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Vision Planning Step Four – Prepare Initial Action Plans
2/1/2010 10:30:38 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

action, direction, planning, vision


Before this visioning meeting is over, in sub-groups or as a unit, pick a barrier or two and have them brainstorm actions and strategies to improve or eliminate the barriers. Consider how you will measure progress and success. This goal setting and action planning is critical. Leave the session with the group having "something to do," and something they will measure.

Subsequent meetings can involve reporting progress, and tackling additional barriers.
At some point, the team may want to take their categories describing their vision, and mold them into a team vision statement. This is optional, and should be pursued if it will be meaningful to the group. What is important is that they have a "vision for greatness", not just a nice vision statement to hang on the wall.
Follow-up, and follow through are important aspects of the visioning process. 
Leaders and facilitators should help the on-going process by frequently asking the team for input and progress on their work. This demonstrates interest, and if done correctly, encourages accountability for taking action.
As actions are completed and progress is being made, the team can return to the vision plan  and the associated barriers in order to plan the next action steps.

Blessings and best wishes for your vision action planning, 

Larry

 

Vision Planning Step Three -- Identify Potential Barriers
1/20/2010 1:31:04 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

direction, planning, vision


Welcome back!

The next step in our process is to expose the barriers, or roadblocks to the "ideal" vision. This is important because it helps us define where we will need to work in order to move in the direction of the vision.

If it is a large team, divide up into sub-groups, with each sub-group taking a category. Normal brainstorming techniques work well for this phase of the session. Ask each sub-team to list the barriers to their category of the vision. Develop each list on a flip chart sheet.
When the lists are complete, have each sub-team present their list of barriers to the entire team. As the individual barriers are presented, have the entire group discuss how each roadblock should be categorized, depending on how much direct control the team can have on fixing the barrier.
D = team has direct control.
I = team only has indirect control.
N = team has no control over the barrier. (These are not ignored, they are elevated to the appropriate level for consideration and attention.)
This categorization of the barriers will allow the team to focus on working the issues that they most control.
  • Our decision making will improve with this knowledge.  
  • Our motivation will increase as we make progress against the barriers.
Next time we look at planning for the initial actions.

Blessings, 

 Larry

 

Vision Planning Step 2 – What Does the Ideal Look Like?
1/12/2010 2:51:37 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

direction, planning, vision


The heart of the session is next. Prior to facilitating your team through this step, briefly review with them some elements that are already complete:

  • The purposes for this BAM project
  • The mission – the statement referring to the work that the BAM will engage in
  • The values – the list constructed in the previous step
Now you begin the work to examine what the "ideal" world would look like for this BAM.
1.      Have your team members work independently for 10-20 minutes, developing a list of items that describe their "ideal" picture of the future for this project and team. Encourage them to list as many ideas as possible. Allow them to walk around, go outside, or whatever might aid their creativity, but remind them to work individually on this step of the process.
 
2.      After the allowed time, have each member flag the 3 or 4 most important items on his/her list. Ask them to record each item on a separate index card or small piece of paper.  Large post-it notes work very well.  (If you have a very small team, you might increase the number of items each person can select by another 1-2.)
 
3.      Have each member present/discuss each of their cards, and why they are ideal, and important.
If a following presenter has selected the same idea that someone else has presented, that is fine.  He or she can select another item from the list.
4.      Now spread the entire collection of cards out on the table. Have the team members all gather around the display of cards. Ask them to start moving them around, attempting to sort them into 3-5 categories; e.g. quality, customer satisfaction, teamwork issues, management issues, and so on. Encourage a lot of discussion, and a lot of participation. (If anyone wants to add an item, which they had not previously thought of, that is certainly all right, too.) Paste each category of cards on a separate flip chart sheet.
Once you have the ideas sorted into 3-5 categories, this is an important point in the session to allow the group to take a break,   Provide them with 15-20 minutes to relax and put the discussion aside. 
5.      When returning from the break, allow a lot of discussion and reflection on what the team has created. A couple of key questions must be posed to the group:
·         "Is this the accurate "picture" of an ideal future for our team? 
·         Is this worth striving for?"
Before leaving this step of the process, have the team develop a category heading for each group of ideas.  Examples might include:
  • Leadership
  • Customer service
  • Quality
  • And so on
We will continue soon with the next step of the process, examining potential barriers.

Blessings,

Larry

 

Vision Planning Step 1 – Examine your values
1/5/2010 9:16:14 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

direction, planning, values, vision


The first step in the vision planning process is simply to develop a list of key "values" for the group involved in the BAM project. Values are the characteristics we use to gauge the "rightness" and direction of our activities. Things like ethics, honesty, quality, etc. are typical values. 

Remember that there are values involved in many aspects of our lives.
  • Spiritual values – influence our daily lives as we keep Christ in our work and activities
  • Family values – affect our closest personal relationships
  • Work values – make a statement about how we apply work ethic to our actions
  • Education values – influence learning in our organizations
  • Personal values – show who we are in terms such as honesty, integrity,…
You can easily engage your team in the process of creating this list of values. In your vision planning meeting, have each member develop an individual list of their own values. This will take about 10 minutes. Then have each member select the 3 or 4 they consider most important. Each member can discuss his or her 3-4 top values. Consolidate these on a flip chart. This is a list that you want in front of the group, as they work on the development of their vision. It is a guage, or touchstone, to keep things headed in the right direction.
Examine your list of core values in relation to the purposes and plan for your BAM project. Ask yourself a couple of key questions:
  • Are these the values that are essential to project success? Why or why not?
  • Are there any values missing that might be critical to the project? Explain these. For example, if your project involves a school, make sure that educational values are included in your value set. This might encompass or include values such as “learning by doing,” “quality and honestly of presentations”, and more
  • How will you cultivate key values within your team?
This process of identifying values is a simple step, but it is important. If we begin to form a vision plan that is not congruent with our core values, that could be a serious problem.
Next time we look at creating a “picture” of the ideal for our BAM project.

Blessings,

Larry

 

Vision – the Direction for your BAM project
12/28/2009 9:53:43 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

direction, focus, planning, vision


The recent postings concentrated on focus – understanding how God has positioned you and your team, both with gifts and provisions. We assumed that you have already created the purposes for your project. (The issue of purposes was discussed in the posting dated 10/23/2009.)

Those steps should give you a sense of your mission for the project and “where you are.”
  • The purposes God has for your project
  • The preparation God has made for you and your team in this work
Vision planning is important so that you will now have a sense of direction about where the project will go.
  • Your mission defines the work of the project
  • The vision gives you direction for where and how the project will move forward
As an example, consider a BAM project for beginning a school.
  • The mission involves the creation and presentation of classes within the community – the work that will be done and services to be offered
  • You need a vision now to guide your decisions about how to proceed:
    • Types of education and classes
    • Age groups
    • Learning environment
    • Teacher styles
    • Christian outreach from the school
    • Who in the community will be reached
    • Much more…
A typical vision will include three to five categories of elements. As these take shape and are refined, your team’s ability to make good decisions and plan strategically will be improved. Decisions can be tested against the vision – if we do this, will it move us in the direction we are trying to move toward?
The vision planning process has several steps. This process can serve you well in other areas, too, not just in your BAM projects.  It is important and beneficial in all organizational work to have vision, including churches.
Next time we will begin with the first step – examining your values.
It is very important that your vision be congruent with your values and those of your team.
Many thanks,

Larry

 

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