For many of us, it’s probably our worst nightmare.
We’ve put hours of planning and prep into a service, everything is working exactly as it could, then BAM!
Some critical piece of equipment fails.
And it was probably something that had been working super reliably for weeks and months and years.
Unfortunately, sometimes Murphy’s Law is a very real thing in the church tech world: what can go wrong probably will at some point.
The other unfortunate piece of the equation is that most non-technical people probably won’t understand this. It’s equipment, they’ll say. It’s supposed to work all the time and be reliable, they say. Why is it not working? What did you do wrong, they’ll ask. Why can’t you make it work again? I thought you were the tech guy!
Many times, the most challenging part of fixing an equipment issue or troubleshooting a problem isn't actually the technology itself. It ends up being all of the people on the outside looking in while we're working to solve the problem.
... there are others who are counting on us to keep them informed ... and if we’re not effectively keeping them in the loop, that can add even more tension to a moment already full of it.
In those moments, we must remember how critical it is to still be able to practice effective communication while we’re trying to diagnose an issue or fix a glitch. Understandably, there are others who are counting on us to keep them informed so they can make additional leadership decisions, and if we’re not effectively keeping them in the loop, that can add even more tension to a moment already full of it.
So, as we’re walking through the troubleshooting process, here are some key things to remember as we work to communicate in the moment with those around us:
1-Focus on the end-user experience.
When a technical issue first presents itself, many people tend to immediately jump to conclusions and assume they know exactly what the problem was. Even non-technical people will freely offer their opinion of what they thing caused the problem.
But when there are too many cooks in the kitchen, it can lead to a bunch of false information, “red herrings”, and incorrect assumptions and action plans.
... my first responsibility is to clearly identify who has been impacted as an end user.
So, instead of immediately trying to give my own two cents about what the issue might have been, my first responsibility is to clearly identify who has been impacted as an end user.
By identifying who has been affected, I can now work to come up with the best solution tailored for that audience because I’ve internalized their issue and empathized with their plight.
If my first reaction is just to focus on equipment I think needs to be fixed, I could inadvertently fall down a rabbit hole of tweaking that could then consume all of my energy and focus without solving the problem.
Instead, when I focus on the end user, I could perhaps come to an effective solution more quickly because I’m still considering a broad palate of options, as opposed to convincing myself that one specific path is the only one worth pursuing.
Thus, as opposed to assuming that the PA went out because all of the amps died, and I need to try and get to them to power cycle or check inputs or whatever, maybe the best thing to do is just focus on the quickest possible way to get sound to the audience, which may just be a powered speaker on a stand that I keep side-stage for emergencies.
Plus, I need to also be considering the concept of distractions. What’s the quickest way to solve this problem while minimizing existing distractions and without creating additional ones?
For instance, if my main projector goes out during the service, it has already caused an issue of distraction: everybody in the room probably noticed it go dark. But if I decide to start troubleshooting in the moment, and I start trying to power cycle the unit, or run through test patterns to determine if it’s an internal issue or a source issue, I now begin introducing more distractions than I would have had if I’d just left the projector off until after the service.
So, from the standpoint of an end user experience, sometimes the best thing to do is just accept that there’s a new reality for the rest of the service, allow people to get used to it and normalize it, and then take additional steps to solve the problem at a later time.
One of my favorite lines from the old Apollo 13 movie is a great one for church tech: “Work the problem. Don’t make things worse by guessing.”
2-Clearly communicate the workaround.
There are few things worse for a pastor (or senior leader) than being left in the dark during a problem.
When stuff hits the fan, one of the best things I can do is make sure to keep an open line of communication to my leadership. Not only do they need to know what I’m doing to fix the problem, but they also need to know what the “Plan B” is in case my initial path won’t work.
I need to be able to clearly own the process of communicating this plan and then implementing it. And when I communicate, I need to be able to let as many people know as possible what the new objective is. Because, chances are, if I don’t spread the word, I’ll once again have 50 people in the booth with their own opinion of exactly what we should do.
Don’t feel the rush to create a long-term solution in the moment. It’s better to steer clear of commitments and absolutes when adrenaline is high.
A workaround can be either short-term or long-term. A short-term alternative considers the possibility of distractions and likely tends to be mainly geared towards just surviving the moment and landing the plane on an emergency runway as smoothly as possible.
A longer-term workaround is something we would need to utilize beyond just this immediate moment, and it should not be decided on or implemented in haste. The first priority is to survive the moment; when the dust settles, then we’ll need to re-examine what to do for an extended period.
Don’t feel the rush to create a long-term solution in the moment. It’s better to steer clear of commitments and absolutes when adrenaline is high.
However, I still have to make sure that I’m owning the process of bringing clear communication to the table. People are on edge and need to know that someone is actively working on solving the problem. And if I want a “next Sunday” solution determined after we get through this service, then I need to help others understand my way of thinking.
3-Take time to learn.
After the dust has settled, it’s time for the post-mortem debrief.
What caused the problem? What can we learn from it? Is there any way to prevent it from happening again in the future? Do we need to implement or improve processes designed to test our systems to ensure their functionality? Do we need to improve how we respond when something happens beyond our control?This is the point where I have to be able to clearly own my ability to learn and grow. Whether the issue ultimately was preventable or not is important but not the be-all, end-all. I can learn from any situation, regardless of its cause, and it’s my job as a leader to do so.
After the dust has settled, it’s time for the post-mortem debrief.
Are there ways to better train my team for how to respond in similar moments? How can I more effectively communicate with leaders around me? Does the organization need to change its broader preparation or response for things like this?
When you’re in the moment, it’s not really the best time to learn and change things. Again, fur is flying and emotions are high, so people’s abilities to internalize feedback and be introspective is minimalized.
But, once I survive the moment, the immediacy may be gone, but the importance of still managing the fallout is critical.
I may need to take additional steps to thoroughly diagnose the issue, test the systems, make changes, etc. And I always bear the responsibility of giving a clear after-action report to my leaders that doesn’t involve guesswork or assumption. Here’s what we found, here’s what we learned, and here’s what we’re doing moving forward to learn.
Again, the best way for me to earn confidence and trust in the eyes of my leaders is to be clear and prompt in my communication during moments of anxiety. I need them trusting that I see the issue, am actively working to address it with minimal collateral damage, and am proactively aware of my responsibility to learn and grow in the future.
While I bear plenty of weight in actually keeping our ministry’s systems functional and working, my ability to communicate through those moments is equally as important.
