Connecting The Dots

Strategy - It Takes More Than Good Intentions

Developing a strategic plan helps an organization stay focused on its mission and vision. Your mission and vision describes where you are going; your strategic plan is the map that describes how you will get there. When you talk about mission and vision, you are involved in strategic thinking. Strategic planning is developing a process that will be used to communicate and implement your strategic thinking.

Leveraging who you are and what you are uniquely positioned to do will allow your organization to meet needs, develop a sense of purpose and strategically move forward. It will also give you a competitive edge over other organizations and events that are vying for the attention of the same people you are trying to reach. In the master planning process outlined by Bob Biehl, he suggests starting with a simple, yet profound, question: “What needs do we feel deeply burdened by and uniquely qualified to meet?” His question directs our attention to two issues: passion and position.

• What is the passion of your organization?
• What is it that you truly want to accomplish?
• When people think about your organization, what is the first thing you want to come to their minds?

Many organizations have a deep desire to help people and have a positive impact in the world. This is an incredible vision that should be applauded, but most try to fulfill this ambitious focus by using the shotgun methodology. They feel they have to reach everyone, so they offer a plethora of programs. They do lots of things, but few of these things are done well and even fewer have much of an impact. These organizations can easily be lulled into a false sense of accomplishment. They see everything they are doing and mistake this for impact. It tends to be true that when you focus your passion, time and energy on a few things, you will accomplish more in the long run.

• What are you uniquely positioned to do?
• Do you have built in advantages based on your location, style, facilities or reputation?
• What is something you can do that no one else can?

These questions can help launch you into the strategic planning journey.

Creating a Tipping Point

Good leaders understand that change can be the needed catalyst to bring about a tipping point in their organization. A tipping point is a key moment when an idea or vision finally reaches critical mass or boiling point. When this occurs the rate of impact and influence sharply increases and the organization is propelled forward toward its desired goal. The build up to the tipping point may take time, but it is dramatic change that finally pushes it over the edge. Change consultant and transformation theorist, George Land, refers to this important moment as a breakpoint: an intentional break that moves an organization, system or any living thing forward into a new environment and a new reality.

The idea of creating a tipping point or breakpoint frightens some. It is easier to stay with the status quo and not rock the boat. Unfortunately, the decision not to follow the path of change will only lead to one destination: the death of the organization.

Taking the time to wrestle through the following questions shows the depth of courage in the organization.

• Are you willing to take risk to accomplish your mission?
• Is your celebrated past more important than your potential future?
• Are you content with where you are or do you crave even greater things?
• Are you going to leave the hard work of change for the next generation, or will you diligently prepare the way for those who will follow?

 

Mission Creep

Leadership and Change Management are two issues that are key to the health and success of any organization. Leaders create the atmosphere and maintain the focus. They also prepare for and anticipate change. Change is an essential part of every organization, and, when it is managed well, brings vitality and a renewed sense of purpose.

Unfortunately, too many organizations allow unhealthy change to take over and they deceive themselves by believing it is good.  One of the most common manifestations of unhealthy change in organizations is called mission creep. Mission creep is the process where an organization slowly strays from its original purpose and begins to put focus, time and energy into other things. Most of the time the organization is unaware that they are no longer on target. Most of the time the new things the organization is doing are good, but they hinder the organization from doing the things that are great.

Two recent experiences allowed me to see the long term impact of mission creep.  It has been five months since I began to immerse myself in the world of California politics. Several months ago I began to research the nearly 550 commissions and agencies that have been established over the years to help oversee the Golden State.  Most started with noble tasks such as protecting endangered species, ensuring pure water for future generations or assisting aging adults. The unique purpose began to fade as the leaders decided to focus on other issues, and now, most of these commissions do not resemble the original group. Many of these oversight groups are responsible for the myriad of regulations that are strangling the State economy.

I also had an experience with a group that was disappointed with a political leader.  They chose not to support this leader because she did not support one of their causes. Their lack of support of this leader created a mess that should have been avoided. How is this an example of mission creep? When I heard about the situation, I went on the groups website and read their mission statement. I discovered that the very issue they took offense at was in direct contradiction to their mission. They had lost their focus and are now in danger of decreasing their effectiveness.

