The Strategic Leader’s Guide to Administrative Support

Meet Our Guests

  • David Gaddini: An ordained pastor since 2000, David has served as the senior pastor of his church near Chicago since 2003. He brings a wealth of experience in long term pastoral leadership.
  • Annette Safstrom: A ministry veteran with deep experience in children’s ministry, Annette is also a business owner and coach to executive leaders. She offers powerful insights on self-awareness and team building.

Key Discussion Points

The “Secretary” vs. The Modern “Admin”

The term “secretary” can feel dated, often bringing to mind old images of dictaphones and typing pools. However, David points out the powerful root of the word:

“It’s a secret keeper. That’s literally a secretary, right? You are the keeper of the secrets. And I don’t know about you. That sounds powerful.” – David Gaddini

While the title has evolved to “admin,” the core function of a trusted, skillful partner remains essential. The responsibilities have changed dramatically from the 1960s to today, but the need for someone to manage the details is greater than ever.

The Game-Changing Impact of an Admin

Both guests emphasize that a good administrative partner is a “game changer.” They provide more than just task management; they provide peace of mind.

  • A Second Life: David describes a great admin as someone who has “literally given me a second life,” freeing him from tasks that took up more time than they should have.
  • Increased Peace: Annette shares how her admin has directly impacted her well being.
  • “They have increased my peace. Like knowing that things are handled… I leave my work at the end of the day and I can just exhale and know that the next day it’ll be there.” – Annette Safstrom

Why Do Leaders Hesitate to Ask for Help?

Many ministry leaders struggle to admit they need administrative support. The conversation highlights a few key barriers:

  • The “It’s My Job” Myth: Leaders often feel a personal responsibility to handle every single task associated with their ministry, from high level strategy to cutting out crafts.
  • Ego and Praise: For a few, the desire to be seen as the “hero” who does it all can get in the way of building a team.
  • The Time-to-Train Dilemma: The most common barrier is the feeling of being too busy to train someone. David explains the thought process:
  • “The time it takes to teach someone is not always worth the risk because are they going to stick with it? Are they going to do a good job?… The fear that it’s going to create more work… I think keeps us from reaching out.” – David Gaddini

Shifting Your Culture to Embrace Administrative Support

Creating a church culture where every leader feels empowered to get the help they need doesn’t happen overnight.

  • Start One Role at a Time: It’s often not practical to hire an admin for every staff member at once. David advises leaders to identify where the need is greatest: “Where do you see the ministries thriving and growing? Where do you see balls getting dropped? Where do you see the capacity to free a creative up who is bogged down?”
  • Let the Fruit Speak for Itself: As one ministry area begins to flourish with administrative help, others will see the value and it will create natural momentum for change.

Finding Your Admin: Using Tools to Identify Gifted People

How do you find people with administrative gifts? It starts with being intentional.

  • Leverage Assessment Tools: Spiritual gift inventories or tools like Ministry Architects’ Volunteer Accelerator can be a “goldmine.” These tools can matrix a person’s skills and passions with the church’s needs, providing a perfect starting point for a conversation.
  • Tools Don’t Replace Conversation: An assessment is a great “springboard” into a conversation, but it’s the personal connection that truly helps someone find their fit.
  • Look for Volunteer Teams: Annette shares the story of a kids’ pastor who, facing a hiring freeze, built a volunteer admin team to edit curriculum and prep supplies. This not only met the immediate need but also created capacity for her to think strategically about the future.

Paid Staff vs. Valued Volunteer: Making the Right Call

Should an administrative role be a paid position or a volunteer one?

  • Pay for Long-Term Stability: When a role requires deep institutional knowledge and consistency, paying a staff member is the wise move. David explains, “whenever you’re looking for long term stability in a position, you should be asking, when can we start to pay someone in this position?” This is especially true for complex roles like managing the church database or financial operations.
  • Volunteers Can Offer Incredible Support: Many gifted people are eager to serve and don’t expect payment. David shares a story of a woman who volunteered for 10 to 20 hours a week, bringing her professional experience as an executive assistant to the church.

Am I Being Lazy? A Self-Assessment Guide for Leaders

It’s the question many leaders ask themselves. Here’s how to know if you truly need help.

  1. Analyze Your Task List: Pay attention to the tasks that consistently get pushed to the end of the week. Annette notes, “Those are the things that I am either not gifted at or I don’t like them.” These are prime candidates for delegation.
  2. Keep Relational Tasks: You should always keep core relationship building activities like volunteer recruiting and family connections. But tasks like scheduling meetings can often be handed off.
  3. Evaluate Your Core Function: For pastors, teachers, or worship leaders, the key question is about time allocation.
  4. “If you’re in a teaching role and you find that you’re spending more of your time on administrative tasks than teaching preparation and delivery, you’re not actually doing the job that you’ve been called to do.” – David Gaddini

How to Address a Team Member Who is Dropping the Ball

When someone on your team isn’t getting things done, a difficult conversation is necessary.

  • Address It Quickly: Don’t save feedback for an annual review. Once you see a trend, speak into it right away to avoid letting frustration build.
  • Approach with Curiosity: Start by asking what’s going on. Annette suggests asking, “Is there something we’re missing?” This opens the door for an honest conversation rather than an accusation.
  • Teach Healthy Delegation: Senior leaders must model and teach the difference between delegating and dumping.
  • “I can dump a project on you, but if I don’t check back and see how it’s going and see what questions you have, that’s not delegating. That is, I just want it off my plate.” – Annette Safstrom

Your Actionable Next Steps

Ready to make a change? Here are two practical steps you can take this week.

  • Create a “Potential Helpers” List (David’s Advice):
    • Identify a small list of people in your congregation who might have administrative gifts.
    • Pray over that list for a week.
    • Pick one name and ask them to help with one small, specific project. See how they do and if they enjoy it. This can be the start of a great partnership.
  • Create a “Tasks I Hate” List (Annette’s Advice):
    • Be honest with yourself and make a private list of the tasks you don’t enjoy and consistently put off.
    • Review the list and ask, “Is there something here I can hand off?”
    • Pray for God to show you the right person to help with one of those tasks.

Resources Mentioned