Vision-crafting leadership
In recent years, I’ve grown more sensitive to the repetition of subject matter in conversations, news, podcasts, and social media. I liken this phenomenon to water dripping on a rock. If it drips persistently enough, water can penetrate a rock. Concepts, ideas, events, places, or people will force their way into my consciousness if they are repeated persistently enough.
Over the last several months, vision, specifically the need for vision-casting ability among leaders, has made its way into conversations, meetings, and news reports.? Some of those conversations were sparked by my Thursday Thoughts on Leadership from a couple of months ago, which offered a basic and broad description of an organizational leadership map. I’ve linked it below in case you want to re-read it.
Below, I offer a few essential elements of a compelling, effective vision. While these elements are general enough to apply to any business, professional practice, or nonprofit, churches and pastors have been in mind as I’ve considered these essentials.? ?
A compelling vision must be desirable. Sounds basic. Yet, it cannot be assumed. Many leaders attempt to motivate people with fear as they describe some calamitous future that is the inevitable outcome of failing to do what they are urging us to do.
During a church planting training event a dozen years ago, each church planter and their core group leaders were challenged with a visioning exercise. They were tasked with describing a “preferred future” of a vacation experience. One of the seven or eight groups there cast a vision for a week-long vacation in Gila Bend. Had I not been familiar with Gila Bend, I’d been ready to make a reservation at the Space Age Lodge and pack my bags. They painted a picture of a week in Gila Bend that made it sound appealing. It was a spoof but an effective one.
As we consider what the future of the church, nonprofit, or professional practice we lead could be, it must be a future that others will want. Simply stating attendance goals or describing a building we want to build is not vision-casting. Sure, those things may motivate some people who are already predisposed to support what we want to do, but to the person who doesn’t understand what a church does or what happens in the building we want to build, they have no reason to desire it.
However, if we pursue a future that brings tangible benefits to others, even those who do not yet believe what we believe may want to be part of it. That vision, then, becomes an evangelistic tool.
A compelling vision must be big. Even those I’ve heard lauded as effective vision-casters rarely describe a future that looks beyond the business they own or the church or team they already lead.
This was a significant failure of mine when planting Crosspointe, the Church at Tartesso. We wound up having a beneficial effect on our community. People noticed. Many were intrigued. It was a substantial part of why 70-80% of our attendance were people who had not attended church recently, if ever. However, I had not painted a compelling picture of how we would bring value to our community. Many saw it happening. I can’t help but wonder how many didn’t see it because I failed to point them to it.
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A big vision looks beyond what we are doing and where we are doing it. It calls for those who are already with us to invest their energy and effort into making it a reality. Yet, it also speaks to those we haven’t met yet and asks them to do the same.
A compelling vision must call people to action. A compelling vision will do more than prompt others to think, “Oh, that would be nice.” A compelling vision calls others to take action.
With many years of hindsight, I’ve realized I did this more effectively for the potential partnering churches considering supporting Crosspointe, the Church at Tartesso, in her early days than I did for the people we were trying to reach in our community. When sharing the story of Crosspointe with potential partners, I asked them to take three specific actions: pray for us, serve with us, and support us financially.
At the end of each worship gathering or community event, I did ask people to take some specific actions: believe, serve, or attend. However, when first meeting new neighbors, I rarely shared with them the future we were pursuing, and I rarely asked them to do anything more than attend an event or worship gathering.
What about you? How are you casting a compelling vision for the church, nonprofit, or volunteer team you lead? Who can help you think about the desirable future you want to invite others to join you in pursuing? Is the vision you are currently casting big enough? Does it extend beyond the walls or property of the church you lead? What specific action can you call others to take?
Enjoy your weekend!
The views and opinions expressed in my Thursday Thoughts on Leadership are my own. They do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina or any affiliated churches.