An organizations mission not only provides direction and focus, it should also help an organization decide what NOT to do. If this does not occur, mission creep will begin to take over.

Stories Inspire Change

Information and data analysis is important, but it can also become a deterant to change.  Dry facts and boring spreadsheets do not help people see the need for change. People want and need to be inspired and good stories inspire people. Stories are important because they allow people to engage the future by developing images of how they see their organization impacting the future. You can create compelling stories by developing scenarios of how you envision the future. Scenarios should have a plot and a storyline. They should describe relationships, events and outcomes. Scenarios are not predictions about the future, but they are descriptions of the future you envision as you accomplish your mission and vision.

Scenarios tell stories based on your pursuit of mission and vision. Scenario development can be as simple as having people write stories that describe what they feel your organization would look like if you accomplished your mission. It can also be a deeper process that involves gathering data regarding critical forces and drivers that will influence your organization, assessing this data and developing multiple scenarios based on this research.

People need to be inspired if they are ever going to aspire to work hard toward achieving the mission and vision. Stories are a source of inspiration. Organizational guru, Peter Senge says leaders can spend too much time focusing on systems and structures. He says that doing this gives attention to the how, not the what or the why. Senge says that strong leaders must also be good storytellers. Stories help people see and feel the purpose of the organization. Stories help others visualize what you are trying to become.

Scenario inspired stories allow people to "put on" your vision, develop ownership and become truly excited about the direction and focus of the organization.  Raving fans emerge as stories reflect the reality of who you are and where you are going.

Personal Growth During Change

2011 was a year of significant change for me, personally and professionally.  Completing a Master's in Strategic Foresight changed the way I think about organizations and the future.  Researching, developing and writing a final project focused on why and how organizations change challenged my perspective about organizational behavior, strategic planning and strategic foresight.

Going through a job change always brings new perspective to your life.  Co-workers, surroundings, friends, focus, training and perspective are all viewed in a different light when you are asked to move on.  Being hired "out of the blue" to work with an incredible team with an incredible leader changed the way I see leadership, delegation, strategy and mission.

As I reflect backward, I have no misgivings about the past.  As I peer into the mist of the future, I am optimistic about the future.  Some of my optimism is based on my personality while some has been influenced by my recent degree program.  In viewing the past and looking into the future, there are three things that stand out to me that help me grow personally.

Followership - Decisions are made by others during ones life that influence the future.  Most of the time those decisions aren't good or bad, right or wrong, they are just decisions.  Learning to keep my focus on following God's leading and enthusiastically step through doors He opens encourages me during times of change.  Decisions by others, tough times, the economy and change in general cannot separate me from God's plan for my life (Romans 8:31-38).  Following Him must remain the #1 priority.

Leadership - I have enjoyed learning about and applying leadership principles for many years.  My leadership style is equip and release.  I experience frustration when people do not want to be equipped and are unwilling to consider doing something new.  I also experience frustration when others around me seem to be following the mission, but when it comes time for being released and implementation, it is clear they had a different agenda.  Experiencing the joy of working with a leader and a team who truly understand and live by these leadership principles is invigorating (Proverbs 12:20-24).

Kinship - When change occurs, you discover who you had a strong relationship with and who was just going through the motions.  I thrive around creative and relational problem solvers.  When you work in an environment with that type of people, it is amazing what can be accomplished.  When change occurs, you figure out how to adapt and flourish and you have each others back.

Change is a given and if you have the proper perspective it can lead to encouraging personal growth.

Change is Not the Silver Bullet

Some want to re-brand their organization because they do not have the strength to deal with deep internal issues.  They think by changing the name of their organization or giving it a different look, the "hard decisions" that must be made will magically disappear.  They want a "silver bullet" that will instantly solve systemic problems.  Unfortunately, this is not the case.  Here are a few systemic issues that will not be solved by re-branding or channging the name of your organization.

