Vision Leaks - part 1

Vision leaks because people are leaky!  We have this problem where we are enamored with the immediate.  That immediate can be pleasure or pain.  And, under the weight of the immediate, everything else gets pushed out.  The pressure and enormity of the immediate squeezes out clarity for the big picture.

Its amazing how quickly we forget or lose sight of the vision of our organization when we're feeling the pressure of staffing difficulties, financial shortages, and people conflict.  But its not just the negative that blurs our ability to stay focused on our vision.  Vision leaks under the weight of success, too.  We've spent money, added staff, purchased buildings, created ministries or positions, and overlooked people issues because everything was going "too good".  Those decisions in the good times, that weren't filtered through clear vision, have or will come back to haunt us.

Its obvious that a God given vision requires constant clear focus.  So what do we do to make sure vision, mission, and values remain in the forefront no matter what season we're in?

A Couple Thoughts...

1. Make sure your vision, mission, and values are clear!
Not just clear in your mind but clear on paper.  Get these guys fleshed out and in your organization's language.   Its okay to be inspired by another org's statements, but be sure you wrestle with the language and the feel of the statements to ensure they represent who God has called you to be.  And then get those puppies written down on everything and anywhere you can.

2. Remind everyone constantly!
One of the most important jobs of a leader is to be a reminder.  We need to remind our leaders to remind their teams and to teach their teams how to be reminded.  I regularly tell our staff that they are to be "tanker trucks" driving around and refueling people with our church's vision.

There are 6 Reminders that will help us stay focused on our vision no matter what season we're in.  We'll be sharing these over the next few issues.

So, sign-up for this blog so that we can REMIND YOU when there are A Couple Thoughts ready for ya.