In moving a project or initiative forward, you better take a look at the environment you will be working in. When you have been working in a given group or company for a long time, it is easy to develop a closed mind and not take the time to analyze your surroundings. “Familiarity breeds contempt.” my mom used to say.

Local churches can be classified hundreds of ways, but the easiest is either “Departmental” where everyone lives in their own ministries, venturing out only when necessary. This can breed some wonderfully tight ministries with deep relationships. It can also lead to “silos” of information, duplication of resources and other challenges. (This chart assumes all ministries are valued equally. That is another post for another time.) Here, every bit of information has to travel across the silos. Sometimes those gaps can be hard to bridge.

Another class is more “Initiative Driven”. Here, the whole church seems to be running behind a clear, single goal. Generally a vision cast by senior leadership. The advantage is the apparent unity across the organization. The downside is these initiatives can (and often do) change frequently and may not be given time to mature before heading off on the next “adventure”.

Initiative Driven

The key to managing your project in either scenario is to ask not only which type of environment your organization leans to, but also how heavily.

  • If yours is a Departmental Structure, will there be such an “in-group” mentality that bridging the gaps will prove difficult?
  • Are you considering that what works in one silo may be wholly ineffective in another?
  • If your structure is Initiative Driven, is there such a focus on the current global plan that you are left with little political leverage to move your project through?

Careful consideration to your specific organization and where the inherent difficulties lie, whether it be bridging gaps or attaining priority, may very well slow down your overall plan, but also keep it moving steadily forward.

Next up: What do we actually have to do?

Related articles by Zemanta
Enhanced by Zemanta

Related posts:

  1. Three questions to ask before starting a project
  2. Compliance vs. Commitment
  3. A lesson in providing tools