Transition

It is always difficult to transition from a long-term, outstanding leader to another leader. The vision, style and focus of the former leader can remain in the forefront of people’s minds. It is difficult to hold on to the past and move into the future at the same time. Don’t try to do both. Confusion and prolonged pain will be the result. It is wiser to make the hard decisions early, deal with the consequences and move forward with a commitment to a new vision.

Collaboration

As I said in an earlier post, top down mission statements don’t work as well as ones developed in a collaborative environment. There must be ample opportunity to discuss, understand and embrace the new vision. “Here is the new mission; end of discussion,” is a recipe for disaster. Lack of collaboration builds lack of trust.

Communication

Leaders must be strong enough to ask questions, speak up and express the thoughts and feelings of those they lead. If they don’t, the next level of staff will soon realize their thoughts and feelings are not being communicated. This leads to insecurity and disunity. Key leaders must have the maturity to communicate well and ask the hard questions. A leader who does not have the courage to question the direction of the organization when they are struggling should step down. A leader who does not have the wisdom to communicate effectively to other leaders and to those they lead is more of a liability than an asset.

Don’t assume people are on the same page. Create an environment where people feel free to say what is on their mind. Meet with key leaders one-on-one to seek out their thoughts and feelings about the mission. Communication encourages collaboration. An important element of communication is active listening. The purpose of communication is not to be heard, but to develop understanding. When the meaning of the speaker is the same meaning heard by the listener and both parties know that this has happened, true communication has taken place.

Factions

Grumbling or complaining instead of working through personal thoughts and feelings in a healthy way will destroy an organization. Silos will be built by those wanting to move in a different direction. Immaturity and insecurity are at the core of factions. If someone does not have the emotional or spiritual maturity to respond in the correct manner, they need to find another organization. Private, personal agenda meetings among struggling staff without the knowledge of senior leaders will lead to disunity and dysfunction.

Distractions

There are always multiple issues facing an organization, especially when considering deep change. The challenge is to keep the main thing the main thing. Don’t allow other issues to become more important than mission development. Facility development can’t become more important than staff development. Developing growth engines can’t become more important than developing a strong, unified team. Allowing the organization to be distracted fosters a sense that the organization has lost its focus and purpose. Lack of confidence in the leadership will soon follow.

Position

Jim Collins elaborates on this in his book, Good to Great. If you discover that a leader is struggling with the direction or stated purpose of the organization; meet with them to understand their struggle. If they cannot support the direction 100%, proactively help them “find another bus.” This is especially important when it comes to leaders of leaders. Those in the most influential positions must be completely sold out to the mission of the organization. If not, they need to leave.

Leadership is hard work.  It takes courage.  It takes a willingness to make hard decisions.  It takes a person who is secure enough to guide the organization into the future.  It takes a person who knows that there are no silver bullets.

Vision - The Beginning of Change

“If your expectations are absurd, you won’t hit your target. If they are too low, your accomplishments won’t mean anything. A realistic goal not only helps you define potential hurdles, but also helps you define how your team should be organized and who should be on it.”  Lt. Cmdr. Jon Cannon, Leadership Lessons of Navy SEALS

 

Making change in your organization is not about identifying issues and systems that aren't working. Discovering and describing who you are and who you want to be is the foundation for future success. As a mentor of mine used to say, making external change without focusing on lasting internal change is like “rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.” The passengers may feel more comfortable, but the ship is still heading toward a disaster. Too often leaders want a quick fix, a “silver bullet,” that will bring about prosperity without much pain. They choose to copy what someone else is doing or develop a style that emulates a successful organization without doing the hard work of defining who they are and where they are going. Organizational change is hard, painful work. It starts on the inside and moves to the outside. If we don’t look to the inside first, we become like the leaders that Jesus warned His followers about in Matthew 23. These leaders concerned themselves with external appearance and had no concern for what was happening on the inside.

