In my leadership work, I have group skills and strategies into the four areas above. First, Foundations give the leader the clarity to know how to lead the team because the final result in clear; second, build and maintain effective relationship to assist in getting to the vision; next, develop effective systems allowing each team member to excel and to work together efficiently; and finally, create balance in work, in life, and between work in life.
The format for 2010 consists of interviews with Christian leaders from many different types of leadership styles and perspectives - some pastors, some musicians, some lay leaders, some Christian business professional, and more. This month’s edition of Monday Morning Email's “Leadership Tools” is an interview with Rev. Leigh Anne Taylor, Director of Music at Blacksburg United Methodist Church (Virginia).
The Rev. Leigh Anne Taylor is a Deacon in Full Connection who serves BUMC as Minister of Music. She received her Bachelor of Music Education from James Madison University and her Master of Music in Choral Conducting and Master of Sacred Music from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She served churches in Texas and Kansas before coming home to Virginia. She is the mother of Emma and Taylor, hiker of mountain trails, reader of good books, lover of nature and grateful counter of many blessings.
Read about the book Balance...Or Not! HERE
The following interview is summarized below. If you would like to listen to the interview or download it for future listening click here.
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INTRODUCTION
Hugh Ballou: Good morning welcome to Monday Morning Email. This is the November edition of “Leadership Tools.” And today I have a very, very special guest who will give you some really good tips from the perspective of an in-the-trenches music director. A. She is a person I know very well because we are married. Hello, Leigh Anne.
Leigh Anne Taylor: Hello, Hugh.
Ballou: Thank you for being on this interview for Monday Morning Email. I know that you have a lot of really useful tips to share with the readers, so I wanted to get your story. However, before we do that, would you give people a little background, about you, and what you do?
Taylor: Sure. I am the Minister of Music at Blacksburg United Methodist Church. Blacksburg is a college town in southwest Virginia with the Beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains out here. It's where I grew up. I was the granddaughter of a United Methodist minister. My dad sang in the choir every Sunday of his life, even now at 84, he's the song leader at the little church I grew up in, White Memorial United Methodist Church in Shawsville, Virginia. So my roots go really deep in Methodism and in church music. I started singing in the choir when I was 12 because in my little church everybody who could carry a tune could sing in the choir. But it was those early experiences in singing in the choir in church that really were the way that God wooed me into a life of church music. I remember one of the significant moments in worship was when I was 16, my little choir was singing "The Heavens Are Telling the Glory of God" from the Haydn Creation. And of course it was sort of a watered-down version of it for a small choir, but we did it well. And I remembered having what I would call a transcendent moment in that singing of “The Heavens are Telling,” that somehow it was a thin place. I really experienced the presence of God in worship in the singing of “The Heavens Are Telling.” I totally fell in love at that moment. It's in those kind of moments through the years in worship, in music, that have led me to just stay with it, to stay with the every day, the mundane, the administrative parts that I don't really enjoy but, you know, have to do. It's those moments of transcendence in music and worship that have just kept me going year after year. And God still surprises me with those, and I'm grateful for that.
I was a music education major in college. Studied at James Madison University, and got a degree in music ed, and then decided that I'd given four years of my life to learn how to be a school musician, why not spend a few more years studying church music because I really wanted to do that too. Being from a small town, I had no idea, no concept, number one, of a woman in ministry, or number two, a full time position in church music. I really thought I was going to grow up and be a school musician with a weekend job in church music, but it was when I was at Southern Methodist University in Dallas in studying church music, that I realized the possibility of a full-time job in church music and I really found my home when I found that. I did most of my study there to prepare me to become an ordained deacon in the United Methodist Church. And that was what I ultimately did. I got enough credit in my theology degree to be ordained a deacon.
So I'm also a clergywoman for the Virginia Annual Conference (of the United Methodist Church). I've come back home to serve just about 25 minutes from the little town that I grew up in. I get to see my folks real often. That's a real blessing to me. So, along the way I've served a very large church in Kansas West Conference, another medium sized church, and then I volunteered in a couple of very small churches in Kansas on my journey to landing here. I've been at Blacksburg for…this is my eleventh year, and it's enough to keep me very, very busy, and very satisfied.
