5. What Are the Obstacles in Your Path?
Every vision, dream goal, or initiative worth achieving will have obstacles to overcome. Solving these obstacles is one of the leader’s top priorities and greatest responsibilities.
It’s impossible to anticipate every problem that may arise as you progress toward your best strategy, but the more you can see before they happen, the better.
To help you get out in front, ask yourself what the financial, relational, timing, logistical, influence-related, and communication obstacles in your path are?
Identifying obstacles leads in part to the resources you need.
6. What Resources Are Required?
The primary three resources a church leader works with are:
- Time – Your most priceless resource. Use it wisely.
- People – Your most precious resource. Care for them well.
- Money – Your most powerful resource. Steward it well.
Your objectives will have already identified several of the more obviously necessary resources. The discerning of potential obstacles will reveal another layer of needed resources.
The need to adapt your strategy begins to show up at the combination of obstacles you meet and the resources you need.
When obstacles seem high, and resources seem low, don’t give up. There is always a “path around” so that your strategy can still work and your vision can be realized.
Perseverance is a necessary part of the process. We’ve all had a master’s level course on this subject over the past few years.
Keep going.
7. How Will You Review and Measure Progress and Determine Success?
One of the “simple secrets” to strategic breakthrough for a local church is to follow through and complete the strategic plan you started. Simply put, finish what you start.
The end result may not be perfect or exactly what you planned initially, but there is great power and momentum in finishing what you said you would do.
Completing your last project creates credibility, belief, and greater buy-in the next time you cast a vision.
Who will own the review and how will you measure results?
This article on creating your best strategy originally appeared here, and is used by permission.
