day 1192: Walking Directions?

"Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?"

Not a day goes by that at work there isn't some discussion about the "direction we should be taking". This conversation can be at the highest level about the long term strategy of the company or it can be about what we should do with a customer, a website feature, or even what direction we should take with people and the organization structure. Actually, the latter two points are the ones that get talked about the most. Just listen in on the conversations at an airport lounge and the same conversation about what direction to take with an employee, a boss, a candidate, etc. becomes universal across any company or industry. Just change the names and the conversation is the same. Being able to agree on direction is very important and without it all kinds of strife and consternation occurs. Too many companies struggle and sometimes fail over just this issue. Way too many people fail at their jobs because they don't work a little harder to either understand what the direction is, or worse, they try and fight against the direction, only to find out that they become the odd person out. It is essential that there is agreement on direction and we have to do out part to be a part of the agreement on which way we are taking; which way we are walking.

The Prophet Amos says in Amos Chapter 3:3, "Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?". We know the answer. Who are we trying to walk with today but can't because we haven't found that underlying agreement and understanding on the direction that we all should be heading towards?

Reference: Amos 3:3 (New Living Translation)

day 1141: Strategists

"I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all!”

When I worked at PepsiCo we actually had a group of people who were assigned to work on strategy for the corporation.  I didn't know better then, but what a fun group that would have been to have worked.  On the surface they looked very quantitative as numbers were what were used to validate strategic directions, but these really were the people who were leading the visioning of the company.  It was interesting when they would present drastic strategic shifts that would many times bring in outside "experts" to shore up their positions. I guess, even the smartest of the smartest need others to validate their thinking. What I learned from this group is how important it is to have someone whose job it is to be thinking long, visioning and dreaming about what they future could be.  We tend to all get so consumed in our own jobs and immediate deliverables that we don't take, or have, the time to think about what might be.  Is there someone who is taking the time to think long, dream big and author the direction of your future?

The Bible values Prophets highly as they readied generations for the coming of Christ and opened the eyes, ears and hearts of so many leaders to the ways of God.  God wants each of us to dream big and think long about the work we can do for the Kingdom.  It may be that God is speaking to us about this right now, but we can't clear our minds and become still enough to hear His words for us.  Today could be the great day to find other believers to pray with you about the direction that you should be moving! If in our earthly work we surround ourselves with those who have the time to think long and  dream big, then let's also surround ourselves with those who can spiritually also help us to do so.  This is the gift and power of church and small groups.

Reference: Numbers 11:29 (New Living Translation)

day 673: Strategic Shifts

"So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you."

One of the scariest things to do in business is to conduct a real strategic plan exercise. When done right, strategic plans have the input of many stakeholders and should feel like a comprehensive 360 degree look at the business, the market, the opportunities and the challenges. Coming out of the study will be a set of new targets and direction for the organization. Then, whoever is in charge has to answer the questions of "why not?" to all of the great ideas that have been presented. These can be as daunting like, how to double the size of the business in a specified time frame, or adding to or shedding parts of the business, or even as drastic as changing course and entering into new business segments. Whatever they are, they take courage to adopt and fortitude to implement. Someone once told me, "Vision is imagining that which cannot yet be seen." That is what we do when we make strategic shifts, we vision what cannot yet be seen. That is why it is scary and why we need to be courageous and strong to make the shifts. Businesses, or any organization, need to undertake regular strategic evaluations to stay healthy, pointed in the right direction and growing.

We also should take strategic inventory every now and then to be sure that our lives are pointing the direction that they should. God has given us the direction and the path to follow but are we sure that those things in our life where we spend our time, our energy and our resources are aligned to that plan? It is one thing to know the direction, it is another to align ourselves in that direction. Just like the strategic shifts and the tough decisions a business may have to take, we personally have to make those same hard calls. And yes, sometimes it does take courage. But, God gives us His promise that He will go in front of us so all we have to do is follow Him and He will not fail us or leave us alone. To have that promise should give us all the courage and strength we need to make the necessary and needed strategic shifts in our lives.

Reference: Deuteronomy 31:6 (New Living Testament)