Theology in Strategy
There is no shortage of literature on Strategic Planning. For every philosophy there appears to be ten variant sets of best practices. From EOS to GTD there is certainly an acronym for you.
In this saturated market those with a touch of cynicism will struggle to see new concepts as nothing more than the latest greatest snake oil. But in reality, most of these concepts are pretty good if applied with diligence. So if methodology on strategic planning is “many sizes fits all”, how can one decide which practice is best? Can choosing a strategic method be more than a means to an end?
Infusing “Why” into the “How” of Strategic Planning. Discovering the shared attributes of “Faith” and “practice”
A connection surfaced during an interdisciplinary study of Sonship and Strategic Doing. While each discipline is much broader than the summary below, these highlights reveal a connection between core belief and practice.
Sonship - A faith-based discipleship module on the joy of repentance and forgiveness through the doctrine of adoption.
Strategic Doing - Strategic planning from Agile principles leveraging hidden assets through collaboration to accomplish surprising returns.
On the surface these seem unrelated. One is centered on faith and the other on productivity. However, with a slightly deeper dive an interesting connection appears.
Applying the “Why” in pursuit of the “How”.
Sonship - Biblically, adoption is an act of God’s grace where we are received and have all the privileges as children in the family of God. Problems rise when we live with an “Orphan Mindset”. Dismissing God’s promises and living as if we are abandoned. This is often demonstrated through fear and the illusion of control. In a theology of adoption, the grass is greener in the present regardless of circumstances, comparison is diminished, and blessings are identified.
Strategic Doing - Harnessing the power of collaboration shifts leadership away from hierarchy to networks. Everyone on the team has something of value. Multiple case studies have proven that even impoverished communities have tremendous hidden resources that can be leveraged through collaboration. By fostering creativity, comparison diminishes and the greener grass can be grown right between one’s toes.
Connecting the two
Everyone is prone to think, “how can I get what I don’t have”. Living in a lifestyle of comparison steals from gratitude and pits us against one another.
Me verses them. My life for my goals. It’s about me.
By infusing purpose into practice, one can learn to cultivate and celebrate the talent of others. We can lead from a posture of adoption, inviting the whole network to a position of leadership, collaborative thought and surprising results.
Closing thoughts:
Comparision starves creativity and joy. It whispers you are an unloved abandoned orphan and not enough. It fosters a victim mindset, suggesting circumstances define individuals.
Adoption frees us to collaboration, creativity, failure, trust and loving communities. It affirms value based on love received not situations.
1 Corinthians 12: 21-26 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
How do you design collaborative conversations?