So you got on that plane. You’ve wrapped up launch and now, it’s show time.
The World Race isn’t just a “missions program”, it’s a movement; it’s our hope that as the World Race progresses we generate exponential momentum. Our desire is that each successive squad faces less inertia, or at least is equipped to overcome it more quickly than previous squads.
In other words, we hope you take half as long – the less, the better! – to learn what took some of us half the Race grasp.
Like what we in World Race circles call “feedback”. In The Message translation of Proverbs, we read: Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit – you choose. (18:21)
Part of the World Race culture/lifestyle is speaking life into one another. Sometimes giving/receiving feedback will be like dessert, other times it’ll feel more like medicine.
1) The 24 hour principle: Approach conflicts within 24 hours. If you need to, get accountability to make sure you approach the person within 24 hours. Don’t let it fester.
2) Always approach constructive feedback with the attitude of being ‘for’ the [recipient]. My motive needs to be for their betterment. I want to see the other person more fruitful, more effective, healthier, etc.3) When giving constructive feedback, give it in three parts:a. An observation. ‘Billy, sometimes you come across sort of critical.’b. An example. ‘Like yesterday, when you said I looked fat in my outfit, and then acted like you were just joking. That hurt my feelings.’
c. And a suggestion. ‘Maybe just pause for a second before you make a remark about someone and think over what you are about to say. It will probably help you filter. I don’t think you are usually meaning to be critical.’4) The response to constructive feedback is always ‘Thank you.’ It isn’t a time to justify or explain, ‘I was just tired when I said that.’ Just say ‘thank you.’ If it’s a bigger issue that needs more discussion, it can be handled in a one-on-one discussion. But as far as team feedback time goes, ‘Thank you for your feedback.’
- Future Squad Leaders: There will be days where you will hate being a squad leader. You are in a position to make the tough calls and have the hard conversations. And the squad may, or more likely, may not, support you at all. Just remember that God didn’t put you in that position if He did not equip you for it. Be firm, stand in knowledge that you are equipped, in the same way that Moses was equipped, though he did not feel like it.
- Future Team Leaders: You are not just disseminating information to your team in your role. You may be the point person for your contact but you play a much bigger role than that. YOU set the tone for your team – they will thrive in walking in the Spirit if you thrive walking in the Spirit. You need to have a keen awareness of how each and everyone on your team is doing, especially on bad days, so that you can challenge, encourage and support at those critical times.
Understand the profiles of each team member: married couples, young guys, older (above 30) girls and be aware of their needs. Ask the Lord for discernment, you will not be able to lead on your own strength. You should learn very early on each of your team members’ strength and weaknesses and use that to help your team work as a unit. You NEED to be aware when someone is having a bad day and reach out to them, even when you don’t feel like it. Equip yourselves by being filled with the word of God, it will protect you and give you wisdom to handle situations.
- Future Finance Folks: The one thing I would say to you is that even though there is an emphasis on meeting budget and not going over, TRUST in the Lord that He will provide, especially in the expensive countries. Don’t do the finances all in your own strength, watch how the Lord WILL provide for your team especially when you are over budget. We often try so hard to meet budgets on our own strength and fail to ask for God to intervene. I have seen teams who have been over budget and the Lord blessed them with a month of free vegetables and fruits. Don’t let the task of handling money consume your faith.
Future Logistics Folks: Some days you will feel “Life is Unfair”. There will be days while the rest of the squad is out on their off days, you are stuck working hard to find a bus/train station to arrange for your next travel days for the squad, or arranging hostels for everyone.
You essentially do the bulk of the work for your squad, more work than team leaders, more work than squad leaders but no one will see that. Take a deep breath on those days and remember what you signed up for in this role: To serve YOUR squad. NO ONE on your team will understand what you go through or your frustrations, not your leaders, maybe your squad leaders.
The only person that will fully understand what you go through is your logistics partner so lean on each other. You will see the fruit of the partnership because God picked the two of you.
As an encouragement, being in this role, you will have sharpened many skills by the end of your race: research skills on the how to travel from country to country, negotiating skills because you will be always asking for discounts since you have the volume of business, networking skills because you will be the first one to touch base with each new contact in each country, patience and grace because you do a TON of work that no one sees only to get some disgruntled comments in the worst of times.
Remember, take a deep breath and remember what you signed up for.
Consider these a couple of “Cliff’s Notes” on life on the World Race, if you will. Don’t worry, there’s no exam; the true test, however, is in how quickly you get this so that you can move onto AP level Kingdom lifestyle.
