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.

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.