Developing Your Strategic Plan
Session Agenda
1. Reconnect with your coaching group (if applicable). Celebrate any victories that you’ve experienced in the Lord and in the life of your church.
2. Share a devotion and prayer.
3. Defining Strategic Planning Steps
This session continues the strategic planning process with further discussion about strategy, goals and action plans. As we continue making strategic plans and leading others through the process, let’s define the steps we’re taking:
Consider the difference between strategic thinking and maintenance thinking. What’s your natural inclination—strategic or maintenance? What about members of your Church Leadership Team?
Lead your team to think strategically about the future.
5. The 4 Disciplines of Execution Introduction
Do you remember the last major initiative you watched die in your organization? Did it go down with a loud crash? Or was it slowly and quietly suffocated by other competing priorities?
By the time it finally disappeared, it’s likely no one even noticed.
What happened? The “whirlwind” of urgent activity required to keep things running today devoured all the time and energy you needed to invest in executing your strategy for tomorrow! The 4 Disciplines of Execution can change all that forever.
The 4 Disciplines of Execution (4DX) is a simple, repeatable, and proven formula for executing on your most important strategic priorities in the midst of the whirlwind. 4DX includes:
6. Discipline #1 – Focus on the wildly important. Every strategic plan needs wildly important goals (WIGs). Ask the question: What do you need to focus on above all else? The 4 Disciplines of Execution says it this way:
“The battles you choose must win the war. Whether it’s a military conflict, or the war on hunger, cancer, or poverty, there’s a relationship between battles and wars. The only reason you fight a battle is to win the war. The sole purpose of WIGs at lower levels in the organization is to help achieve the WIGs at higher levels. It isn’t enough that the lower-level WIGs support or align with the higher WIGs. The lower-level WIGs must ensure the success of the higher WIGs.”
The moon shot is a great example. NASA focused on three major priorities (or battles) in its quest to land a man on the moon (the war). It would have been easy to spend sideways energy on the myriad challenges associated with going to the moon. Instead, an army of engineers and scientists were organized around solving the most significant obstacles to the primary objective. The lesson? Fight the right battles to win the war.
7. Discipline #2 – Act on the lead measure. Every goal needs a measuring stick, but not just any measuring stick. Placing your focus on the right measure is one of the most important things you can do to improve execution.
What’s the difference between lead and lag measures? Here’s a quick definition:
The key idea is to take weekly stock of several lead measures, then show the lag measure they impact.
Over time, positive movement in the lead measures should impact the lag measure in the right direction (attendance, participation, etc.).
Take a look at some lead and lag measure examples:
The key idea is to take weekly stock of several lead measures, then show the lag measure they impact. Over time, positive movement in the lead measures should impact the lag measure (attendance, participation, etc.) in the right direction.
A compelling scoreboard should:
For example, here’s a scoreboard with four key ministry lead and lag measures in clear focus:
9. Discipline #4 – Create a cadence of accountability. The ongoing success of your strategic plan depends on faithful execution, a visible scoreboard, and quality time invested toward your goals. As Stephen R. Covey says, “You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage—pleasantly, smilingly, unapologetically—to say no to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger ‘yes’ burning inside.”
Hold your church and leaders accountable for the important and strategic things (your strategic plan). The guiding principle is: Spend 80% of your time on the whirlwind and focus 20% of your time on your goals.
10. Church Leadership Team Check In
Lead your Church Leadership Team to finalize strategies and action plans for the coming year. Discuss your progress with the group (if applicable) and consider the usefulness of The 4 Disciplines of Execution:
Recognize that some churches will require more time than others to develop comprehensive strategies with detailed action plans. Ask for help from trusted ministry leaders and friends if needed. If you’re in a coaching group, then share the pace of your progress with the group. Pray, collaborate and share to make the burden easier to bear.
11. To Do Items
Meeting 8 Prep
(to be completed in preparation for Meeting 8)
Read The 4 Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey and Jim Huling. Prepare to discuss how you can use the four disciplines to implement and execute an effective strategic plan. Look closely at each of the disciplines and consider how best to apply them in the context of leading change and implementing vision within the church. This book is an excellent resource for linking people to the execution of your strategic plan.
Develop your full strategic plan of action. If you need assistance, consult a ministry friend or other members of the group (if applicable). Leverage your Church Leadership Team to create strategies and action plans that fit the context and rhythm of your church and community.
Prepare to present your plan to the group at the next session (if applicable).
“The 4 Disciplines of Execution Book Summary” by Paul Minors
“Master the 4 Disciplines of Execution” by Skip Prichard
4DX Overview by MinistryActionPlans.com
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