Church Marketing Sucks

I am not one who invites the spotlight of past regrets to follow me wherever I go. Nor do I want to endure the whack-a-mole moments where I’m constantly reminded of my failures with a shocking whack on the head. And yet, regrets can be an effective teacher if we seek to learn from them.

Regrets usually come from failures, and if we are willing, failures will shape better character and improve decisions.

A common theme emerges when I think back on my greatest regrets as a church communicator. Most occurred when I became intensely absorbed with what I thought was best. When I became laser focused on my way as the best way, I quickly dismissed any offers of help from others. I became infected with a “fixed mindset” virus.

This virus brings on paralysis of the mind. The infected becomes immovable.

Inflexible.

Unyielding.

Thoughts like these are frequent: “I have it all figured out and I don’t need your help.” Everybody else’s ideas are discounted as “not good enough.”

In time I began to realize that a fixed mindset rapidly shuts down progress.

A Better Way
Those failures taught me the importance of choosing a growth mindset. Where there is a growth mindset, there is a willingness to learn from others. There is an acceptance and even a proactive partnership to explore ideas and collaborate.

I don’t have to have all the answers, and a growth mindset communicates, “I value your input and I want to learn from you.”

Can you think of a time recently when you were open to learning from someone on your team?

Make Sure You’re Changing
I believe every successful church communicator must embrace a growth mindset. Mark MacDonald, church brand strategist at BeKnownForSomething.com, said it well:

“The world’s going to change, the church communication world is changing and will continue to change. But it’s more important to make sure you’re changing.” [Emphasis mine]

When we adopt a growth mindset, we readily accept that we need to change and we have more to learn. We become teachable. Being teachable is essential if we are going to help our churches make progress. And what better place to be taught and figure out how to make progress than at the Certification Lab?

You’re Invited to Be Teachable With Us at the Certification Lab
This is why I am so eager to be a part of the Certification Lab for church communicators coming to Atlanta in June.  Spending these two days together will strengthen your growth mindset through transparent conversations and incredible insights provided by several seasoned communicators including Kelley Hartnett, Phil Bowdle, Stephen Brewster and Mark MacDonald. Are you ready to grow?

I am excited for what you will learn and what we will learn from each other. We are in this together and our best days are ahead, so don’t miss out on this great opportunity. I hope to see you there! Register now for the Certification Lab.