The Hardest Thing A Leader Says…The Last 2%

This is post two of four on church staff values. You can get context from my first post, here: Information Sharing.

 “Your work is not meeting expectations and must improve for you to continue working here.”

“The way you are treating me and others on the staff is unacceptable.”

“When you come to meetings late and unprepared, it reflects poorly on you, your ministry, and me as a leader.”

“As I reviewed your receipts from the most recent conference you attended, I saw some expenditures that caused me concern, and I want to discuss them further with you.”

These are “last 2%” statements. Last 2% statements are the most important things we need to say in a conversation in order to make it effective – but often, they never get said.

We talk around them. We say the other 98% which hints at them. But when the meeting is over, we find we never said clearly that one thing we really needed the other person to hear. And when that happens, the behavior or issue in question will continue on.

If your staff can develop a last 2% culture, you can get to the crux of matters. But that means you have to do these things first…

…Say goodbye to passive-aggressive behavior.

…Say goodbye to ambiguity in conversations.

…Say goodbye to indirect supervision that doesn’t lead to change behavior.

Having a last 2% staff culture doesn’t give permission to constantly lower the boom on people. It doesn’t ignore what you know about their personality and how they receive information best. It just means that what you have to say is important, and they need to hear it clearly.

Here are some takeaways, about how to have a successful “last 2%” conversation.

The last 2% …

…Must be the clearest statement you make in the conversation.

Think through your statement(s). People are only going to remember a few phrases from these conversations (maybe less if it’s really stressful), so make sure you have a simple and clear message.

…Is seasoned with grace.

If the last 2% comes out of a healthy relationship, it shouldn’t rock anyone’s world. It may not be pleasant, but it’s not a relationship killer. Saying hard things can be done gracefully. Jesus and Paul did it often.

…Invites accountability, and requires a follow-up plan.

A good last 2% delivery lets them know the issue and also what needs to be done in response. Just as your 2% statement should be free of ambiguity, so should your plan of action and expectation. It should be followed with a timeline and a plan for follow-up accountability.

…Is a statement you’re committed to.

You don’t want to say the hard thing unless you’re convinced it’s the right thing to say. You only have so much relationship and leader capital, and you have to use it when it’s right. You also have to show commitment to delivery. Once you get into a conversation and they share an excuse, cry, or some other distraction occurs, it’s easy for them to walk out of the office without you ever saying the last 2%. Write it down and know that you have to get your last 2% across, no matter what.

Excellent leaders can deliver thoughtful last 2% statements as needed.

Excellent Christian leaders can deliver thoughtful, prayed about, grace-based last 2% statements as needed.

I’ve found that a last 2% culture allows church staffs to do effective Kingdom work, even more efficiently.

Note: The last 2% concept is not original with me. I believe I heard it first as Willow Creek conference. And I’ve also heard it referred to as the last “10%.”