FOUNDATIONS
Ballou: I have transitioned from a job in music ministry to a place of working with leaders in churches, and teaching leaders. I get to observe good leadership. Because I sit in the Choir at Blacksburg now and I get to observe good conducting and good leadership. So I invited Leigh Anne to share this month some of her journey of leadership, especially some of the most recent things that you've done. Leigh Anne as you know, I divide my leadership teaching into 4 areas. The first area is Foundations.
Foundations is about our personal skill, identifying your vision, setting very clear goals. Then we go to Relationships, then to Systems and Balance for the others. But talk a minute about how you've identified a vision for ministry and set some goals for the music ministry where you work.
Taylor: My vision has come very much from my own understanding from my task as a church musician. I'm a pastoral musician, in that order. I feel like my first task is making disciples. My first task is creating Christian community. My first task is allowing the folks in our congregation who have been given the gift of music by God an opportunity to use that gift in service of God. And that's people of all ages, and people of all stages in their music development. And so, I'm always thinking stewardship of gifts - giving people opportunities to serve God with their gifts, and framing what we do in worship as an offering of our gifts, to worship God, to bless the congregation. My hope is that everything we do is that we become a living sacrifice for God. And that those who have come to worship will be so blessed by it that heir hearts will be open to the love of God, and that they will want to serve God more. That they'll be attracted to this God of love, and they'll be attracted to this way of living, which is expressing God's love in the world. So, if I have a foundation piece, that's it for me, and my ministry. So, that helps me know how to select, repertoire. Number one I want to serve the liturgy I don't want to select an anthem just because I like it, I don't select the hymns just because I think I have the brass that day, you know I'm going to, make all of my selections in terms of the repertoire both for the congregation and the choirs to serve the liturgy and it directs my way of approaching rehearsal and Sunday morning. I want to lead prayerfully. I want to bring up, in the process while we're studying music - I want to bring in spiritual elements of, why does the text of this anthem fit this liturgy? What commentary is it making on the liturgy? And I try to bring those up in rehearsal and make the connection for folks as we prepare for worship. And this Foundation also, informs how I treat people in rehearsal. Each person is a beloved child of God, even if they test me with their behavior or with their absence. Every trial that I've faced, was very human behaviors, as I deal with folks in rehearsals, this, is a beloved child of God. It's my job to love them into wholeness. It's my job to accept them as they are, and to help to try to bring ‘em along. But, to treat them with respect as a beloved child of God, even if they're testing me.
Ballou: I am amazed at the diversity of opportunities that people have at Blacksburg UMC to be involved in the fine arts program. You started out a year and a half ago to reform your vision for involving people in ministry and set some specific goals. Can you share a little bit about that process and what the results were?
Taylor: Yes, I’ll tell you about the process and I’ll tell you about what brought me to that point. I was utterly exhausted. I'd been at Blacksburg United Methodist Church about 9 years I think. When I first came, I had ‘X’ number of ensembles, and over the years I became aware that, well we needed to add this, because, of this need. So I would add another ensemble to my rehearsal schedule, and then I would think, oh yeah, but we need this, and I would add that to my schedule. And then, what had occurred to me was I'd have these great ideas that we need to add, orchestra. So, I added that to my, list of, of ensembles that I was directing and preparing for. And I really just got myself into a place of being exhausted. Because I was thinking that because I'm the paid staff person everything that happens in music has to come from me. I have to direct it. I have to make it happen. It's my vision. I have to make it happen. And that's okay up to a point, but I was well beyond the saturation point. And really I was losing steam and was exhausted. And so, it finally occurred to me that there are people in the congregation with gifts of music leadership, that I didn't need to be in charge of it all. I could delegate some of the leadership and allow the people with the gifts of leadership an opportunity to be good stewards of their gifts at the same time, taking some things off of my plate, increasing my joy and increasing the discipleship, the stewardship of folks in the congregation. So I had a really fun process - I had worked with our Staff Parish Relations Committee and asked for sort of - I've been here this long, help me to see…well give me feedback from the congregation - what's been working. And then, let me have feedback from the same group. What is the desire? What's the hope? Where do we want to go in the next 10 years of my ministry here? And, so, staff parish appointed an excellent group of people, all of whom have some experience in music to do that process with me. I got great feedback. I didn't have to think of stuff myself we had this wonderful think tank of interested people who came up with some ideas as for where we could grow - to add ensembles to add opportunities and the number one thing that we wanted to do was to allow folks in our congregation multiple short term opportunities to share their gifts. People in our community seem less and less able to make a weekly commitment to a choir that's going to sing for nine months, but what if we had some really quality short term musical experiences that other people could lead that I didn't have to be in charge of that people could, who could make a short term commitment, could come in, participate and not feel like they were overwhelmed by the commitment.
