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Clergy Assessment and Renewal

Clergy Assessment and Renewal. Why Assessment?. The assessment is psychological . Typically the combination of instruments used, coupled with the interview-feedback process, enable an assessor to 1) rule out psychopathology,

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Clergy Assessment and Renewal

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  1. ClergyAssessmentandRenewal

  2. Why Assessment? The assessment is psychological. Typically the combination of instruments used, coupled with the interview-feedback process, enable an assessor to 1) rule out psychopathology, 2) describe the personality patterns, traits, moods and behaviors that characterize the candidate and 3) compare those characteristics with criteria for potential effective or negative functioning in ministry.

  3. Assessment looks at family background, psychosexual concerns, intimacy skills, faith history, Conflict management style Leadership skills social involvement/relationship building, and other pertinent areas related to healthy functioning

  4. What is the Benefit of a Candidate Assessment? For the Committee: To have a clearer picture of the strengths, limitations and vulnerabilities of the candidate To have a clearer picture of the candidate’s likely potential for ministry and appropriate ministry contexts for the candidate To have recommendations to address areas of needed growth for the candidate

  5. For the Candidate: • To increase the candidate’s self-awareness and self-understanding of strengths, limitations and vulnerabilities • To increase the candidate’s realism about ministry and various ministry contexts and how they fit the candidate’s interests, aptitudes and skills • To understand and accept recommendations for growth supporting experiences • To develop a foundation for healthy ministry attitudes and practices

  6. Clergy candidates benefit from the results of this process by learning their strengths and weaknesses. With this information a candidate has time throughout the ordination process to learn what helps them most in their weak areas and how to harness their strengths for excellent leadership once they begin ministry.

  7. What Inventories are Used and Why?

  8. The Parts and Pieces of an Assessment Process Biographical dataPsychological InventoriesPersonality InventoriesVocational InventoriesIndividual Counseling

  9. The Auto-biographical Questionnaires and Medical History Forms • provide important historical data • suggest capacity for openness and self-understanding • provide a context for understanding the results of other inventories.

  10. Psychological Inventories identify both positive and negative psychological features, symptoms, and patterns.

  11. Psychological Inventories • Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2): Recognized as well-validated instrument for identifying factors such as anxiety, depression, low-self esteem, health concerns, interpersonal difficulties, problems managing anger, etc. It also identifies positive factors related to self-confidence, resilience, concern for others, responsibility, etc. • Sentence Completion: Completion of sentence stems may identify areas of concern, willingness to acknowledge positives and negatives, capacity for self-reflection, unusual thought patterns, etc.

  12. Personality Style inventories Identify • preferred manner of operating in the world • natural strengths, and • corresponding weaknesses.

  13. Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (Step II): Identifies preferences in four areas – • E/I --- whether one is energized by the interior or external world; • S/N --- whether one is drawn toward the realm of the practical/factual or the imaginative/conceptual; • T/F --- whether one tends to make decisions with the head or the heart; • J/P --- whether one approaches life in a structured or a flexible manner. Results in 16 personality Types (i.e. ENFP, ISTJ, etc.) The Step II version identifies 20 sub-scales that provide a more nuanced description.

  14. Wagner Enneagram Personality Style Scales Identifies the candidate’s preference among 9 personality styles and his/her tendency toward operating out of the positive or negative aspects of that style. Also suggests likely response to stress and provides recommendations for achieving healthy balance in one’s natural style.

