by admin | Apr 15, 2015 | Inspiration, Leadership, Uncategorized
Hiring a kids Leader is one of the most important decisions a Campus Pastor/ Senior Pastor will make. I was recently contacted by a church leader who is hiring a children’s director and was wondering what qualifications they should be looking for. Contrary to the belief that He/She needs a have a degree in child studies the most successful kids leaders I have strategized with are a nice mix of leadership, administrative and lots of fun.
Here are my top four tips.
1- Solid biblical knowledge.
2- Remember you are hiring an Administrative leader not a child care provider.
Do not look for the person who has a CPR certification, 30 hours of child care training though these are great these can be attained.
Look for a person who can understand that every child represents a family that is attending and every family has friends they can invite. Look for a person who is not afraid to see the numbers in Kids Ministry and is willing to put up a fight to increase the attendance through events, follow up, partnerships etc..
3-Must have a killer smile- I visited a ministry once and was shocked when I met the director. I made jokes, I attempted conversations all with no luck of a smile. She was not upset her personality was simply serious. There’s a book called The Power of a Smile. It became popular because there really is power in a smile.
4-She/He must be a strong recruiter- this is of outmost importance. Failing to learn this a leader may fall into a “doing” instead of “leading” role. As leaders we are called to equip others. I have experienced one to many ministries when I consult. My first questions are:
Who is in charge of your check in area?
Who is in charge of your programming?
Who is in charge of your follow up?
If the leader answers “me” to all these automatic red lights go off. They are doing not Leading.
Check out my what inspires me doc for more on this.
A Kids leader is a crucial part of your team in church. Kids ministry can and will affect growth. Do not take it lightly, ask for help if you need to and feel free to connect with me!
by admin | Apr 9, 2015 | Blog, Inspiration, Leadership, Uncategorized
When we began this adventure just a few years ago, we never imagined all that God would do with us and this company. We have made mistakes, and learned from them. Mistakes cost us money. Often times artists and small business owners will contact me for advice as they begin their journey. I love doing so !
Our expansion in Orlando has been an incredible journey. We have seen our business go in directions that surprised even us.
Being an entrepreneur is a tough road, But its awesome! I believe God is honored when we pursue and live our dreams.
Here are my three tips that cost our company some hard earned cash.
– Budget every penny that entered the company.
– Factor in your time as a business owner your time is very important.
– Do not undercharge. At times when our goal was to grow our clientele we worked around our clients budget and needs.
we are now in a position where we have set our prices depending on time, resources and the financial strategy of the business. These fees are non negotiable. Clients respect your fees, those that do not will always find alternatives.
Following your dreams to be an entrepreneur means living life like others do not want to for a short period of time, placing the companies needs before yours and respecting your values so you can live a life like others desire.
What’s stopping you from pursuing your hearts desires?
Download our free business plan sample and start working towards your dreams !
Want to chat ? Click here
by admin | Apr 2, 2015 | Blog, Inspiration, Leadership
Is your church ready for Easter?
As a previous church planter, Kids director and currently church strategist often times I get the opportunity to observe mega churches and take notes on pros and cons and later strategize solutions for setbacks. Easter is much more than an event to bring new guests in. Its an opportunity to reach outside the walls of the church to people who would probably not attend a service.
Below are my top Three tips to be ready for your new guests.
1- Educate your staff on verbiage- avoid churchy terms.
- All staff members and leaders must be on the same page or new guests will be confused.
- This is not watering down the gospel, This is making it relevant to their level.
- Avoid terms such as “the blood of the lamb” Be sure you are ready to teach it to a child.
- Bring the word . It speaks for itself. Do not be afraid to make an altar call.
2- signage Walk through your campus.
Is your campus new guest proof? Can a new guest get from the parking lot to the worship center without hesitation. Can a new guest drop off their kids, get a name tag and find the worship center all on their own? It’s better to over communicate than to under communicate and have new guests who are trying to find their way around.
Please no hand written signs and please place your logo on the signs.
Bathroom signage is very important specially for set up churches. Do not assume every one knows the bathrooms are located around the corner of the cafeteria.
3- Have something planned for next weekend.
The average new guest may be back for Mothers day or Christmas if we do not strategically create a reason for them to return.
This is one of the questions I ask churches most as I consult. What is planned for next week? It can be something as simple as pizza with the pastors or pastelito and caffecito or hot chocolate meet and greet. But please be sure you have planned something new guests look forward to next week. The average person must feel an emotional connection the first 3-4 minutes or we lose them.
I’ve had the opportunity with AT Studios to strategize with multimillion businesses on how to reach their target demographics. What if churches considered all possible means to reach those that enter the church once or twice a year.What if our effort was so big that we over communicated our love for Christ and what He did on the Cross for us?
I believe in reaching people where they are at their level and most importantly reaching kids. If you can get kids excited and wanting to return their parents will.
Check out my e-book for programming samples
It is my prayer that you are prepared and expecting God to do great things because He can. You must be prepared to receive.
In His Service,
Betty Flores
Need more help ? Contact me.
by admin | Nov 11, 2014 | Leadership
I have the pleasure of leading several teams at a time. I have to admit leading creatives is quite different from leading a 9-5 management team. Creatives are usually laid back, not uptight individuals who look at the world in a very unique way.Below here are steps I use to leading fun and successful teams of creatives. Have fun and do not be uptight. Creatives are usually fun and tend to open up once they are comfortable.
1-Have an agenda.
Creatives can get very emotional and excited about projects/ ideas colors and brand. Having an agenda will help them to have a road map for their projects. If they know the boundaries for the project they will stay focused on the task at hand. However, do not discount any ideas that may be used for a future project! Something may not work for a current project but may be perfect for a future one.
2- Have a activity or game From simple game to a team building activity.
Why games? Your team of creatives may not know each other well. Fun, team building games will help build up trust.Creatives tend to enjoy a fun environment. Games help break the monotony and release creative juices. Below are a few games that have been fun for us to do ! Two Truths and a Lie- This is a fun way for a group of people to get to know each other! Figuring out which is the lie and which is the truth! Any game similar to Charades. One where communication is key for any team to work well together. Trust falls- This is a great way for teams to learn more about each other. Learning about each other’s boundaries and opportunities growth. Don’t try to force things. You want genuine engagement with your team.
3- Always feed the ego and praise in public.
I’ve learned from that a piece of them is In every project. There is an emotional egotistical connection. I always look for ways to feed my teams ego. A current project, a post on their social media or a new creation they are working on. And I constantly praise them In public.
4- Do something for them.
This could be as simple as bringing them their favorite snack or beverage. Supporting them in their projects outside of the work they do for you. By acknowledging that they do have dreams and goals outside of your company will go a long way to nurturing loyalty to business.
5- Always have final steps to follow with expected dates.
This is important creatives can linger on things and leave it to the last minute. It’s almost a rush to them. Before you head out have clear set dates of expected projects. I struggled months learning how to and what to do. If you think you will lead and force creatives to stick to a “management ” style you are in for a surprise.
It will be fun but it will take some adjustments specially if you’re a result driven vision focused leader with a tight schedule. Below are ways I break up a one hour meeting.
Praises! Start by praising their posts, projects or actions.
Real business talk – clients updates.
Fun- release them for coffee and donuts.
Serious – next week focus Fun- fun team building activity. Dates on expected results.
These are suggestions that have worked for us at ATS. It is always a challenge to learn how people work and think. In the end it is worth it as the projects come together and the business grows! Download our free resource on how to get to know your creatives here!
