People want to know - "So, what do you do?" - I always answer by saying, "I'm a Dream Releaser." My primary purpose is to release the Senior Pastor's dreams. I help the Senior Pastor succeed - if the Pastor succeeds the church succeeds. If the Pastor's vision is fulfilled, the ministry is released - I help discover and strategically implement the Pastor's legacy.
Samuel R. Chand Consultations are broken into two phases - I and II.
Dr. Chand's model is to:
1. Assess
2. Articulate
3. Align
4. Advance
Assess> Articulate > Align> Advance
PHASE I
In Phase I, Dr. Chand takes the corporate blood-pressure of the organization - a very detailed leadership capacity assessment to measure the infrastructure as it relates to the Senior Pastor's vision.
The organization must adjust to the Senior Pastor's vision not vice versa.
Meeting #1 - Senior Pastor and Dr. Chand - 3 hours
Meeting # 2 - First tier of leadership (no more than 15 persons) - 1.5 hours
Meeting # 3 - One-on-one personal meetings with the top 3-5 executive leaders on staff
NOTES:
1. All three meeting are done back-to-back on the same day.
2. The Senior Pastor should not plan on attending the other two meetings.
3. The Senior Pastor selects the participants for 2nd & 3rd meetings described above using any criteria applicable. These could be a mix of staff and non-paid leaders etc.
4. Often, if the Pastor's spouse is highly involved in the ministry, their presence is enhancing to the process.
Following this meeting, Dr. Chand will present a full report which will include:
Overview
Observations
Recommendations
Opportunities
Strategies
Success Factors
Next Steps
This report will be presented personally to the Senior Pastor and requires a 2-3 hour meeting with the Senior Pastor. At this meeting all issues raised in the report can be clarified and defined.
Cost for Phase I - TBD
PHASE I is about:
1. Assess
2. Articulate
PHASE II is about:
3. Align
4. Advance
If the Pastor sees worth in the Phase I report, then Phase II can begin.
PHASE II
Phase II is the implementation phase in which the report and other items are aligned and advanced on a predetermined ongoing basis.
The purpose of this process is to:
1. Free the Pastor to envision
2. Place ownership with the leaders
3. Place accountability with the leaders
4. Provide executive coaching for church leaders
5. Assure successful completion of project
6. Build momentum for bigger vision
During Phase II, Dr. Chand is available to the Senior Pastor for ongoing consultations via telephone, email, in-person etc.
Some of the issues Pastors contact Dr. Chand about are:
Vision Casting
Assimilation
Leadership Development
Personal Coaching & Mentoring
High-end staff hiring decisions
Interviewing new potential staff persons
Introductions to specialists in a variety of areas such as financing, fund-raising, entrepreneur training, global missions, specialized ministries (men's, women's, youth, prison etc.), incorporations, financial planning, publishing etc.
Facilitation of strategies of major changes
Feedback on ideas
Ongoing conversations
Cost for Phase II: To be discussed at the conclusion of Phase I, because each church brings its own context and complexity. This is usually done with a monthly retainer.
Goals have to be SMART:
S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Attainable
R = Realistic
T = Tangible
A former president of Shell Oil Company once said, "This business of communicating has become as important as finding more oil." Regardless of our calling, the business of communicating is instrumental to your success.
For organizations, communication systems determine how readily ideas are shared. In his book Contemporary Business Communication, author Scott Ober writes, "Effective communication means motivating people, breaking down barriers and directing the flow of information and ideas that encourage people to think in new ways and to act more effectively."
SEE IT - Get the vision
GET IT - Plan the vision
DO IT - Resource the vision
Ronald A. Heifetz in Leadership Without Easy Answers speaks of a "crisis in leadership" by stating:
"Instead of looking for saviors, we should be calling for leadership that will challenge us to face problems for which there are no simple, painless solutions - problems that require us to learn new ways."
"In times of change, Learners inherit the earth, while the Learned
find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no
longer exists" Eric Hoffer
"The future is not a result of choices among alternative paths offered in the present. It is a place that is created - first in the mind and the will: created next in activity." - Walt Disney
Leadership, in this new century can be distilled to five I's:
Incisive - Be a selective decision maker. Put most of your time into decisions with the biggest payoff. And ignore those that you can add little to - even if making them pleases you.
Informed - Know the four A's about the people you lead - their attitudes, affinities, anxieties and animosities.
Interested - Read extensively - not just about the narrow range of job skills but also about the broad range of human knowledge. And realize that the best way to stay on the cutting edge is to blend ideas from different fields.
Iconoclastic - Be willing to smash icons such as turf wars that misuse power, chains of command that bind and phony motivation schemes. Resist the idea that loyalty is a one-way street. And junk short term strategies that prevent long-term success.
Inspired - Try to avoid anything that fails to stir your soul - whether it's a job or an
assignment. And when possible, fire ideas that fail to light your fire.
(Management Review, James R. Lucas)
Your organization must be guided by the 7 C's for successful collaborations:
Connection with purpose and people
Clarity of purpose
Congruency of mission, values and strategy
Creation of value
Communication between partners
Continual learning
Commitment to the partnership
CONSULTATION CONTINUED