CRM - Empowering Leaders

Here are seven great ways to communicate your vision:

1. Keep it simple.
Work through the complexity to arrive at simplicity and jargon-free vision. What's the point of writing a vision statement if only those who wrote it understand it?

2. Use metaphors, analogies, stories and examples.
Even complicated, abstract theories can be understood through the avenues of metaphor, comparison, parable and analogy - it's what Jesus did.  Bring vision to life by telling the stories of your people as they take steps to live out your vision - make them heroes!

3. Use many different forums.
Communicate vision through media, art, music, drama, celebrations, print, sermons and more. By only using 1-2 methods, people will tune you out. In communication, high predictability means lower impact.

4. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat.
Your vision must compete with hundreds of messages people hear every day. One or two pronouncements won't do it. Use formal and informal opportunities to help people connect current activity with your vision.

5. Walk the talk, lead by example.
Behavior is often the most persuasive way to communicate a new direction. People will measure your words by your behavior. If you live the vision, your words will be amplified by their integrity in your life.

6. Explicitly address seeming inconsistencies.
If there is inconsistency, be ruthlessly honest and admit it. If it is only apparent inconsistency, explain it. If someone asks, "Why spend $4,000 on sound equipment instead of fulfilling our vision?" The question might be legitimate, unless the first goal toward our vision is raising the quality of our worship service.

7. Listen and be listened to.
When useful feedback is ignored, people feel marginalized and move to a posture of sabotage rather than support. A fear that the vision may not survive this two-way debate may arise among the leaders, but avoiding this step will create larger problems than facing it. "In the long run, swallowing our pride
and reworking the vision is far more productive than heading off in the wrong direction, or in a direction that others won't follow." (Kotter)