Team organization

I have just recently stepped back into being in charge of technologies/media at my church.

I don't want to sound like things are out of order now or that they were completely under control before,
But I would like to bring some organization to the group.

I am currently working on:
Mission Statement / Statement of purpose
Form for people interested in joining the team
Documents for running equipment (Process Charts)
Name for the Ministry

Also do you think creating different positions (titles) would be recommended?
I was thinking to create different levels for example:
Computer Operator
Computer Setup
Lighting Operator
Lighting Programer
and so on...

Not sure about what the titles would be yet, but thought with different titles I
could set up different requirements (responsibilities) for each level for example
a Computer Operator would not be responsible for setting up the service outline
they would only have to run the set schedule. and so on...
Not sure if titles would be a wrong direction and only cause problems

Any input would be greatly appreciated !!!

craig

Will people be assigned these positions or will the positions be given a name and then people fill them.

For instance...
Will I be given the title "Lighting Operator"
or will there be a position called "Lighting Operator" and various people will be filling these positions on various Sundays??

I guess I would try to stay clear of a hierarchical type system.

We have one kid that keeps calling himself the church's webtech. He uses the title to try and build credibility with people. You know...try and make it sound like he is important. But honesty, he has never done any of our web stuff...and really does not do much within our area of ministry anyway.

[stevegoad]

Well, there are certainly others who have given more thought and energy to the exacts of media team positions.

But what has worked for me in a couple of churches is to make sure first to be prayerful in your consideration of team members.

Next, get a technical director. This person needs to be a jack of all trades, and an expert in at least one or two areas of media. This is also the most important person of the team, since they are responsible for keeping it all together.

After this, you get the people who you need. It sounds like the members you are talking about are good. (Since the sound man is busy listening, don't forget to have an audio assistant, who is there to listen to the technical director over the head set, and pass the word on to the sound tech.

Tim and Tone have both written extensively on this (Also, I think one of Lin Wilson's books talks about it in detail).

But this is a start.

www.firstinlastout.org

The main reason that I was thinking of creating the positions stem from an instance that happened
along time ago when I was previously in charge. My team was very small back then (3 + me).
I wasn't going to be able to make it early to church so I went in late Saturday night & set everything up
& informed the person scheduled of what they needed to do.
Can't remember the exact request that was asked of the person in the both
Can't even remember who asked it, but I remember how bad the person felt that they couldn't do it.
I will never forget the sad look on their face . I tried to explain that I never expected them to handle anything
except running the lights and computer. That's what they were there for, not to jump through hoops
at the last minute when the pressure is on... They were what I would call an "Operator"
I can jump through some hoops if needs be & I have one young man who can blind folded but most can't.

I've seen that others here have voiced the problem of "you did it before, why not now?"

This was a way I thought might solve that.
Every position had a description of responsibilities.
The office would be given a list of scheduled servants and their positions.
If at the last minute someone came up with a great idea and wanted the person
in the both to stand on there head and juggle flaming torches (exaggeration added)
That person would have to have the position of psychotic clown (not a real title) to do this.

There are many more Operators in my church then people that can put out technical fires.
So I would not limit my recruiting of individuals. Also Thought this may give an Operator the
desire to advance to a higher level of experience, say programing the intelligent lights.

Just wasn't sure if what I thought might be good was worth what I fear might be real bad
Like pride, ego, over inflated confidence, self seeking individuals & so on

[stevegoad]

Wow Tone,

I knew that you would be able to talk about the topic. You have more of a team that our church has in attendance right now.

Really, though, it is interesting. I know you are right in that not every church has the same needs, and not all of the posts that you mentioned will be found in every church.

In your model, I take that during the worship service itself, the A1 takes the roll of sound technician (since you didn't state specifically who the sound tech was, and you spoke of the A1 taking care of the band sound during rehearsal, I thought that this was the case).

Also, since the monitors SHOULD BE set before the worship service gets started, I suspect the Monitor World could be take another roll (Perhaps the sound assistant that I mentioned in my earlier note).

Do you agree?

RE: Monitor mix. They really should be mixing the whole service. Just as each song needs front of house tweaking, so does the monitor mix. The monitor mix is just as important because the praise band depends on a good mix in order to do their best. Depends on the size of your church and band of course. You may be comfortable without a dedicated monitor mixer, but I highly recommend it.

RE: Teams in general. My book gives a lot of team-building tips, but doesn't really go into specifics on titles for the action team. In a typical, small to medium church, I would define these (hopefully self-explanatory) positions:

> Media minister/director/coordinator
> Computer/Presentation Operator (songs, sermon notes, etc.)
> Video operator (movie clips, etc.) - may be the same person as the computer op
> Lighting Director
> Front of house op
> Monitor op

That's 4-6 people. Most small churches run with 2. I guess if you combine computer and video, if you don't need a lighting person, choose not to have a monitor op and the media minister does the computer/video -- that would leave you with two people. Depends on your needs, goals and how technically complicated your services are. This scenario doesn't take IMAG into consideration. Lots of different ways to do things....

Cheer-e-o,

1-Director-TD for Imag
1-Mediashout Op
1-Lighting Op
1-A1
2-Camera People

Then also there is someone doing just the message tape recording.
And perhaps 2 stagehands to move props, etc.

It works well, but there really needs to be a Service Producer in the booth also, to call things that the Imag director can't.

[stevegoad]

I didn't tell much about what I am doing now (which is really a big switch for me).

When I was in Florida, I built media things from the ground up in a well established church. Within 2 years, we went from nothing, to a 7 person team (that being technical director, sound technician, stage sound manager, computer/video operator, lighting technician, camera operator, and closed circuit operator). We also brought in a couple of more camera people for special events.

Now, I am building again, in a new church that has no perminant facilities, and is slow at taking off (we average 75 on a Sunday morning right now). We have a sound technician and a computer/video technician. I am technical director. I also run sound for sound checks, while my sound tech is on stage checking monitors and finishing setting mics and such. Our keyboard player becomes the stage liason during the service itself.

I guess the reason I am adding another 2 cents worth (other than to build up my points - - just kidding Tim) is to say that, while I would love a team that has so many tasks set up, and everything exact, sometime the situation doesn't allow that. I don't feel free to take a vacation, or even be sick on a Sunday. I will in time as the team builds up.

But the real key when it comes down to it is not how many people you have on your team, or what their titles are (though I know for recognition purposes, it is a wonderful thing. It really comes down to 3 points: 1) Use what you have to get the job done (in my case, being I have to be willing to leave my post as TD to sit at the computer or the sound board if something comes up); 2) in evaluation, try to improve on what is done (if that means more members, get them... if that means changing members, do it) and 3) ALWAYS LOVE AND PRAISE YOUR TEAM. Remember, no one will volunteer if you don't appreciate their efforts. Everything works bettter if the volunteers are happy.

But that's my thoughts.

[kerwin kanago]

Can I nominate one more for your list Steve?

4) Make sure its simple and clear to everyone NOT in the team how to communicate things to the team. Especially when you are more than one or two but not big enough to have a clear producer/director.