Discovering and describing who God is calling you to be as an organization means taking the time to develop your mission and vision. There are many methods for developing a mission and vision. A Google search of “developing a mission statement” reveals over 11 million hits. Amazon.com provided over 20,000 book options when I inquired about developing a mission statement. One of my courses in the Masters of Strategic Foresight program at Regent University was Strategic Planning and Change Management. During this course, I reviewed numerous books and websites, each proclaiming they had the correct methodology when it comes to developing a mission, vision and strategic plan. Each of these methods are being successfully used by some organization. This research led me to the conclusion that the most important factor is the commitment and “buy-in” of the leadership team. Find a system that you have confidence in and go with it, or bring in someone from the outside who can guide you through a healthy process.

What does not work is having the senior leader design and develop the mission in isolation. The mountaintop experience may have worked for Moses, but in today’s culture and environment, collaboration and cooperation are vital. The senior leader is an important participant in the process, but others must also be involved. This does not mean that the entire organization needs to gather together to develop the mission and reach consensus. A small group of leaders can successfully guide the organization through the development of the mission. A key is to envision who God wants you to be and to grasp what your organization is uniquely positioned to do.

 

A Change Check Up

Change must be something you value, something you embrace and something you proactively pursue. Your willingness to honestly, openly and regularly discuss change is more important than what you end up changing. Regularly considering change adds to the health of an organization. An organization should view regular discussions regarding change in the same manner as that an individual should regard their annual physical with their doctor.

As I matured, I realized that an annual physical was important. We men are such wimps when it comes to doctors and physicals. Yes, there are certain things that are unappealing about getting a physical, but preventative care can be much less painful and cost effective than waiting until the symptoms of an unhealthy body become unmanageable. My physical always starts with the nurse asking a wide variety of very personal questions. I am faced with a choice: I can tell the truth about my aches and pains, eating habits, exercise and other more intimate things, or I can lie and pretend that everything is fine. By being honest, I start on the road to greater health, but if I hide what is really happening, I run a greater risk of undetected issues getting worse over time.

Once the nurse has finished her interrogation, my doctor comes in and asks many of the same questions. He then does a thorough examination which seems to get a little too personal and uncomfortable. By the end of the check up, I have a more accurate view of my health. I have a better idea of how I am doing and things I need to change in order to stay at optimal physical health.

Just as physical health should be a priority, organizational health deserves the same attention. Regularly interact with others in the organization with the purpose of ascertaining its health and impact. Ask questions that can uncover the emotional, relational, spiritual and mental health of the organization. This soft data is very important and is a key component to the health and growth of any organization. At the same time, take a look at the hard data and ask, “What do the numbers say?” Look for connections between the soft data and the hard data. For example, if you discover that your employees are beginning to struggle with the direction of the leadership and are not the “raving fans” they once were, there is a good chance this is being reflected in your organizations ability to accomplish its mission. If not, be assured that it will.

A "change check up" may be one of the most important activities your organization annually initiates.

The Risk & Reward of Change

Change always has its risks and rewards. Too often, people only view the risks and neglect to envision the rewards. It is our response to and anticipation of change that can personally or organizationally set us apart from others. Here are a few examples of response to change that valued reward over risk:

• Technology and connectivity was rapidly changing, so Apple, Inc. proactively launched the future of computing that focused on mobility. They took the risk and led the way by creating user-friendly devices like the iPhone and iPad.
• Amazon started as a simple online bookstore and then took the business world by storm as they leveraged the internet to offer practically anything online. It survived when the dot.com bubble burst, unlike many other online companies.
• Many churches successfully use technology to launch satellite campuses and offer online training and discipleship. They proactively expand and embrace the biblical focus that the church is not a building. The church is the people who choose to follow Jesus and gather together.

Proactive change does have its risks. Here are a couple of examples of proactive change that did not turn out as well as it was intended.

