It's amazing how we assume there is "only one right way" to do something.
When learning a new skill, there is a tendency to want to follow a template, to copy someone else's steps rather than be creative and figure out what God wants to do. But as we coach leaders of local movements, we need to give them permission to pivot.
As you coach a coordinator, here are a few simple thoughts to keep in mind.
Master the basics
In basketball, John Wooden was famous for starting his elite UCLA athletes off each season with, "This is a basketball." He understood that you need to know and master the basics, in order to build championships.
Likewise, the Four Priorities of a healthy network are not steps, but they ARE basic, foundational truths. Start there. Help
Assess
Network coaching has a built-in assessment tool to take a snapshot of what is happening in the community. We've learned that assessment may be the most important step to health. Use the tool and design your coaching from what you learn.
Pivoting is personal, too
Coordinators often drop off the radar because their family or ministry demands replace their networking energy. Family and ministry are high priorities; they should be. But inattention can kill the momentum of a network – sometimes permanently. Help a coordinator keep the network on track by adjusting instead of quitting. Do they need to delegate to other leaders to keep things going? Do they need to rotate leadership, as some networks do, so the demand on any one person is not overwhelming?
Learn to practice "listening prayer"
Instead of following the "five steps" of some guru, how about teaching them to take the time to listen to what God wants for their community? A helpful article in our InDepth section on youthworkers.net teaches about listening prayer. Read it for yourself, practice it, and pass it on.