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Vision Casting

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Vision is seeing in your mind’s eye a God-given objective for the future,

so you are motivated to action

in the present.

Vision Casting is communicating to others your picture of the future

in emotionally compelling words.

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Do you have a dream?

What moves you to action?

How does God want you to

be part of His Kingdom work?

What is your vision?

In the spirit of “Shared Leadership” one of our culture change values, the leader is asking, “What is God calling me to do? What is God calling our team to do?”

The leader needs to be able to articulate what he/she thinks God is calling the team to do in reaching the God-given mission. Also, each person on the team needs to be able to articulate what he or she is being called to do in relation to the mission of the team. That is, each person is able to paint an emotionally compelling picture of the future that describes what it will look like when the mission is being accomplished.

There are three concerns here.

One is, it can’t be just the leader’s vision. Everyone on the team must feel ownership.
Second, the leader needs to be passionate about and able to articulate the vision while drawing the team into the vision so they are a part of the painting of the future dream.
Third, the vision is dynamic, not static. The vision should be similar to “painting” where you can add strokes to the canvas of the vision as current reality shifts.

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What are possible consequences

if the leader is not leading �from a clear and compelling vision?

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developing a powerful vision

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovestruck94/4690905447/

Clarify the “What” of your vision.

A possible example: “Our team is responsible for 25 campuses being led by 10 directors and their local teams.”

What are some tips in developing a powerful vision worth talking about?

The authors of The Flight of the Buffalo (Warner Books, 1993) write, “Vision is the beginning point for leading the journey. Vision focuses. Vision inspires.”

Teams are vital to the process of refining the vision, but you as the team leader must begin the process.

Take time to think, read, study, listen, ask questions, pray and reflect.

Ask yourself, "What really dissatisfies me?” "What needs to be done that is not being done?" "What are we uniquely positioned and equipped to do?" “What untapped opportunities lie before us?” “What is God doing around us?” “What are my dissatisfactions, desires, hopes and dreams for the future?”

What passages from the Scriptures reflect what God wants you to do? How can you personalize them? "Without a vision, the people perish" (Proverbs 29:18).

Make it worthwhile. Daniel Burnam, the chief architect who rebuilt Chicago after the fire is credited with saying, “Make no small plans for they have no ability to stir men’s blood.” Think of the scope of the vision that Jesus cast--”Preach the gospel to all the nations,” and “Make disciples of all the nations.”

Challenge the vision. Step away from it and think about it for a while. Is it clear, energizing, visual, future oriented, culturally relevant, realistic yet challenging, etc.?

Then revise and modify the vision with your team--those who are responsible for its implementation. The process takes time and is messy and difficult, but it's as necessary as the product itself.

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Vision Casting

WHY is it so important?

WHO is your audience?

HOW will you cast the vision?

Once you have a vision, it is important to communicate it well to others = vision casting.

Give time for each person answer these questions individually and write down their answers. This will prepare them for the next step of developing their vision and sharing it with the small group.

For WHY: Why is this needed? Why is this Important? Why is this significant to our mission? What is the Biblical basis for this vision?

For WHO: consider who is the audience, the culture, the values, the questions they have.

For HOW: Use metaphor and story. Avoid acronyms, and clichés.

Keep vision casting messages simple! Make them powerful in the context! Could be based on current reality, current crisis, leading change, seeing God work in some specific new way, new opportunities and the need to seize the moment, hearing from God in the Word, your passion for what the team is called to do…

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Speak from the heart.

Clarify your convictions.

Find your voice.

Connect with your listeners.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25228175@N08/5346923586/

HOW do we cast vision? From Fall 2001 Leader to Leader article by Christopher Rice

Speak from the heart. Express your own fears and hopes. Be real. Talk about what you are wrestling with. Tell stories, use examples, use less statistics.

Clarify your convictions. Look inward and find what matters to you. Convey your personal beliefs on the matter. Be personally committed to fulfilling the vision.

Find Your Voice. Once your convictions are clarified, speak out on what matters to you. Ask, What is my purpose? Why is it important for me to speak out on this issue? Am I choosing harmony over speaking a difficult truth? Write it, post it, publish it, frequently talk about it Habbakuk 2:2

Connect with your listeners. Know your audience. How does the fulfillment of the vision affect or benefit your audience. Inspire, not just inform! To truly inspire you need to engage both the heart and the mind. The mind looks for proof. The heart looks for passion.

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Write your Vision

Write your vision for your ministry and your specific role in the ministry or on your team.
Write to a specific audience.
Deliver your vision in your small group.
After each vision is shared, give feedback.

[15 minutes] We are now going to put this information into practice… Write your vision for your ministry and your specific role in the ministry or on your team. What is the context for sharing this vision? Ex: Is the context a strategic planning time with your team?

Instructions: Write to a specific audience: Participants can choose the audience they want to deliver their vision to OR the presenter can just give each person a number and have them prepare for that audience (e.g. #3 is to Students or Volunteers)

To Your Team
To a Donor
To Students or Volunteers
To Partnership leader or Pastor

(Is the team positive and hopeful or discouraged? Are they people you need to help you reach your mission? Is this someone you know well or you don’t know well? Are they skeptical or fully aligned?)

Deliver your vision to your small group [3 minutes per person].

After each vision is shared, give feedback:

What did they do well? What might they improve or change?

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Connections

How does who you are and what you do cast vision?

How does your team environment and fruitfulness connect to vision casting?

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Culture and Vision Casting

Why is vision casting important for shared leadership?

For Kingdom partnership?

Shared leadership requires shared vision. �“If your minds and hearts are not together, you are not together!”

Empowering volunteers requires vision casting.

“The most powerful way to recruit volunteers is to cast a compelling vision.”

Remind: Learn to concisely express the reason your organization even exists. What tangible benefits does it offer to the community or to the world? What need does it meet? How are lives being changed? Nothing can attract quality volunteers like a compelling vision.

Because participants will need to express this vision in a variety of circumstances, each should develop a one minute, a five minute, and a twenty minute statement of his/her vision. This vision should not sound “canned,” but each person should be able to clearly express it to someone in the checkout line, at a meeting over coffee, or when speaking before a live audience.

(From: http://www.markandphil.com/2011/06/charities-recruit-volunteers/)

Vision casting is used in each leader’s life

To invite partners to join in financial support and prayer and getting involved with you in your mission.

To motivate volunteers to join you in a special project or on a regular basis to accomplish the mission.

To motivate your team.

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You are not here merely to make a living.

You are here in order to

enable the world to live more amply,

with greater vision,

with a finer spirit

of hope and achievement.

You are here to enrich the world,

and you impoverish yourself

if you forget the errand.�

Woodrow Wilson �