The Question that can Make or Break a Company …or a Church

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We recently installed a technology in our house that has provided me with two things; great entertainment, and a great leadership question.

Last week we dragged ourselves kicking and screaming into the 21st century by having our first Personal Video Recorder (PVR) installed, and that evening we downloaded our first ‘on demand’ movie.

I don’t think I’ll ever step foot in a video store again.

entertainmentI quickly realized I’d never again have to worry about a movie not being ‘in stock’, I’d never have to worry about a late fee, I’d never have to leave my house on a rainy night to pick up or drop off a DVD.

And I realized too why video stores are closing by the thousands, and why on-demand movie services are flourishing; it’s all about understanding the difference between a value and a strategy. The value is convenient home entertainment. The strategy is the means by which that home entertainment is delivered.

Most video stores got this one wrong for too long. Instead of focusing on the value of convenient home entertainment, they simply looked for better ways to deliver their strategy (renting movies on DVD). Meanwhile on-demand movie services have won the day by zeroing in on the value of convenient home entertainment

Here’s the leadership question; if you’re trying to kick-start a stalled ministry are you focusing on a value or on a strategy?

In the leadership offices of major video store chains, there should have been a large banner hanging which read, “It’s about convenient home entertainment, not about renting DVD’s”.

Similarly in the local church there should be banners hanging in the meeting rooms of leadership teams which read,

  • It’s about biblical community, not about small groups.
  • It’s about worshipping Almighty God, not about music;.
  • It’s about life-transformation, not about sermons.
  • It’s about stewardship, not about tithing.
  • It’s about living out the gospel, not about being missional.

There are dozens more that could be added, but you get the idea.

Bottom line; focus your leadership energies on values before strategies.

There are thousands of video stores who wish they had.

What would you add to this ‘values versus strategies’ list?

the author

Scott Cochrane

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