One Easy Way to Stop Conflict Before It Starts

Image by chulmin park from Pixabay

My husband and I arrived at a campsite after dark with a new, untested tent to assemble. Not a good idea! Now we know our tent well enough that we could put it up in the dark, but at that time it was a real challenge!

Failing to adequately provide all the information and details to church staff and members, especially during times of change and transition, is like asking them to assemble a tent without lighting. They may experience heightened confusion, uncertainty, or anxiety. They will feel ‘in the dark’ about what’s going on.

What’s even worse is that people, without information, tend to make up their own story to explain what’s happening. This leads to misinformation, rumors, and chaos.

Many of us don’t think about the importance of communicating information completely, clearly, and frequently to our followers. Yet, emotionally intelligent pastors do just that. They communicate well and often. This helps staff and members feel informed and part of the process, contributing to a greater likelihood of engagement and participation.

Lack of adequate communication can, therefore, increase negativity and push back when you're trying to move forward. When we don’t fully inform people of coming changes and new projects or missions they may feel left out, unimportant, and more anxious. This can lead to disengagement rather than engagement. People may even question whether we're hiding something from them and become mistrustful!

Even when we have fully communicated, people may still not grasp the entirety of our message. Repetition is necessary. The communication also needs to be clear and concise to avoid confusion. Even then, people will still ask questions that we thought were answered!

The moral of the story: turn on the light! Communicate clearly and completely about the vision, goals, new projects, and changes.  It will help create a sense of shared vision and teamwork, encouraging others to participate and involve themselves.

Clear, complete, and concise communication will help prevent some conflict before it starts!

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