Strategic Planning
We had been asked to bring along a copy of our organization's Strategic Plan. The ERC Strategic Plan is very well structured. Dr. Ken McFayden (whose book, Strategic Leadership for Change: Facing Our Losses, Finding Our Future, is schedule to be out this fall) was our facilitator today. He was very knowledgeable about the whole complex strategic process. It was an amazing amount of information for one day....our brains hurt by the end of the day. In casting a vision, it is imperative that enlisting commitment from those involved is secured, implementation of the vision flows next, and then follow through. If any of these steps are broken....the vision is lost. Interestingly, most churches don't want leadership, they want management! There's a big difference. Leadership needs to be transparent, 'parking lot' meetings need to be brought to the table for transparency. Where there is no vision, people flounder. The Body having ownership is critical. Vision without buy in is like a bridge to nowhere! Goals are 'attainable challenges'....not things we're 'already doing or could easily have accomplished thru things we already do'. Accountability and responsibility go hand in hand. One suggestion was that governing boards receive an evaluation. Similar to employee evaluations, it would stimulate dialogue. There should be deadlines to the goals set. Three sources of energy for planning: Pain...Hope (hope hears the music of the future....faith dances to it!)....Vision (how does it align with God's vision). We have to discern God's leading through Scripture, prayer, learning. It should be joy-filled work for the LORD rather than feeling as if we're drowning in the mundane.
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