As a process consultant, I engage with others when people are having difficulty communicating and/or working with each other around a variety of issues. These issues range from conflict between business partners, individual personality differences between friends and/or neighbors, conflict in churches or other not-for-profit organizations to name a few. My part is to help people understand the ways they relate to one another that result in difficulty and to explore possible ways of altering those relationships. Being a “consultant” means I choose not to have authority over the outcome. The people involved make their own decisions.
TRANSITIONAL MINISTRY
Having observed so many churches going through difficult times when looking for a settled pastor, I felt called to focus on that situation. Choosing a pastor needs to be about more than personal preference, or which preacher is most entertaining, or which preacher most nearly reflects the congregation. I believe a congregation is much more likely to make wise choices when they give attention to what has and has not worked in the past, what is needed in the present, as well as what the future might look like.
I also wrote the nondenominational guidebook Toward an Understanding of Transitional Ministries, which offers foundational information about transitional ministry, its history, development, challenges, and how it’s at work in churches today. Find out more on my book page.
MEDIATION
There are times when individuals or groups come to an impasse and cannot proceed from a place both parties can accept. When that happens, a mediator can be very helpful. Mediation isn’t about solving other people’s problems, it’s about helping them understand what they want and how they can solve their own problems. It’s tightly focused on a single situation without spending a lot of time looking at the subconscious motivations of any one individual.
CONFLICT CONSULTING
Conflict is a part of life. Everyone eventually comes to a point where they’re facing competing goals that seem mutually exclusive. Whether conflict happens between individuals or between groups, it usually takes someone with an outside perspective to help guide the way through. I have worked with churches, non-profits, businesses, and other groups to reframe conflicts in a way that can benefit everyone involved.
CONTACT
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Ross T Lucas 