  15. The enneagram figure consists of a nine-pointed diagram, usually depicted within a circle.

  16. Style 1THE REFORMERThe Rational, Idealistic Type: Principled, Purposeful, Self-Controlled, and Perfectionistic

  17. Style 2THE HELPERThe Caring, Interpersonal Type: Demonstrative, Generous, People-Pleasing, and Possessive

  18. Style 3The AchieverThe Success-Oriented, Pragmatic Type: Adaptive, Excelling, Driven, and Image-Conscious

  19. Style 4THE INDIVIDUALISTThe Sensitive, Withdrawn Type: Expressive, Dramatic, Self-Absorbed, and Temperamental

  20. STYLE 5THE INVESTIGATORThe Intense, Cerebral Type: Perceptive, Innovative, Secretive, and Isolated

  21. Style 6THE LOYALISTThe Committed, Security-Oriented Type: Engaging, Responsible, Anxious, and Suspicious

  22. STLYE 7THE ENTHUSIASTThe Busy, Fun-Loving Type: Spontaneous, Versatile, Distractible, and Scattered

  23. Style 8THE CHALLENGERThe Powerful, Dominating Type: Self-Confident, Decisive, Willful, and Confrontational

  24. Style 9 THE PEACEMAKER The Easygoing, Self-Effacing Type: Receptive, Reassuring, Agreeable, and Complacent

  25. ENNEAGRAM TYPES from The Wisdom of the Enneagram by Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson (1999)

  26. Other Personality Inventories 16PF DISC (Dominance, influence, steadiness, conscientiousness) Keirsey Temperament Sorter Rorschach Inkblot test Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) California Personality Inventory (CPI)

  27. Vocational and other inventories • Used to identify • Skills • Interests • Reactions to various pastoral roles • Academic/intellectual strength

  28. Examples Clifton StrengthsFinder Strong Interest Inventory (SII) Campbell Interest and Skill Survey (CISS) Skills and Satisfactions Inventory Self-Care and Wellness Assessment FIRO-B (Fundamental Interpersonal Relationship Orientation- Behaviors) Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal

  29. Now That It’s DoneWhat Can You Expect? • Key, formative elements of the candidate’s personal history, with an indication as to their relevance to the candidate’s anticipated functioning in ministry • An clear, integrated , understandable portrait of the candidate and his/her issues and their relevance to likely pastoral functioning • Recommendations clearly related to areas of needed growth and a sense of the candidate’s capacity for this growth.

  30. Why is That Knowledge Important? • To address issues that may knock one out of ministry • Family history of depression –potential to become depressed • People pleaser • Inflexibility of thinking or behavior • Co-dependent behaviors • Care-taker syndrome • Drug and alcohol abuse/addiction (personal or family history)

  31. Consider these Statistics 71% of pastors stated they were burned out, and they battle depression beyond fatigue on a weekly and even a daily basis 72% of the pastors stated that they only studied the Bible when they were preparing for sermons or lessons. 75% of the pastors surveyed felt they were unqualified and/or poorly trained by their seminaries to lead and manage the church or to counsel others. This left them disheartened in their ability to pastor. 70% of pastors do not have close personal friends, and no one in whom to confide.

  32. Compiled by • Francis A. Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership Development (1998- 2006) who picked up a Fuller Institute project begun 1989. It encompasses 18 years of research that showed that pastoring is a dangerous occupation.

  33. Psychologist Richard Blackmon (with ties to Fuller Seminary and Dr. Archibald Heart)1985-2004 • Further reports: • 77% of the pastors surveyed felt they did not have a good marriage • 75% of ministers are extremely or highly stressed. • Assessment begins a process of looking at these issues before they become a part of the statistics.

  34. So-- -- What are some of the pitfalls to those in Ministry? Lack of Balance between Ministry/Personal life Failure to separate Person and Role Conflict in the Church Long hours Poor family relationships Excessive expectations Financial concerns Lack of close personal friendships/confidants No regular outside activities

  35. The Results • Stress • Burnout • Opt out of Ministry

  36. Work-related causes • Having little or no control over the work (or at least feeling that way). • Lack of recognition or rewards for good work. • Unclear or overly demanding job expectations. • Working in a chaotic or high-pressure environment

  37. Lifestyle causes • Working too much, without enough time for relaxing and socializing • Being expected to be too many things for too many people. • Taking on too many responsibilities, without enough help from others • Not getting enough sleep • Lack of close, supportive relationships

  38. Personality traits can contribute • Perfectionistic tendencies; nothing is ever good enough • Pessimistic view of self and the world • The need to be in control; reluctance to delegate to others • High-achieving, Type A personality • Introverted, Unassertive, walked on • Avoidance of Conflict • Taking Criticism Personally