So, several years ago I just invited some people in the congregation to do an advanced ensemble that sings twice a year some music that is very challenging. Which is good opportunity for several of the people of the congregation who have very high skills, but can't make it to the Chancel Choir on a weekly basis. This has met a good need for them. We have a woman's ensemble that sings a couple times a year, a men's ensemble that sings a couple a year, and those things I don't direct. I help schedule them, but I'm not in charge of it. So doing that has been the most liberating thing that I've done lately in my ministry. And I think it's caused two things - More people to be involved in music ministry at the church and more people with the gift of leadership to be involved. And one of my leaders said this is my preferred form of service. And this was a man that I thought was too busy. He’s on faculty at the local university, as a voice faculty. But, it's not too much for him. It's just right. And so that was a very gratifying comment for me. So, that's how we've made a some good progress recently.
RELATIONSHIPS
Ballou: Outstanding progress. The second part of my priciple of leadership is after you have a clear vision. My second rule, in conducting language, is “Hire the Best Players.” But, we don't always get to choose all the players or singers in the church ministry. As you pointed out, you work with a wide variety of people. But, the important piece here is relationships. So, you have taken your vision and clearly articulated it, and it's worked out and expanded over maybe the last year and a half or so, what about relationships is important in the work that we all do, in music ministry?
Taylor: The number one relationship is number one, mine in my own spiritual practices - keeping my heart in the right place, tending to my own spiritual practices, being in prayer and study - that's primary. My next important relationship is that with my senior pastor or whoever's preaching and that clear open communication about what worship is, where we're going, what's happening, how music can lift that up and so that's my primary relationship tending to that one is big on my list.
The next level of relationships that are important for me is being in touch with the other directors that are taking care of the short-term ensembles and some of the other long-term ensembles. And I manage this with a twice-yearly deep planning sessions where we look back and say, what's working? And then look ahead. Let's look at schedule, take what's working, look ahead and try to “make more of that happen” in the next semester, so we do a sort of May and November planning time with the directors who work with me, working out calendar issues and also whatever needs, they have. And then finally the next level of relationships is tending to relationships with members of the choir.
I've been surprised how much it means when people say, “I really like it when you greet me by name.” I particularly greet my youth choir members by name every time I seem them in rehearsal, or in the hallway. I ask how their lives are going. They know I love them. They know I care about what's going on in their lives. And I do this also with my children. I make sure that I greet each child by name when they come in the door. Our final song with my little angel choir, kindergarten, first, and second grade, in our weekly rehearsal is “God Loves You and I Love You and That's the Way It's Going to Be.” That's my guiding principle when tending to those relationships with the choir members and finally I think, the biggest challenge for me, maybe talk about this more in the Balance section, is understanding that this is work. There's a boundary. I go home, and my relationships with my family are what matters. And, to keep the proper boundaries, the proper space between work and home is primary. And when I can get that right, when I can tend to those relationships at home, I enjoy my work a whole lot more.
SYSTEMS
Ballou: Let’s move on to systems. You've got a clear vision, you’ve articulated about how you want to make more portals for folks to come into the church as new church members, or new participants, you've got a portal for people to share their gifts, you’ve found, really good people to be in leadership and to work together, and what have you done to create systems? I remember your bass from university who does the Advanced Mixed Ensemble saying, “This is my preferred leadership opportunity.” That was a defining moment, because you created a space, that they could effectively share their skills and it was, as you said somewhere, it was fun. Imagine that. So what about the Systems you've created that makes all of this work together?
