Many churches and organizations struggle to come up with specific goals that allow them to increase their effectiveness and impact. Or, they know what they would like to see happen, but do not know how to plot the right path to success.
The next time you set goals, whether it is for a team or as an individual, consider these questions, and try them in this order.
Why?
“Why do we do anything?” In Simon Sinek’s book, “Start With Why,” he encourages leaders to find the motivation before taking any action.
Why am I considering launching a new church or ministry?
Why does our company need another product?
Why do we need to shift direction or the focus of our organization?
By answering the “why“ first, you prioritize the reason you will take action rather than justifying your actions with reactive reasoning.
What?
Now that you understand why you need to do something, ask yourself what needs to be done.
What do we need to value in our church plant or new ministry?
What need do we fill with our new product?
What will the difference be if we shift direction or focus for our organization?
Be careful to differentiate between the “what” and the “how.” The “what” speaks to the outcome, rather than the way it will be accomplished.
When you understand your “why” and your “what,” you discover your mission. Mission is crucial for leaders and organizations because it builds momentum and energy by showing your purpose and vision.
How?
The “how” defines the plan or program that will lead you to your vision. These must be tangible and realistic steps.
How will our values be lived out in our church or organization?
How will we design our new product to meet the need we identified?
How are we going to change our organization to reflect our new direction or focus?
Once you identify these steps, you can determine what kind of leadership is necessary.
Who?
It is said that all organizations rise and fall on leadership. Who you choose to lead is very significant to your success.
Who is going to communicate and demonstrate our values and lead our church or organization?
Who will lead the development of the new product or program?
Who will we follow as we shift direction or focus in our organization?
Developing and growing a pool of trained leaders will increase your capacity and options to answer the “who.” Therefore, every church or organization needs a way to identify and equip future leaders.
When?
“When do we start?” needs to be the last question we ask. Execution must occur after setting a goal, developing a plan and choosing a leader. Timing depends on having everything ready (including the leader) and when we can communicate our mission.
These last three questions determine our model, which is the tool we are going to use reach our desired mission. For most churches and organizations, the mission remains constant while the model changes over time. Andy Stanley put it this way:
"Marry your mission and date the model."
One of the most common mistakes is beginning with the “who” (leader) or “when” (time). Deadlines for completion are set before a project is even chosen, or an ambitious individual proposes an idea that is not in the mission. It can be hard to say no to such an influence, but is easier when we begin with the first two questions.
Example:
Excel Leadership Coaching is helping a new church through their start-up process. They have developed their mission and model by answering the questions...
Why plant a church? Because it is the most effective way to reach the unchurched and engage our culture.
What are we going to do? We will invite people to Jesus. We will connect them with God and others in church our community. We will develop them into leaders and influencers.
How are we going to connect people with others? We will develop and implement a plan to get people into small groups where connection can occur.
Who will lead this? We need to find someone with a passion for small group connection and train them to lead others. We also need to raise up small group leaders.
When will this happen? After we find the right leader, we will train at least 2 small group leaders. After they are trained, we will put together a plan to communicate to our people the importance of a small group and how they can join one.
Whether you are a new start-up or an existing church (I have launched church plants and my current church is almost 150 years old!), the time to begin asking these questions is now – it is never too late.
Need someone to process with you as you ask the questions for your church or organization? Excel Leadership Coaching is here to help.