  39. ResultsPhysical • Feeling tired and drained most of the time • Lowered immunity, feeling sick a lot • Frequent headaches, back pain, muscle aches • Change in appetite or sleep habits • Irritable, quick-tempered • Change in sexual habits

  40. ResultsEmotional • Sense of failure and self-doubt • Feeling helpless, trapped, and defeated • Detachment, feeling alone in the world

  41. ResultsBehavioral • Withdrawing from responsibilities or overworking • Isolating oneself from others • Procrastinating, taking longer to get things done Using food, drugs, or alcohol to cope Escaping on the computer and/or into pornography • Taking out frustrations on others • Skipping work or coming in late and leaving early

  42. What to Do? What to Do? Encourage Clergy Learn to: Start the day with a relaxing ritual (spend at least fifteen minutes meditating, writing in your journal, doing gentle stretches, or reading something that inspires you) Set boundaries (Don’t overextend yourself. Learn how to say “no” to requests on your time. If you find this difficult, remind yourself that saying “no” allows you to say “yes” to the things that you truly want to do.) Nourish creativity Learn how to manage stress Connect with friends Establish strong, trusting relationships outside of the church

  43. Find fresh spiritual disciplines Take regular time off Get proper exercise and sleep Relax Join a small support/prayer group Have fun! laugh sometimes!

  44. How can Committees and Board help? Offer workshops and other opportunities for clergy to gather, converse, connect, learn and play

  45. Possible Workshop Opportunities Managing Conflict/Managing Change Boundaries: Living with them so you won’t be without them Understanding and Identifying Leadership Styles A Good Beginning- Developing Pastor-Board Relationships Self-Care- Restoring Vitality to your life and Ministry Conflict Management Team Building – Yes we can work together

  46. Other Potential Workshops • Sabbatical Planning • Multi-staff Communication • Ending Well- Preparing for Retirement • Health and Excellence in Ministry • The Art of Listening • Stress Management • Time Management • Financial Planning • Making family relationships Count • The Art of Being A Pastor’s Spouse • Conflict Management

  47. FinallyHow can Committees and Board help? • Provide support during the “non-crisis” times so that in times of crisis there is a willingness to ask for help • Being realistic about churches’ needs and strengths of potential pastors

  48. Reading Resources The Pastor's Survival Manual: Ten Perils in Parish Ministry and How to Handle Them Kenneth Alan Moe Spiritual Wholeness for Clergy: A New Psychology of Intimacy with God, Self, and Others Donald R. Hands, Wayne L. Fehr The Competent Pastor: Skills and Self-Knowledge for Serving Well Ronald D. Sisk Never Call Them Jerks, by A.P. Boers Conflict Management in Congregations, by David G. Lott A Time for Healing: Overcoming the Perils of Ministry, Jody Seymour Primal Leadership: Learning to Lead with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

  49. The Spiritual Leader’s Guide to Self-Care, by Rochelle Melander and Harold Eppley Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most, by Stone, Patton and Heen Rest in the Storm by Kirk Jones Awareness to Action: The Enneagram, Emotional Intelligence, and Change by Robert Tallonand Mario Sikora How Your Church Family Works and Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times by Peter Steinke,

  50. Enneagram Readings • Bartlett, Carolyn (2008). The Enneagram Field Guide: Notes on Using the Enneagram in Counseling, Therapy and Personal Growth. • Beesing, Maira (O'Leary, Patrick; and Nogosek, Robert J.). The Enneagram: A Journey of Self-Discovery. Dimension Books. • Daniels, David; and Price, Virginia (Updated and Revised 2009). The Essential Enneagram: Test and Self-Discovery Guide. HarperOne. • Goldberg, Michael J. (1999). 9 Ways of Working. Marlowe & Company. • Hurley, Kathleen V. (1993). My Best Self: Using the Enneagram to Free the Soul. HarperOne. • Ichazo, Oscar (1982). Interviews with Oscar Ichazo. Arica Press.

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