BAND STUFF: getting the best from your guys

As a worship leader it's really important to remember that your job isn't only musical - it's also to build a team that is comfortable enough together to be creative, and secure enough to share ideas. To be honest, a lot of this is intuitive, but it can help to have a couple of pointers along the way.

Watch out for the outsiders - everybody in a band brings insecurity to the table (as leaders, how much do we know that!!) - and so I think it's vital to keep your eye out for the one or two that might be struggling a little to overcome that, and deliberately bring them into play.

Be intentionally constructive. After we've played something through, I love to tell each of the guys specifically what I loved about how they played - I'm honest too... if I didn't like something, I'll say that I"m not sure about that bar, or that motive, and I'd like them to try something else, but I loved the way they came up with that harmony there, or the rhythm idea they had there. It is so easy to build someone up, and it's such a wonderful way to see them flourish!

Don't be afraid to ask difficult questions. If someone's attitude just isn't right in rehearsal I wait until after practice (I don't think it's fair to do this in front of others), and just ask them what is going on for them right now? Are they still happy being a part of the band? Did they realise that they really weren't in a great mood that night? And then I encourage them not to be like that again, just because it affects everyone else so much. I've only had to do this a couple of times, and every time the people involved have responded beautifully - it's made subsequent rehearsals great too!