Table Discussion

Themes from Table Discussion Question #1

What best practices did you hear that might be applied to your parish, diocese or organization?

Including deal-closers and a variety of skill sets in decision-making process

Offering business training to parish leaders - priests and lay alike - with an emphasis on pastoral practice

Employee evaluation at both parish and diocesan level

Getting key people in the right positions at the right time (with the right incentives)

Jesuit formation is looking to “right-time” their formation to the Jesuit’s immediate managerial and leadership needs

Importance of thinking across generations; some kinds of leadership and managerial practice actually have to die for the new to rise

Must be both top down and bottom up; choosing one or the other does not work

The idea of seeking external funding for a grant on managerial best practices

Co-responsibility and collaboration

Purpose and clarity of roles is helpful

Knowing where we want to end up in a few years is key

A diocesan synod can help demonstrate to laity that they can no longer passive bystanders “Love them back to God.” When people come to the Church looking for something, build on it. Don’t shut the door.

Use the breakdown of a situation as an opportunity to understand root cause. Don’t just put a bandage on it.

Themes from Table Discussion Question #2

What strategies have you implemented for bringing about culture change in your organization?

Employee evaluation that involves staff writing vision paper of what they want to do in coming year

Grievance procedures

Moving from a conscription-based organization (people feel they must attend church) to a volunteer based organization (people not feeling they must attend) means finding different ways of training leaders

After a parish merger in Michigan, pastoral council was created with the mission of thinking about the big picture and asking the important questions about where the parish should go.

Parish survey made people feel heard

Use of Catholic Leadership 360 for clergy, and lay leaders

Keep centered on mission

Themes from Table Discussion Question #3

What resources would help you bring about institutional change in your parish or diocese?

Guides on communications, compliance evaluation, key performance indicators, volunteer management and managing transitions

Assistance coordinating diocesan activity (various departments are competing for constituents’ time)

More grant opportunities for parishes

Interactions with seminaries to encourage more education around financial management

A template for a parish financial report and strategic plan