Strategic Thinking - The Platform for Influence
How Leaders Can Develop The Power Of Strategic Thought
Leaders at any level, in any field or endeavour, recognise the importance of vision.
In fact, so much is said and written about vision today that it is in danger of becoming nothing more than a buzz-word. In some quarters, vision has become an industry in its own right; entire bookstores tell us how to set goals and targets for achievement.
For a leader, though, vision must be seen as much more than a buzz-word, something to put in the title of a seminar.
Vision keeps us alive. Vision keeps us focussed and disciplined; it enables us to say that most difficult of words, 'no', to things that will distract us from our core purpose. Without vision, we are in danger of losing our grip on what is essential for us, becoming emergency-driven responders rather than purpose-motivated leaders.
Sadly, vision is all too often replaced by things that seem easier to control. For example, a reliance on phenomena. Many Christian leaders hope that 'power experiences' alone will build their house. Or that legalism, a reliance on rules and regulations to maintain the status quo, will somehow substitute for vision.
Some turn instead to bureaucracy, building intricate systems of administration which are easier to develop than a real heart-felt, inner conviction. All of this has been true of the European church for much of the past century.
Thankfully, though, many European church and ministry leaders are now throwing off all this baggage and positioning themselves to discover the divine design for their situation.
Yet, many leaders who have a vision do not yet have a strategy. If our dreams are going to bring us influence, purposes must be married to concrete plans.
There are at least four things that are true of strategic thinking:
1. Strategic Thinking is focussed on the Long-Term.
Real influence is not born in a week, a month or even a year of 'revival' meetings. John Wesley helped to turn one third of his nation to Christ because his focus was on more than just his next sermon or book. He was focussed on achieving a long-term, pragmatic result.
He would preach to thousands in open fields, then form his converts into local societies (today we might call them 'church plants'). Then he would take the most enthusiastic of these people and form them into weekly classes of no more than twelve members.
He worked to this strategy for many years. It was a simple method, but one which he and his followers adherred to with vigour - hence their name, the 'Methodists'.
If you are a Christian leader, the key strategic question for you is this: 'If Jesus doesn't return in next few years, what kind of city do you want people to be living in, ten years from now?'
To succeed in leadership, we need a vision of a preferred future, a future in line with God's kingdom - and strategies to help promote that.
2. Strategic Thinking aims for a Specific Target.
In Acts 16-17, Paul obeyed a sovereign call of God and did something that was destined to change history. He took the gospel to Europe for the first time. If Paul had not obeyed, Europe might not have the proud heritage of spiritual outreach it has had for the past two thousand years. There were two things Paul did when he set out to reach western cultures for the first time.
First of all, Paul's strategy involved the targeting of cities. Major population centres like Philippi, Thessalonika and Athens were all in Paul's sights. His strategy recognised that God wants to speak where people are listening.
He also saw that there can only be momentum where there is first mass. This is a simple principle of science. He targeted areas where there were large population bases, so that the models he built would be transplanted and copied in other areas.
By 2070, many experts expect there to be as many as 9 billion people living on this planet. Ours in an increasingly urbanized world; this is the age of the megapolis, the super-city, and more than ever before, we need leaders who will strategically target urban centres - and make it their life's work.
Secondly, Paul's strategy targeted spheres of influence. The first Europeans brought to Christ through Paul were people of influence in different areas. Lydia was a woman of commerce and trade. The Philippian jailer was a bureaucrat; a civil servant. Dionysius was a politician; a member of the city council. And the philosophers of Mars Hill were the academics, educators, and patrons of the arts at the time.
Through Paul's strategic thinking, the Holy Spirit was able to sow seeds of the kingdom in each of the areas where Europe would thenceforth have a major influence on the world!
In our time, strategic thinking will demand that we do the same. We must position ourselves to have long-term influence in, for example, the media, the arts, education, sport, politics and the law.
3. Strategic Thinking calls for Alliances.
Strategic thinkers are good at building alliances with other leaders because, for them, the goal is more important than the method or style.
Today, we're seeing alliances built between leaders of new churches and leaders of older, more established churches. The new church strengths of vision, passion and ease of mobility stand well alongside the old church strengths of credibility, financial resources and the like.
Alliances are forming between Christin groups with very different histories and modes of operation. In an increasingly secularized world, we know we must work together, pooling precious resources, if we're to tackle some of the really big issues affecting people's lives.
4. Strategic Thinking demands Sacrifice.
Any new level of favour or influence is preceded by a new call to sacrifice. I've often said that, 'The train to real influence often seems to run backwards: God first reveals what we can't do, before he shows what he can do.'
Influence will always flow toward those who have the strongest convictions; those who are willing to lay everything on the line for the cause.
Reading Romans 15:20-21, we see Paul's motivation for ministry -- the drive to pioneer, to 'boldly go where no-one has gone before...'
In our postmodern western world, faced as we are with an growing tide of godless ideas and lifestyle options, so much of the church has sunk into a defensive mode. We need less maintenance mentality and more of this sacrificial, pioneer spirit!
Copyright Mal Fletcher 2009
For more on strategic thinking, read Mal's book The Pioneer Spirit, available from our webshop.
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