Both ‘Senior’ Leaders & ‘Assistant’ Leaders need to be encouraged in Rally work.
.. Do you ever feel as if it is all on your shoulders?
.. Do you ever feel you would like to lead a part of the Rally programme but you are never asked?
.. Do you think you have great ideas to share?
.. Do you pray regularly and/or individually for your Rally members?
Here are some ideas for both the Senior Rally Leader and Assistant leaders to consider each other, support each other and grow each other in this valuable work for God.
Senior Leaders – How you can encourage your Assistant Leaders - (These are only a selection of ideas that may inspire you.)
- Realise you are unable to run a Rally programme without them!
- Always be polite, friendly and don’t let your frustrations come out in abruptness or rudeness to others.
- Have a positive comment to make after any leader has led a part of the programme eg, taken devotion, Memory verse, a game or organised an event. If there has been a hiccup or problem, that can be talked about later, but thank them for their hard work and preparation.
- USE your leaders – don’t do it all yourself.
- Take your leaders on a team building morning – or put it on yourself and enjoy it together.
- Pray with each leader at some stage of the Rally programme/term. (It does depend on how many of you the team as to what is possible!!)
- Have a cuppa with each leader over the period of a term (or go for a walk, play golf..). Discuss what they enjoy doing, feel their strengths are, and what they would like to do in the future (re Rally). They may have some training goals to accomplish or personal development that will grow them.
- Help them develop in areas they want to improve eg. taking a devotional talk.
- Write thankyou/encouragement cards for your leaders at the end of the year/term.
- The ‘Toastmaster’ idea is after you have given a speech, your fellow toastmasters praise you in 2 areas, critique you in 1 and then praise you in another. It’s a great idea for us to use. Eg. “You did a lot of research on Daniel, and dressing up was great to help keep the kids interest. Next time speak a bit louder so those at the back will hear you better. You were a little quiet. Thanks for the challenge to pray more. We all need to do that.”
- Encourage your leaders to bring ideas to planning meetings – you might like to suggest they all bring a craft idea one meeting, a new game another time, or have a brainstorming session on how to provide a special activity night. See ‘The big OE’, page 7 for an idea that came from a brainstorming session.
Assistant Leaders – How you can encourage your Senior Leader
- Realise they have a lot of ‘behind the scenes’ preparation to do, but that they need you to help the programme run smoothly now. Be available.
- Be ready to help. Don’t stand talking to other leaders and leave the senior leader to organise teams, stop kids talking etc. Be there with the kids.
- Give positive feedback wherever you can.
- Show enthusiasm at Rally and for Rally.
- Be there on time (I know there are some situations that preclude this).
- Be willing to share ideas. Even if they are not used, they are appreciated. Rejection of an idea is not rejection of you. It may work later.
- Carry out any responsibilities you took on.
- Support by attending Training sessions.
- Thanks your senior leader for the work, direction, skills that they bring to their job. Send a card sometime.
