Beware of rubber bands

Mike Bonem April 13, 2021

my saved content

VIEW AS
A PDF

iStock

Leading change is much more than coming up with a great idea. It's more than putting the wheels in motion for a new initiative. It requires ongoing effort to maintain momentum. That is when it's helpful to learn from rubber bands.

You've probably used a rubber band in slingshot manner to launch an object. The distance the object travels is proportional to how far you stretch the rubber band. So how many feet does the object travel if you don't release the rubber band? Zero. And yet, as long as the rubber band is stretched, it has the potential to launch the object. In physics this is referred to as potential energy. In a similar manner, every organization has potential energy to resist change, even when things seems stable.

Most churches and ministries made dramatic changes to respond to the pandemic, often with little pushback. But don't mistake that experience as a sign of smooth sailing in the future. The rubber band is still stretched – a fact that every pastor and ministry leader needs to keep in mind in the coming months.

Why? The pandemic-driven changes in 2020 were widely accepted as appropriate and necessary. Some people in your church or ministry may be excited to use the current season as a launching pad for more change, but others expect a "return to normal." Like the rubber band, the latter have potential energy that can quickly be activated.

So what can a leader do? First, don't be lulled into a false sense of security if things have been relatively calm. Second, be realistic about the amount of change that the organization can absorb and choose wisely. Even a decision to maintain previous shifts may be treated as an unwelcome change in the future. Third, look for ways to gradually diffuse the potential resistance. Find leaders among the "old guard" who are more open to change and seek support from them, or highlight encouraging stories that show what a different future can look like.

Those organizational rubber bands are present, even if they're not visible. Like a real rubber band, they can hurt if they snap back. Don't ignore them as you plan for a post-pandemic future.

my saved content

VIEW AS
A PDF

Mike Bonem is an author, consultant, speaker, church leader, businessperson, husband and father. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a breadth of experience in ministry and business, including 11 years as an executive pastor, consulting with Fortune 100 companies, and leading a start-up business. This article was first published on MikeBonem.com. Used with permission. Learn More »

• When preaching solutions, do these two things first (by Mark MacDonald)
• How smartphones have been used toward a torrent of cyberbullying (by Thom Rainer)
• How to bless before you blame in a conflict at work (by Jordan Raynor)
• How to combine passion and discipline for leadership impact (by Scott Cochrane)

Free eBook

Steps to Launching Your Personal Workplace Ministry

Have you ever felt the pull to full-time ministry work as a missionary or pastor? If not, you can still make a Kingdom impact without quitting your current job. In this eBook, you will learn the four essentials that can change your perspective of work, your workplace, and most importantly, your heart.

Download Now