Publish at Scribd or explore others: Christianity Religion leadership spiritual

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Christianity Religion leadership spiritual

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Christianity Religion leadership spiritual

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Christianity Religion leadership spiritual

Vision puts everything in perspective; makes sacrifice palatable; and provides something much bigger than personal preference as the governing focus. Vision has a way of lifting people’s attention to a higher plane. Vision gives everyone and every challenge you face a compelling reason. A reason to look beyond the temporary friction.

Now, by vision I am not talking about the caricature of polished pointless words or some wild-eyed plan that is out of touch with reality. Real vision is anchored in reality in a way that connects real need with real opportunity. Vision disconnected from reality is only a fantasy. Vision disconnected from urgency is just another idea in a mind-numbing world of ideas. Vision anchored in reality and motivated by urgency is compelling.

A simple definition: vision describes a picture of what the future could be like.  It describes a picture of the future in terminology so specific that you can actually measure progress toward it.

• it is deeper than a motto or slogan
• it need not fit on a t-shirt
• it gives people a sense of destination that is clear enough to understand and pursue
• it is not powerful because of its packaging, but is made powerful by the compelling nature of what it describes
• it is concrete enough to fail at!, even simple in nature can be the most compelling

This issue of noREDcapes is dedicated to the topic of vision. If you peruse the articles you will find practical perspectives as well as tools to help you develop and communicate your vision. Behind it is the desire to help you infuse fresh oil into the capacity of the people you lead.

Will Mancini’s book doesn’t just make a case for vision, but he does some unique work on how vision can be developed and how it serves to fuel a missional movement.

Amazon Description:

Written by church consultant Will Mancini, an expert on a new kind of visioning process to help churches develop a stunningly unique model of ministry that leads to redemptive movement. He guides churches away from an internal focus to emphasize participation in their community and surrounding culture. In this important book, Mancini offers an approach for rethinking what it means to lead with clarity as a visionary. Mancini explains that each church has a culture that reflects its particular values, thoughts, attitudes, and actions and shows how church leaders can unlock their church’s individual DNA and unleash their congregation’s one-of-a-kind potential.

“The book, complete with an appendix as well as logos and icons illustrating various churches’ visionary thinking, is strengthened by numerous flow charts, diagrams, graphics, and pithy quotes. It has the potential to unseat Rick Warren’s The Purpose-Driven Church in popularity. Yet academic libraries may want to pass on this title for its admitted lack of supporting empirical evidence.”

- C. Brian Smith, Arlington Heights Memorial Lib., IL (Library Journal, May 1, 2008)

Andy Stanley is a good leader and in this classic book, he unpacks his thoughts on visionary leadership.

Amazon Description:

Story Behind the Book
Andy Stanley, the pastor of more than 15,000, knows a lot of people, and is well aware of the overwhelming and mutual desire nearly every Christian holds to find and fulfill God’s purpose for their lives. This book was written to stir these hearts and move people forward by providing tangible steps to getting from Point A to Point B. “As Christians,” states Stanley, “we do not have a right to take our talents, abilities, experiences, opportunities, and education and run off in any direction we please.” This book was written to provide a specific plan for going in the right direction. It truly is “God’s blueprint for developing and maintaining personal vision.”

About the Author
Andy Stanley is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and the founder of North Point Ministries. He serves as pastor of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, with a congregation of more than 12,000, as well as Buckhead Church in Atlanta, Georgia, with more than 3,000 attendees. Andy is the bestselling author of The Next Generation Leader, The Best Question Ever, and How Good Is Good Enough? Andy and his wife, Sandra, have two sons and a daughter.

Jim Collin’s description of “Big Hairy Audacious Goals” brings the notion of vision down to managable reality. Many leaders will find that BHAGs serve a visionary function.

Amazon Review:

Built to Last became an instant business classic. This audio abridgement is read by the authors, who alternate chapters. Collins is a bit breathlessly enthusiastic, but clear and interesting; Porras, unfortunately, is poorly inflected and wooden. They set out to determine what’s special about “visionary” companies–the Disneys, Wal-Marts, and Mercks, companies at the very top of their game that have demonstrated longevity and great brand image. The authors compare 18 “visionary” picks to a control group of “successful-but-second-rank” companies. Thus Disney is compared to Columbia Pictures, Ford to GM, and so on.

A central myth, according to the authors, is that visionary companies start with a great product and are pushed into the future by charismatic leaders. Usually false, Collins and Porras find. Much more important, and a much more telling line of demarcation between a wild success like 3M and an also-ran like Norton, is flexibility. 3M had no master plan, little structure, and no prima donnas. Instead it had an atmosphere in which bright people were not afraid to “try a lot of stuff and keep what works.”

Each issue will focus on a theme and resources you can use with those that you lead. It is my desire to empower men and women like you who lead teams, churches, businesses, schools, even families. It is for people like you who are given daily opportunities to shape the lives of others and through them the world.

How I got started journaling the lessons that will populate noredcapes.com is another story, but it is my hope that over time you will add to this effort. I would love to see this site serve as a catalytic hub of collaborative learning with many contributors and that it resources leaders in a profound way. So, add your comments regularly and when you find you have a journal entry to submit, send it to me. I actually believe that God never teaches us anything for our benefit alone. What he has entrusted to us is meant to be given away to others.

And I guess I should be forthright. While I think that most of the lessons to appear here should apply whether you are a business owner or a bible-teaching pastor, I believe the intersection of life and leadership is a deeply spiritual place. These lessons were learned as I have sought to follow and learn from Jesus-the greatest leader of all time. That bias will be evident-some times more than others-and I make no apology.

Specifically, check out the article, “The Power of Airtime.” It takes a fresh look at how the substance of corporate communication shapes your organizational culture. The resource: “Leaders Connect the Dots” unpacks the essence of a simple practice that can radically shape the awareness and ownership of your vision among your people. I’ve also included reviews of two books I recommend which will inform your communication practices.

The subject of communication is clearly much bigger than these few initial offerings. But at the same time, I hope these ideas start your wheels turning in new ways.