The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey…. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:7-10
Obviously, when communication breaks down, there could be a number of problems. The problem could be in transmission. As we have just seen, trying to transfer something before it is truly in your possession leads to a breakdown in communication. But sometimes the problem is in the reception. For example, God had a great vision that he wanted Moses to “catch.” But he encountered resistance when he communicated his vision to his reluctant servant. Through this story we learn a great deal about how to help those who don’t buy into a vision when they first hear it. Despite Moses’ initial strong resistance, God finally sold him on the vision.
Every leader occasionally faces seemingly impossible challenges. The opposition appears too strong, too entrenched and too well-organized. His or her own resources seem too small by comparison.
Every leader must have a target they want to hit. It’s the primary goal they hope to achieve while leading their team or organization. Often, this target is simply referred to as a “vision.” It’s a picture of a preferred future they hold in their mind today.
Gaining a Yes Vote…
All of us have ideas we want to pass on to others. The key is to think not only about WHAT your idea is, but HOW to best deliver it in a memorable way. When we attempt to communicate a vision to a group of people, there is a sequence that follows logic and compels listeners to want to act. Dan Sullivan from the Strategic Coach program suggests a flow of thought that I want to modify for our purposes and build upon below. It’s a flow that persuades others to VOTE for your vision.
1. VISION
The key thought: Here is what we want to see. Begin with the big idea. Lay out your vision in a concise and clear fashion. Ask the question: Wouldn’t it be great if we could do this for our school? Our community? Our world? In this first portion, the communicator shares the desirable idea with the audience. This is our hope.
2. OPPOSITION
The key thought: But our world is not this way because of our present opposition or circumstances. This is a statement explaining why this wonderful vision hasn’t come to pass. At this point the communicator shares the obstacles or struggles preventing this vision from becoming reality. This is our dilemma.
3. TRANSFORMATION
The key thought: In order to improve, these changes or events must take place. This is what will transform us from our present negative reality to our future desired reality. At this point, the communicator talks about the necessary price to pay to transform the situation. This is our essential change.
4. ENLIST
The final key thought: Here is how we do it. I will now provide the action steps we must take if we plan to experience a better tomorrow in this area. It’s enlistment time. At this point, the communicator gets practical or even logistical with the listeners about what steps they must take to participate. This is our action.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE VISION
1. WRITE out the vision. Use short, simple phrases that are easy to remember so you can memorize it and communicate it effectively.
2. THINK BIG! The driving force is a vision that is clear, biblical, achievable, and challenging.
3. Be CREATIVE. Feel free to think in new or different ways.
4. ASSESS the vision:
• Is it clear?
• Is it challenging?
• Is it forward-looking?
• Is it possible?
5. Share the vision with CLARITY and CONVICTION. A common vision, centered on the person of Jesus Christ, will be the unifying factor for the team.
• Create an environment in which others can identify with the same vision.
• Set up a team to work toward the reality of the chosen vision.
• Create a vision broad enough to allow for experimentation and to deal with failure.
• Look for new and fresh ways to keep the vision in everyone’s sight.
Remember | A leader must share the vision with others to ensure confirmation by the greater faith community.
THE IMPORTANCE OF VISION
1. It helps you to REFOCUS on the work when circumstances pressure you to give up.
2. It PREVENTS others from determining what you should do in your context.
3. “Where there is no vision, the people go astray…” (Proverbs 29:18).
Remember | The vision can be adjusted and changed based on the context. You must be patient; the vision is not yet a reality.
Obviously, when communication breaks down, there could be a number of problems. The problem could be in transmission. As we have just seen, trying to transfer something before it is truly in your possession leads to a breakdown in communication. But sometimes the problem is in the reception. For example, God had a great vision that he wanted Moses to “catch.” But he encountered resistance when he communicated his vision to his reluctant servant. Through this story we learn a great deal about how to help those who don’t buy into a vision when they first hear it. Despite Moses’ initial strong resistance, God finally sold him on the vision.
Every leader occasionally faces seemingly impossible challenges. The opposition appears too strong, too entrenched and too well-organized. His or her own resources seem too small by comparison.
Every leader must have a target they want to hit. It’s the primary goal they hope to achieve while leading their team or organization. Often, this target is simply referred to as a “vision.” It’s a picture of a preferred future they hold in their mind today.
Gaining a Yes Vote…
All of us have ideas we want to pass on to others. The key is to think not only about WHAT your idea is, but HOW to best deliver it in a memorable way. When we attempt to communicate a vision to a group of people, there is a sequence that follows logic and compels listeners to want to act. Dan Sullivan from the Strategic Coach program suggests a flow of thought that I want to modify for our purposes and build upon below. It’s a flow that persuades others to VOTE for your vision.
1. VISION
The key thought: Here is what we want to see. Begin with the big idea. Lay out your vision in a concise and clear fashion. Ask the question: Wouldn’t it be great if we could do this for our school? Our community? Our world? In this first portion, the communicator shares the desirable idea with the audience. This is our hope.
2. OPPOSITION
The key thought: But our world is not this way because of our present opposition or circumstances. This is a statement explaining why this wonderful vision hasn’t come to pass. At this point the communicator shares the obstacles or struggles preventing this vision from becoming reality. This is our dilemma.
3. TRANSFORMATION
The key thought: In order to improve, these changes or events must take place. This is what will transform us from our present negative reality to our future desired reality. At this point, the communicator talks about the necessary price to pay to transform the situation. This is our essential change.
4. ENLIST
The final key thought: Here is how we do it. I will now provide the action steps we must take if we plan to experience a better tomorrow in this area. It’s enlistment time. At this point, the communicator gets practical or even logistical with the listeners about what steps they must take to participate. This is our action.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE VISION
1. WRITE out the vision. Use short, simple phrases that are easy to remember so you can memorize it and communicate it effectively.
2. THINK BIG! The driving force is a vision that is clear, biblical, achievable, and challenging.
3. Be CREATIVE. Feel free to think in new or different ways.
4. ASSESS the vision:
• Is it clear?
• Is it challenging?
• Is it forward-looking?
• Is it possible?
5. Share the vision with CLARITY and CONVICTION. A common vision, centered on the person of Jesus Christ, will be the unifying factor for the team.
• Create an environment in which others can identify with the same vision.
• Set up a team to work toward the reality of the chosen vision.
• Create a vision broad enough to allow for experimentation and to deal with failure.
• Look for new and fresh ways to keep the vision in everyone’s sight.
Remember | A leader must share the vision with others to ensure confirmation by the greater faith community.
THE IMPORTANCE OF VISION
1. It helps you to REFOCUS on the work when circumstances pressure you to give up.
2. It PREVENTS others from determining what you should do in your context.
3. “Where there is no vision, the people go astray…” (Proverbs 29:18).
Remember | The vision can be adjusted and changed based on the context. You must be patient; the vision is not yet a reality.