“I’m not [naturally] great at business, I’ve just made more mistakes than you have.”
-Michael Hyatt
Here’s the thing, I didn’t start writing these articles or recording podcasts because I have achievements to brag about. My goal for everything you read or hear is for you to be able to identify pitfalls and mistakes early on that I crashed and burned on (and hopefully you can avoid!).
As I was scrolling through social media, I happened upon this post from Adam Grant:
I couldn’t agree more.
I don’t believe there are one size fits all answers, and the insights I provide might not be for you. That’s okay. But I would encourage you to question how your leadership and ministry might be different if you considered them. The core problem I hope to help remedy is the current echo chamber of vague worship ministry answers.
The reason I feel I can provide answers is because I spent years making mistakes. So for example, the next article is about dealing with difficult team members. My suggestions are formed from years of tolerating, and consequently suffering the effects, of not appropriately dealing with these kinds of characters. When you listen to the podcast episode about Bad Bosses, it won’t be a tell all about my employers but rather more a confessional of how I have led my direct reports poorly.
If you’re looking for advice on how to sell platinum records or improve your vocal technique, I will happily point you to other sources. But if you have found yourself with any amount of recognized leadership over or within a worship team, I have got lessons to offer you from my mistakes. Maybe you’re aspiring to more team leadership. Consider the tools I offer as research to start building your tools before you find yourself in that spot.
In addition to leadership, I’m also passionate about the practicals. Articles and podcasts will range from worship philosophy to producing or even just how to run a good rehearsal.
This will be where we question the general consensus, doubt the default answer, and consider alternatives that challenge status quo.
In his book The Practice, Seth Godin tells the story of Pythagorus and the Five Hammers. In the story, Pythagorus (the guy behind A squared + B squared = C squared) was walking by a blacksmith shop where he heard the most incredible harmony of five hammers clanking together. According to legend, he took all of the hammers home and discovered that four of the hammers’ weights were all equal ratios to each other. When the fifth hammer didn’t fall in line, he discarded it as irrelevant. But it was actually the contrasting dissonance of the fifth hammer that was the catalyst for completing the captivating sounds.
Consider my viewpoints the fifth hammer: the irreverent advice when the usual answers aren’t working. Remember, your current system is perfectly designed for your current results. It’s tempting to just go with your gut when facing a tough situation, but in my experience that just leads to avoiding the issue which is always a silent acceptance. Or If you’ve tried doubling down on the orthodox worship team leadership advice and still aren’t satisfied, maybe try picking up my hammer.
Love Podcasts? Be sure to catch the discussion over at Episode 2 of The BotaCast.
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