MANAGING UP: TURNING MANAGERIAL DIRECTIVES INTO MINISTRY WINS

This week’s newsletter is for our intrepid digital ministry teams (and their leaders). At some point, every marketer has a leader that sends a directive down from the top. What should we do when that direction seems to go against the marketing strategy that we’ve spent weeks and months nurturing? 

Navigating leadership dynamics in ministry is as much an art as it is a science. At some point, every digital ministry team faces the challenge of aligning their expertise with a manager's vision, even when that vision seems misaligned with best practices. Yet, managing up—understanding your leader’s goals and turning them into actionable strategies—can transform potential conflict into celebrated outcomes.

1. Start with Objectives, Not Tactics

Managers often focus on tactics because they feel immediate and actionable. Your job is to identify the “why” behind their requests. If your manager says, “We need a new Facebook campaign,” dig deeper:

• What outcome are they hoping to achieve?

• What pain point are they addressing?

Tools like persona development can be instrumental here. By aligning your strategy with the persona your ministry serves, you can tie suggestions to audience engagement goals and ministry impact.

2. Reframe Problems with Data

When conflicts arise, arm yourself with research. For example, if your team believes a proposed idea won’t work, use analytics from tools like Google Analytics or Facebook Insights to show how past strategies performed. Grounding your conversation in data shifts the dialogue from subjective opinions to measurable facts.

Additionally, tap into the Seeker Journey framework, which maps out how your audience moves from awareness to discipleship. Use this model to demonstrate how your approach supports each stage.

3. Propose Solutions, Not Rejections

When you disagree with a directive, don’t just say “no.” Instead, offer a refined approach:

• If a leader demands an all-video campaign but your data shows a mix of content types performs better, suggest repurposing videos into infographics, blogs, or podcasts to maximize ROI.

• Show how tailoring content to the platform and audience can drive better results.

Framing your expertise as supportive rather than oppositional helps your manager see you as a partner, not an obstacle.

4. Educate Through Wins

When a strategy succeeds, highlight how it aligns with broader ministry goals. Use post-mortems to explain why certain approaches worked. For example:

• Celebrate how a persona-informed campaign drove engagement, showcasing that understanding the audience was key.

• Share metrics from a successful Seeker Journey stage, connecting outcomes to ministry growth.

5. Build Trust Through Communication

Frequent, transparent communication strengthens relationships:

• Use regular check-ins to update your manager on progress and gather feedback.

• Translate metrics into ministry language. For instance, instead of reporting on click-through rates, share how many people engaged with scripture-based content.

6. Celebrate Shared Wins

When your strategy leads to a win, credit your manager’s leadership. For example, if a collaborative campaign drives new engagement, emphasize how their vision inspired your execution. Highlighting their role fosters goodwill and reinforces the value of partnership.

By focusing on outcomes, leveraging data, and reframing challenges as opportunities, you can bridge the gap between managerial expectations and digital strategy best practices. Managing up isn't about conceding to every request; it's about mining the goals behind directives and using your expertise to deliver results that leaders celebrate and audiences value. In ministry, this alignment can create transformative moments that fulfill your mission while strengthening trust across the team.