Slicing Apples

I’m blessed with great health, but it’s not because I follow all the guidelines for a healthy diet. In particular, I don’t eat nearly as much fruit as I should. One thing that I’ve noticed is that I’m more likely to eat an apple if it’s already sliced. Perhaps you’re thinking that I should grow up, and I probably should, but I think this simple illustration is important for leaders to keep in mind. In our churches and volunteer-driven ministries, we can rarely command someone to do something. We can ask and implore and persuade, but giving orders just doesn’t work very well (not even with paid staff). So if we’re relying on their voluntary cooperation, why not make it a little easier to do the job? Like slicing the apples first. Perhaps you need a couple of volunteers to print and mail the monthly newsletter. Make sure that the copy machine is available and that the labels are ready when they show up. Or that person who is reluctant to teach a class might find it much easier to say “yes” if you pair her with an experienced teacher who can share the job and show her the ropes. Unfortunately, in many chronically short-handed organizations, just the opposite occurs. It’s the equivalent of telling me that I will have to go the store to get my own apple. Of course, it takes some extra time to slice an apple, or anything that you might do to make the job a little easier and more enjoyable for volunteers and staff members. But if you can multiply the number of people and their levels of commitment, you’ll get that time back in short order. What apples do you need to slice this week? It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>