It’s easy for me to lock myself in my office when it’s time to make ministry changes and dream big! What I have come to realize is that anytime you lead through change in the ministry you lead it almost feels like going into battle. You have an idea and you believe it’s going to help your ministry function better. So often we role out the innovation that we have worked so hard on to find it’s received like an inconvenience! Many times we innovate in isolation and never process the push back we will face when we role out our idea. I was reading in the book of Proverbs and found these 2 nuggets of wisdom…
“Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling. Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice.”Proverbs 20:3 & 18 NLT
Maybe before we roll out our innovation we should get a little more advice. Here are 3 needed voices you need to hear before you innovate…
- The voice of your senior leadership / This may be as simple as keeping them in the loop but never push forward with major change and have it be a surprise to your senior leaders. Keep them in the loop and always invite input. Listening to their voice builds trust even if you don’t always agree with their view of things!
- The voice of your volunteer team / When you allow volunteers to have a voice they are able to embrace innovation at a faster pace. Surprise change just makes them feel like they are not valued. Keep them in the loop as much as possible and allow them to speak into innovation!
- The voice of a few key parents / As a next generation leader you always need to process how innovation will help you partner with the family. Talk to a few key parents and get their perspective before you move forward with your next great idea.
Every time you allow others to speak into your innovative idea you have a better shot at making sure you’re prepared for the battle ahead that comes with change. Dream, listen, and then go lead strong!