Taylor: I have a hard time thinking systems. But I, I'll try to answer this the best I can. I think if there's a system at all it, I look at the calendar for worship and say I'm looking at the next set. This month will be planning for Epiphany through Easter. And I'm going study that that 4 or 5 month span, and think, I want to give regular opportunities for children to participate in worship. I want to give regular opportunity for youth to participate in worship, and then just down the line, with each ensemble. No one overloaded, no one bearing the burden. But, making sure that there is sort of a systematic approach of sharing the responsibility, sharing the work of the liturgy, preparing the music for the liturgy. And then I work that out with the other leaders, with many people. I cannot think of everybody's restraints by myself. And that's been probably one of the best improvements I've made in my own leadership has been to do this with the help of all the directors and try not to do it on my own - to plan of the extended calendar that's sort of an easy distribution of work and labor, we can do it when we work together at it. And then, systematically, I approach each of those with ensembles that I'm in charge of just backing up, week by week. How, what do I have to have, in this rehearsal packet? How soon do I have to have it in the rehearsal packet so that it's ready on that Sunday? And I just systematically plan rehearsals, so that everybody's coming up at the right time and ready, and not running into the wall with a lot of anxiety.
And then, the next level of systematic approach to me is, if I've got a presentation and worship on the first Sunday in March, I'm going to back up six weeks and I'm going to take the piece of music that I'm going to offer in worship on the first Sunday of March and break it down so I systematically approach, I want to make sure that's six weeks before that that pieces divided up. I don't have too much to do at once, I've got a nice pace of learning and so if someone misses a rehearsal they can make it up at the next rehearsal and I've got an easy pace no panic practice, no tough preparation, just a, a systematic approach to learning the repertoire, and then presenting that on the Sunday that's on the calendar. If I think systems, this is the way I think I would answer that, Hugh.
Ballou: I have observed you as you plan twice a year, for the next period of time I think you plan 9 to 10 months ahead. You have all your planning leaders together in a room, and you have the entire schedule on the wall. So you look at the convergence of all the events. What you've done is share with other people how complex it is to plan for multiple choirs, multiple activities, multiple worship services. So, you've delegated, without losing control, and you've brought other thinking skills into play. You've brought an understanding of systems to people. And I think you have also created a sense of balance that you are not doing it all last part is about balance. You are an expert on this.
BALANCE
Ballou: Give us a couple of tips on creating balance, and whatever that means in your world.
Taylor: Professionally, I think it is, for me, sharing the load. And that's just been the best. It was transitioning from thinking like a lone wolf and thinking like a team player and sharing the responsibility and really in trusting some other gifted people with responsibility, and having folks really step up to the plate it's been a great experience for me and I highly recommend it for anybody who's feeling overwhelmed. You can take some of the load off and enjoy a greater balance in terms of sharing the load of responsibility with other people.
And I would say I don't have any paid people. They're volunteers, the folks that have taken on these responsibilities. The other balance piece for me personally is a renewed commitment to observe Sabbath, to take my day off and not try to cram a million things into it that I need to do for life at home but to genuinely slow down and to rest, to enjoy life, to remember who I am, to remember who God is, to simply rest for a day - a week. I'm doing better at it. I'm not 100%, but I am doing better at it. And, because I have done this, there's a new energy for my work. But there's, the better part of this - there's just a new energy, for my life. Remembering that I am not my work. I am myself, and the work is an expression of who I am, that having that balance of my own identity, that I do not equal my work. My work is something that I enjoy doing but I have a life outside of it. And I have a lot of joy and a lot of interests outside of it. That has been a huge step for me to create balance - a better sense of balance in my life.
Ballou: I have been one of the beneficiaries of that. So, I will share with the readers here that I've learned a lot of leadership insider points from this woman. Let me point out that I've put a link in this interview to your “make believe” book, Balance….Or Not!, which is a great treatment of the topic of balance. I think, especially church musicians will love that as well as pastors. As we end the interview, in conclusion, is there any overarching tip, or thought you'd like to leave folks with?
Taylor: I’m going to make a recommendation. I gained so much from reading this book, Sabbath: Restoring the Sacred Rhythm of Rest
, by Wayne Muller, and also his book A Life of Being, Having, and Doing Enough
. He is published by Bantam. I highly recommend these books for church musicians. They've just been a great guidebook for me in restoring balance in my life.
Ballou: Outstanding! Those are wonderful, wonderful books, and I will put links for those books here as well. Thank you for, sharing your wisdom with us this month, and I look forward to reading it! Thank you. Have a blessed day.
Taylor: Thanks, Hugh.
