MBWA
I confess, though I feel it is not a flaw, that I have always had a keen interest in business. My undergraduate major was in accounting and even in High School remember reading books about entrepreneurs and major American corporations. In college, Andrew Tobias’ (of “The Only Investment Guide You Will Ever Need” fame) the “Funny Money Game” and Paul Erdman’s “The Billion Dollar Sure Thing” (which he wrote in a Swiss Prison if I remember correctly) captivated me.

None of this means anything really – as my bank account will readily attest. I am, at heart, a preacher. But some recent conversations reminded me of a business management idea first coined at Hewlett-Packard and later made famous by Tom Peters (“In Search of Excellence”). It’s acronym, MBWA, stood for “Managing By Walking Around.”

It seems to me that in the Church, far too many leaders want to lead from their desks or conference tables, with their email or blackberrys. The result is leaders, in a position to make a difference in the congregation, become isolated and increasingly lack influence – in other words, become unable to lead.

Church leaders have suggested all kinds of ideas to me about how to press their vision upon the church: catchy slogans on banners, articles in the bulletin, sermons (everybody wants us to push their issue), fancy bulletin boards, etc., etc. But if you want to lead, you have to do so by being in contact with those you are trying to influence. That means, MBWA. For the church, it means the following (I’ve adapted this list from Oliver Serrat’s article found at http://www.adb.org/documents/information/knowledge-solutions/managing-by-walking-around.pdf):

1) Be among the people as often as possible - especially those on your ministry team. If you head an education department for example, drop by a teacher’s class. Take an interest in how he or she is doing.
2) Be relaxed
3) Share and invite good news.
4) Talk about their interests: family, hobbies, vacations, and sports.
5) Be sincere in your interest.
6) Watch and listen without judgment.
7) Invite ideas and opinions to improve operations and services
8) Be responsive to problems and concerns. Nothing is so damaging to a ministry as a leader who doesn’t seem to care about a follower’s concerns.
9) Look for people doing stuff right and take note of it to others.
10 Project the image of a coach, not an inspector
11) Give people on the spot help.
12) Use the opportunity to talk about your vision and dreams for the church.
13) Make it fun.

You will not find someone to serve on the benevolence committee, or work in the education program, or help keep up the building, or participate in any other area of ministry through passive management (usually characterized by a call for volunteers from the pulpit or in the bulletin). You get participants by going to people personally and asking them to help. You don’t keep people interested in ministry by assigning them to a task and then going off to pursue whatever else you’ve got on your agenda. You have to constantly touch base with your people to let them know they are important, and the work they are doing is important. They don’t feel it because you say it. They feel it because they experience your regular interest in them and what they are doing.

Yes, I know: everyone’s busy. But nothing runs itself very long, or very well. If Christ was so interested in the Church that he gave himself for it, and left His Holy Spirit to indwell each Christian, how can our leadership be anything less than engaged and sacrificial?