The Family Tree is a unique professionally developed instrument that can help you as a leader at start-up
- Get a picture of the key relationships across the entire organization
- Identify persons who are the most influential and likely to be informal leaders
- Discover groups of people who are closely connected to one another but not to the organization as a whole
- Recognize persons who are the glue, without whom the organization would fracture into disconnected cliques
- Spot those who appear to be isolated or fragile in their connections to others in the organization
Costs by Attendance for Congregations:
35-149: $415
150-499: $515
500-749: $620
750-999: $750
1000+: $1000
Frequently Asked Questions
Q What is the purpose of the Family Tree©?
A Using the Family Tree is like looking at a street map of a city. Some intersections are large and carry a lot of traffic. Others are smaller and have only a few cars passing through them. In the same way, the Family Tree report provides a map of the relationships within an organization, shows which ones are carrying a lot of information and which ones are connecting just a few people. Some relationships are one-way; others are reciprocal. Having these maps helps a leader know how to navigate the relational space of an organization.
Q How does a leader use the Family Tree?
A. Churches and other religious organizations find the information provided by the Family Tree to be helpful whenever they are preparing to bring a new leader on board such as a Pastor, Bishop, or Executive. It takes time for a new leader to meet all the members and even longer to understand how they are connected to one another. Family Tree familiarizes a new leader with those connections and helps him or her get to know the “family” more quickly.
Q We have an organizational chart of our organization that shows how people are connected. What does Family Tree provide that is different from that?
A In many situations, there are important informal leaders who do not sit in official positions. These are not discovered in a formal organizational chart, but often through trial and error. Family Tree helps orient a new leader to the informal structure of a church or organization in the same way that an organizational chart orients a new leader to the formal structure.
Q Are there any other uses of the Family Tree?
A Yes, it can be useful in any situation where leaders want to consult with people from every corner of the organization. This would include preparation for a new search process, strategic planning, or developing a communication strategy.
Q I’m concerned that members of our organization might not be comfortable sharing who their relationships are with everyone else.
A The full maps are only shared with the new leader of an organization or with a few leaders who are trying to design a process that is inclusive of all groups. The only maps that are released to everyone are those that have been stripped of all the names. It is like looking at a street map without the names of the streets. The structure can be informative itself, but no one need be uncomfortable.
Q How might a new leader use the maps provided by the Family Tree?
A A new leader might use the maps to reach out to those who are isolated. Or a new leader might try to find ways to connect the Islands to everyone else. A new leader could use the maps as a way of building consensus on important decisions rather than simply engaging in top down decision-making.