• Apple, Inc. launched a computer line in the early 80’s called Lisa. It was an attempt to proactively jump into the business market, but the $10,000 price tag did not attract the business customer who could purchase a PC for a fraction of the cost. Lisa was abandoned a short time later.⁷
• In 1985, Coca-Cola decided to change their 99-year-old formula and introduce “New Coke.” Seventy-nine days later, Coke Classic was reinstated after a consumer outcry that saw 1500 people a day calling to complain.⁸

Risk has a cost. Failure may take place. Remember, it is our response to change that can set us apart from other organizations. Our response to failure is also something we can control and even leverage for something good. The examples of failure mentioned above give insight into strong organizations, because in both cases, the organization remained flexible and rebounded to even greater heights. When Steve Jobs abandoned the Lisa project, he refocused his efforts on an emerging project within Apple. That project was called Macintosh. What would have happened if he would have persisted with trying to market Lisa and had neglected Macintosh? Coca-Cola had been losing market share to Pepsi for nearly 15 years, but the publicity surrounding New Coke, and the organization’s response to the consumer, revitalized the company and reminded customers why they loved Coke.

Change is very difficult, but it is necessary. All organizations must anticipate and prepare themselves for change. There is an inherent risk in change management, but remaining the same is not an option if an organization wants to be vibrant, meaningful and have a lasting impact. There is always a cost to change, but change managed well will result in renewed energy and focus.

 

To Change or Not to Change

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

These famous words reflect Juliet’s heartfelt belief that names are insignificant. Unfortunately, a majority of characters in Shakespeare’s play do not share her egalitarian feelings, as reflected in the high body count of both Montegues and Capulets. Even Romeo and Juliet’s storied love couldn’t overcome the barriers of a name. An unwillingness to adapt and change on the part of some doomed the relationship and future of the young couple.

Unlike Juliet, the Haloid Photographic Company understood the importance of change. Established in 1906, it was so small and insignificant that its main competitor, Eastman Kodak, ignored them. They were on the fringe of the photographic paper business, but somehow managed to survive the Great Depression and World War 2. By 1961, a machine they built was better known than the company, so they decided to leverage this circumstance by changing their name to reflect who they had become. The new name of the company was called Xerox.

Change is very difficult, but it is necessary. Every individual and all organizations must anticipate and prepare themselves for change. There is an inherent risk in change management, but remaining the same is not an option if you want to be vibrant, meaningful and have a lasting impact. There is always a cost to change, but change managed well will result in renewed energy and focus.

Are you ready for change on your life? Is your organization anticipating change? Change happens. You can't control change, but you do have control over your response.

 

 

 

How Do You Respond To Change?

Heraclitus was a much maligned 5th century b.c. philosopher. One of his most ridiculed philosophies focused on the topic of change. In his day and age, it was believed that the unseen structures of the universe worked together to keep things the same. Much as gravity keeps us from floating off the face of the Earth, other forces prevented change from occurring.  Heraclitus saw things differently. He felt that change was central to the existence of the universe. His most famous saying is, "Nothing endures but change."

Modern history has vindicated Heraclitus. Change is a constant. Chnage is a given. We have little to no control over the amount of change coming at us, but what we can control is our reponse to change.

• Does change motivate you or send you spinning into depression? 
• Do you anticipate change or resist change?
• When a decision beyond your control is made, do you shift to plan B or do you expend all your energy trying to recreate plan A?

I recently went through a job change that caught me a little off guard. Change and transition was thrust upon me. I am fortunate to be surrounded by friends and family who keep me focused in the right direction. One friend said these words, "Mature people transition maturely, immature people transition immaturely." Clearly I had a choice; I could respond in faith, trusting that God was still on His throne and that He still had an incredible journey planned for me, or, I could respond in fear and frustration by getting angry at people, God, my dog or anything else I thought of.

When we respond maturely, we positively impact other people. Lives filled with faith are lives that encourage other people. Encourage means to give courage. As I respond with faith, others who are facing change and transition have greater courage to do the same. Their renewed faith, in turn, encourages me all the more. Last week someone came up to me and said, "thanks for your example." She had just been informed that she was being laid off. She was shocked, but she decided to respond maturely and she is reaping the rewards by being at peace.

How do you respond to change? Change cannot alter your relationship with God. Remember these words from Romans 8,

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Nothing can separate us from God's love and God's incredible plans for our lives, not even change.