Part 2: STRATEGIES ARE YOUR MAP
In our organizations and churches, we begin with a vision. As I shared in my previous blog, vision is a statement that paints a picture of the desired end stated in such a way that people can see it, see themselves in it, and implement it. The next steps are to establish strategy and goals.
Vision, strategy, and goals are three very distinct components. They are all a part of the whole but stand alone in their function. For example, let’s pretend that I sent you an invitation to a get-together at a location that was unfamiliar to you. The get-together would be considered “the vision,” or the destination.
To arrive at the specified location, you would need a map (the strategy). The map would have step-by-step instructions for you to follow (the goals). They might include, “Turn left at Freddy’s Bar-B-Q, drive for one mile, and turn right and the RaceTrac gas station.” While each part is important, no one element alone will help you realize your vision. Each is dependent on the other.
Strategy is an important factor in how you achieve your vision. Here are some characteristics of effective strategy:
· Acts as guideposts to help people understand how to reach the organization’s vision.
· Guides decision-making that will affect the entire organization.
· Balances the objectives and needs of today against the needs of tomorrow.
Strategy is an important factor in how you achieve your vision. In other words, now that we know where we’re going, the next question is how are we going to get there? With that idea in mind, what do you think are the three main strategies used to help realize the vision for organizations and churches? Let’s look at the approach of a wise leader named Nehemiah from the account of him reestablishing the city wall in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 7).
Strategy 1: Recruit Leaders Aggressively
“After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers and singers and Levites were appointed (v.1).” The first thing Nehemiah did after they finished the wall and put up the gates was to appoint leaders. There were three different kinds of leaders he appointed.
“I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother, Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do” (v.2).
Nehemiah made his brother, Hanani, the civil leader in charge of Jerusalem. Today, we call this leader a mayor. Then he made Hananiah the commander of the citadel, which is a military leader. This role functioned as the chief-of-police. Nehemiah appointed gatekeepers, singers, Levites, a mayor, and chief of police, while he served as the governor of the province.
Nehemiah was demonstrating one of the important tasks of leadership as any organization grows, and that is the task of delegation. He’s getting other people involved. The responsibility of leading surpassed his ability to control it adequately, so he shared the responsibility: delegation. You give the ministry away, so to speak, to trustworthy individuals. We often see that God chooses leaders on the basis of two criteria: their personal life and their past performance. This is what you look for when you’re identifying leaders.
Why is this in the Bible? There’s a spiritual principle here. It is a law of leadership: You must guard whatever you have gained so you don’t lose it. Don’t ever assume that because you’ve had a certain level of achievement in life it’s going to be that way forever. You must guard it.
Strategy 2: Record Progress Passionately
Record your progress. In a growing organization you need to keep track of the people. The second thing that Nehemiah did was to take a census. Not only did he find out how many there were, but he found out who they were, listing all descendants and genealogies. Why would God want this in the Bible? He wanted a clear accounting of the people. The second task of management is to keep good records. “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks. Give careful attention to your herds” (Proverbs 27:23). The writer is speaking to shepherds. You need to know your sheep.
Strategy 3: Raise Dollars Enthusiastically
Notice the order of the giving. First the leaders set the example. The governor even told how much he was giving. If Nehemiah did that today some would say he was on an ego trip, but I believe he was trying to publicly model generosity and commitment. He gave the most and was the most sacrificial. Second, the heads of families gave their gifts. Third, everybody else gave what they could. If you were to add this all up, it’s more than five million dollars by today’s standards.
Strategies are your roadmap. They require thoughtfulness, teamwork, and developing specific action steps. More on this next time…
What are three strategies that guide your organization to reach its vision?