Our First Impressions team are awesome! I love to talk about them everywhere I go because they do such a great job. These are the guys who drive the minibuses, serve teas and coffees, serve as parking attendants and host on our front doors. This week I have asked our team leader, Rebekah Loades, to share some insights for us in growing such a great team.

 

 

The BIG ask! People are just waiting to be asked to serve on team.

 

Ever tried to get someone to try the first piece of a freshly baked cake? What about asking someone to test drive a Nissan 350z? I’m sure most of us wouldn’t find it difficult to ask people to do either of those things!

 

How about asking someone to serve on your team? Does that bring out hives or make you sweat big time? Why? Do you think that they might say no or that it isn’t very exciting what you’re asking them to do?

 

Well either way people are often afraid to ask if it’s okay to serve on team! A lot of the time they don’t want to be an inconvenience to you or they don’t think that there is a need - you seem to be coping okay on your own and don’t need any more help.

 

Why did you get involved in the first place? Most people want to be a part of something bigger than them and feel like they are making a difference in our world - being involved in team is the way that they can achieve this.

 

Make it easy for people to be involved in what you are doing and start by doing the ASKING!

 

Some points to consider when doing the BIG Ask:

1.       How do you talk about your team? How you talk about the team will say a lot. Are you enthusiastic and passionate when you talk about it or do you say things like ‘I know it’s not the most interesting thing to do’ or ‘It is a really messy job but someone has to do it I guess’. This kind of language will turn people off straight away before you even ask if they want to be involved! So talk about some of the effects of your team tell them some great stories  – ‘It was worth getting up early to make all the tea and coffee because when I served one lady last week she spoke to me about the miracles that God has been doing in her life – that’s why I love doing what I do’.

2.       Does your team look like its having fun? If your team all look bored and grumpy or like they all woke up on the wrong side of the bed then people won’t want to join it! Inject some fun and create an environment that people want to be a part of. Have Fun! 

3.       Is it easy to be part of your team? What have you done to open up your team for people to join and be a part of? People want to feel included and like they will fit in. Do all of your team wear matching t-shirts? Well what if someone doesn’t feel comfortable in a T-Shirt as they always wear a smart shirt and tie or they are too big to fit into the sizes available? What have you done to allow them to still feel a part of the team, to still feel needed and to still be a part of something bigger than them?