Case Study #1 – The Church Search
Marsha laughed. “Rick told me you were the queen of ‘and thens.’ But, yes, it looks like we have a busy weekend ahead of us and a lot of challenges to consider. Let’s start with supper.”
Case Analysis Questions
How have Marsha’s experiences so far repre-sented aspects of the anticipatory socialization process? Is it also possible to consider anticipa-tory socialization from the point of view of the church searching for a new pastor? What does anticipatory socialization look like from the organization’s point of view?
During the weekend ahead, what questions should Marsha anticipate during the interview process? What questions should she ask? What are the various functions that the interview will serve for both Marsha and the congregation?
Assuming that Marsha eventually takes on the role of pastor with this church, what should she anticipate during her first few months in her new role? Are there steps that she can take before and after moving to Michigan to ease her transition? Are there steps the congregation can take to help her make sense of life in the new church?
A pastor’s role is one in which the supervisor could be seen as the congregation. How could the leader-member exchange model be adapted to account for these kinds of organizational positions?
