As I was meeting with one of my staff the other day and we were discussing an area of ministry in GCC, I detailed what I believe to be the necessary components to implementing vision.  I thought I’d pass them on to you:

SEEING: Seeing has to do with vision.  Every leader needs the ability to see or envision where the ministry, etc, needs to go.  Most leaders can see what others can’t see and visionary leaders can see beyond what others can see.  They not only see where the ministry is at the moment, they can see well down the road to where the ministry can, or has the capacity, to go.  They can also see what it’s going to take to get from “A” to “B.”

STRATEGIZING: Strategy is what makes a vision work, how it will be implemented, and what the necessary steps need to be.  Without a strategy, a vision or mission is just wishful thinking!  A vision states who you are and want to be; but a strategy what it’s going to take to accomplish this.  I’m rarely impressed with someone’s vision.  What I’m really interested in is their strategy- how do they propose to get from where they are to where they want to be?  If vision is “seeing it” then strategy is how you “step it” out! 

SYSTEMIZING: Systems are the appropriate components to the strategy.  Again, vision is what you see as possible, strategy is how it’s going to get down, but systems are the organization for the strategy.  Without organization a strategy has no timelines, no accountability, and no measurements for productivity or success.  Organization doesn’t have to be, nor should it be restrictive, which is sadly too often the case.  Instead, systemizing should always be form AND fluidity, organized AND organic, adept AND adaptive!  Otherwise, systems overtake the strategy, which in turn sabotages the vision!  Systems must also grow with the vision and the strategy.