I’ll be honest: I wasn’t sure what to expect from Kelley Hartnett’s You’ve Got This: A Pep Talk for Church Communicators. I occasionally write for church communicators; I even edit some of their work for the Church Marketing Sucks website. However, I don’t work in church communications. Would Kelley’s book hold any relevance to me?
It turns out it does. On a more universal scale, the book addresses the struggles any communicator encounters. It also reaffirms those communicators, assuring they are where they’re supposed to be, doing the work they were meant to do.
Kelley covers both concepts in seven chapters. She uses clever titles for them, but I’ve distilled them into their undergirding ideas.
- Confidence
- Conflict
- Leadership
- Rest
- Humility
- Perfectionism
- Creativity
The first chapter, the one on confidence, reassures people about their identity and their work. It also concerns the trouble with comparison, a terrible trap. It stifles creativity and often ends in uncertainty and bitterness.
Fwoosh
Her fourth chapter, titled “Avoiding the Fwoosh,” looks at burnout and the need for regular rest. Kelley gives straightforward advice about how to avoid the “fwoosh,” as she does throughout the book. Specifically, she says fwoosh occurs when three priorities get out of order.
The first priority is God; the second is relationships. Third comes work. As long as they remain in order — God, people, work — fwoosh remains surmountable. When one supersedes the other, burnout becomes inevitable.
Humility
Humility, or “Help! I Need Somebody!,” begins with a call for honesty. Kelley advises, in her no-nonsense way, that people figure out what they’re good at, what they can improve, and what they can delegate. She continues with what could be considered a solid left hook: “When we’re stuck and don’t ask for help, that’s called pride.”
The punch, of course, is helpful. It’s also softened by Kelley’s humor and background. When she speaks, she speaks with wisdom and experience. She knows what it’s like to work in church communications, as evidenced by her inside jokes about Comic Sans and exclamation points. (The latter is my personal favorite.)
Other Peppy Points
Kelley accompanies her words, too, with real-world situations. Or, if not real, so universal that readers immediately relate—I know I did. I recognized the last-minute planner, the difficulty with saying no, et cetera, et cetera.
Kelley also employs fun illustrations, courtesy of Erica J. Hicks. As a writer and artist, I enjoy the artwork tremendously. It complements the words, strengthening the pep talk. At least, I certainly felt a bit “peppier” after reading the book. I hope Kelley’s readers will experience the same thing.
Image: Charlie (Creative Commons)