By now, you probably know who your co-leader will be for the coming year. You may wonder what is this person like? What makes a good leadership team? What components are key to a strong co-leader working relationship?

In any kind of relationship, communication is foundational for working well together. And there are several important areas that you and your co-leader should be clear on. Go out for coffee or dessert, get to know each other, and have a productive discussion using the guidelines and questions below.

Experience. What kind of training have you both received? What Pioneer Clubs experience do each of you have? What other kinds of work with kids have you done—Sunday school, VBS, camp counselor, etc.?

Skills. Discuss your hobbies, interests and skills with each other. Not only will you get to know each other better, but you may also be able to identify skill areas that could be included in your plans for the year. What does each of you say he or she is good at doing? You may also find that your skills and abilities can benefit your club in other areas, as well.

Preferences. You may not get to do only the things you like, but if one of you enjoys organizing and keeping club records and another enjoys teaching, why not fit each of your interests and skills to what you enjoy most? Be sure to clearly communicate what you each prefer to do.

Goals. What do you and your co-leader want to accomplish in club? Have you written down your goals? Just like the cliché: “If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” You want to establish measurable goals—for club, for yourselves and for the kids in your club. Also, don’t forget to schedule times to periodically go over your goals with your co-leader.

Schedule. Do each of you know when to arrive at club? What’s the procedure if one of you is unable to be at a club meeting? Do you both have a calendar of events for the club season?

Expectations. Have you talked together about areas like discipline in club, how much precision to expect in Bible memory work, and flexibility with award requirements? What do you do if a child doesn’t attend club every week—how do you handle making up award requirements? Be sure both of you are clear on your agreed-on expectations. This will alleviate most misunderstandings and help to facilitate a good working relationship.

With some dialog, you and your co-leader will be well on your way to a great year of working together.