The post continues a series I started this fall. So far I have covered:
#1 Stop Trying to Prove Yourself
#2 Demonstrate the Ability to Think Globally
#3 Solve the Problems of your Senior Leader
#4 Offer Thoughtful Feedback, at the Right Time
#5 Volunteer for More Responsibility
#6 Don't Expect Affirmation
The seventh practice to unpack is: Show that you get the vision.
This practice could easily be expressed with "brown-nosing" motives. If so, it will have an opposite effect as everyone will quickly sniff out (pun intended) the syrupy chanting of the corporate-speak.
Showing that you get the vision, starts with a sincere desire to think globally (practice #2) and support authority (practice #3). When these are genuine aspects of your leadership, take it a step further by being an everyday visionary. Take the time to articulate, align, and advance the vision every day. Here are some practical ways of doing so:
- Own the mission more deeply by referring to the mission verbally in meetings, in team prayers and even in casual conversation.
- Create a list of "demonstrated by" statements for your ministry area based on the church's values. Show how your role or particular emphasis uniquely expresses and lives out the shared values of your congregational culture.
- The next time you lead a devotion, base it on one of the church's values that you like best.
- Keep the most important organizational goal or priority or milestone of the church in clear view as you make decisions in your ministry. Do one new thing to support and advance's the church's overall priority even though its not on your role description.
- Consider some of the unique vocabulary of your senior leader or team culture wether the language is official vision language or not. Reflect on how you can be more intentional with this language. If it works for your team, consider making some new communication tool to celebrate the language. Or reinforce it with light humor or a spoof.
- Drip some aspect of your church's vision into social media on a regular rhythm. Be creative and consistent.
Remember as you express yourself that its possible to violate practice number #1. So keep your ambition healthy per the prescription of Jesus, who came to serve and not to be served.