lead to an informality which, although enjoyable, may lead to an inefficient use of time. Agendas help to give direction to the meeting. Constructing an agenda An agenda is a list of items to be covered during the meeting. If provided only as a list of topics it gives only basic information. However, it can…
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