Do you have a BIG vision for 2011? If you’re reading this site the chances are that you do. At the very least, you want to see something happen great in your life. The question then becomes how do we make that happen?

Are there success links that if applied will position our vision to be fulfilled? Are there mile-markers along the vision path that tell us we’re making progress? Is there a way to know we are doing the right things as we steward our vision? The answer to all of these questions is “YES”!

On November 9th, 2010 I was involved in the creation and putting on a conference to help leaders impact their communities more effectively. The keynote speaker of the day was Jeff Henderson, former Vice President of Chic-Fil-A and current campus pastor at Buckhead Church in Atlanta. Jeff gave an incredible message on the subject of vision. I am honored to pass his insights along to you.

Introductory Statements

  1. One of the greatest gifts to the church is Twitter.
  2. “We’re not here to build a program. Programs start big and die quickly. We’re here to build a movement. It starts slow and overtime builds.”
  3. “I want to help a school that needs the most help and has the best potential.”
  4. I want your cash…all of it. And every bit will go to buy shoes for kids at Woodson Elementary (Atl).” – Henderson told his church on Father’s Day 2007.

Vision Is A Team Sport

  1. We think of vision as solely for the communicators or point leaders. Vision is team sport. It’s football. Vision is for all. It’s not golf.
  2. Vision-casters are vision-carriers. Vision-carriers are vision-casters.
  3. “What we need is not new insights. What we need is what we already know.” – Mark Twain
  4. The long-range impact of vision casting depends on the number of vision-carriers moving and carrying the vision forward.
  5. The four words that limit the vision of any organization: “It’s not my job.”

3 Things All Leaders Must Do To Make Vision A Reality’

  1. Cast It
  2. Live It
  3. Celebrate It

I don’t want to be the Good Samaritan.  I want to put street lights on the Jericho Road.  I want to clean the road up.  I want to create a city of peace, goodwill, and love.” – Martin Luther King Jr. as told to Ambassador Andrew Young

3 Levels Of Vision Buy-In At Your Church or Organization

  1. Level 1 – People buy-in to the vision in order to benefit from it.
  2. Level 2 – People buy-in to the vision in order to contribute comfortably to it.
  3. Level 3 – People buy-in to the vision enough to give their lives to it.
  • If you’re in the church (or an organization), you’re a vision caster.
  • Your role as a leader is to convince people if they don’t join your movement they will miss out.
  • Your role as a leader is to also move people from Level 1 and 2 to Level 3.
  • Most people in Level 1 are complainers.

What Vision Is NOT

  1. Vision is not limited to a one-time event.
  2. Vision is not information.  Your people are saying “Don’t inform me. I am already bombarded with information. Inspire me.”
  3. Vision is never urgent until it’s too late.

Prioritizing Vision

  1. Vision must be put on your calendar.
  2. Each day ask “What did I do today to build the business?”
  3. Make people feel uncomfortable with the statement “I did nothing today to build my business.”
  4. What did I do today to cast vision for my church?”
  5. Vision is daily.
  6. Vision is consistent.
  7. Vision not repeated is just a one-time dream.

How To Start A Movement

  1. Start where you are.
  2. Use what you have.
  3. Do what you can.
  4. Know that vision-casters and vision-carriers are great story-tellers.
  5. You have an incredible vision-casting tool called a Thank You card.  My goal is to send three handwritten cards daily…Here’s how you helped make the vision a reality.

I trust these insights will help make your vision a reality in 2011?  What have you done previously that has made vision stick and have traction?

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