{"id":32534,"date":"2023-04-24T08:06:50","date_gmt":"2023-04-24T15:06:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=32534"},"modified":"2023-04-25T06:51:08","modified_gmt":"2023-04-25T13:51:08","slug":"a-vision-for-tomorrow-one-simple-thing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/a-vision-for-tomorrow-one-simple-thing\/","title":{"rendered":"A Vision for Tomorrow: One Simple Thing"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the main reasons I am in this doctoral program is because I have a vision for tomorrow. My days of full-time missionary service may be over. I hope not. I have had a vision of coming along side and supporting ministry leaders in our family of churches for a while. Something feels unfinished. Vision for tomorrow keeps me moving forward. I am a firm believer that one simple thing can contribute to great change. Our author this week, Greg Satell writes, \u201cEvery effort to create transformational change is, to a certain extent unique, with its own \u201cvision of tomorrow.\u201d[1]<\/a> This is why I resonated so much with this final book of the semester. I enjoyed the biographical accounts of people who united with others to create change in the world. Connection through a common purpose is attractive. Many of the stories were inspiring, all were instructive.<\/p>\n

Cascades: How to Create a Movement that Drives Transformational Change, <\/em>by Greg Satell, helped me focus on my vision for tomorrow as I soon pivot to the design phase of my NPO. The author states, \u201cThis book is about transformative change and the movements that create it.\u201d[2]<\/a> Satell identified a simple formula for change: \u201csmall groups—loosely connected—but united with a common purpose.\u201d The author claims that anytime an idea<\/em> goes viral and becomes a cascade it is because these three components are at work.[3]<\/a> He goes onto define a cascade as a disruption, \u201cA disturbance in one system that eventually ripples through every part of the system, finding vulnerable clusters as it travels.\u201d[4]<\/a> This gives me hope. This is what our NPO\u2019s are setting out to do. Create ripples of change! I am excited about the potential to create disruptions and therefore encourage cascades of transformational change. The simple idea behind my NPO is to create small groups designed for listening among ministry leaders. Our last two books are gold!<\/p>\n

The following statement supports my NPO. Satell writes, \u201cThe reality of today\u2019s world is that connection wins and isolation loses.\u201d[5]<\/a> If this is true for Silicon Valley, big corporations, and social revolutions, then it is certainly true for ministry leaders trying to make a difference in their communities. I experienced the negative impact of isolation in my ministry context as a missionary. Humans don\u2019t thrive in isolation. We long for meaningful connection. Julian Treasure notes in, How to be Heard: Secrets for Powerful Speaking and Listening, <\/em>that listening promotes intimacy and connection.[6]<\/a> Greg Satell discussed the importance of internalizing values in such a way that they become second nature.[7]<\/a> The value of listening and speaking are foundational to my NPO. Establishing and internalizing these shared values are mission critical goals. I whole-heartedly agreed with Satell when he wrote, \u201cPerhaps most important, values are most powerful when they speak to shared human experience.\u201d[8]<\/a> Ministry leaders need to know they are not alone and that their stories and experiences matter.<\/p>\n

Treasure and Satell agree that planning and intentionality are important change agents. Treasure states that, \u201cTo create a genuine listening culture takes planning, communication, involvement, commitment, persistence, continual training and accountability.\u201d[9]<\/a> Satell points out that cascade movements need planning, organization, and discipline.[10]<\/a> Throughout the book he noted courage, discipline, dignity, and respect as hallmarks of successful wide-scale change. It seems listening to one another, and a keen awareness of social situations are features of impactful change movements. Satell writes, \u201cSuccessful movements don\u2019t overpower they attract.\u201d[11]<\/a> Vulnerable spaces in which listening and speaking can take place is what my stakeholders want to develop. No one will ever be forced to participate. A thoughtful, well planned and communicated process, an invitation, and respect are key to creating listening groups.<\/p>\n

The six principles for transformational change outlined in this book provide a scaffolding moving forward with my NPO design.[12]<\/a><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Identify a keystone change: Discovery<\/strong>. Ministry leaders need someone to listen to them, relationship connections, and time to attend to their overall wellbeing.<\/li>\n
  2. Make a plan: Design<\/strong> workshops and experiences that:<\/li>\n
  3. Build a network of small groups: Experiment with creative new ways to meet for connection among the 28 engaged stakeholders. Get the word out and invite other ministry leaders.<\/li>\n
  4. Indoctrinate genomes of values: Create meaningful experiences that reinforce the value of listening, safe connections, and wellbeing.<\/li>\n
  5. Create platforms for participation, mobilization, and connection: Deliver <\/strong>multiple effective platforms for connection between ministry leaders.<\/li>\n
  6. Survive victory. Let go! Adapt and evolve.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    When I first started considering the focus for my NPO, I thought it was probably too simple and not academic enough. I was concerned that I did not have the leadership qualities or the platform to pull it off. I found hope in Satell\u2019s words, \u201cSimple things can sometimes have enormous impacts.\u201d[13]<\/a> My NPO started out of my own longings to know how to do ministry well nearly 40 years ago. Much of what I have pieced together for myself, the experiences I have had in ministry and counseling, and living life with all its\u2019 triumphs and challenges are all coming together in a small, but hopefully mighty package. Simple things matter. Sometimes, they matter the most! My one simple thing is the gift of listening.<\/p>\n

    We all have been gifted with a unique vision! What simple thing matters to you? How is that one simple thing creating a unique vision for tomorrow?<\/p>\n

    P.S. I planned to do an inspectional read but a weekend road trip granted me the luxury of a slow read. I took breaks between chapters to enjoy the beautiful scenery and then discussed what I read with my husband who enjoyed listening to several chapters as I read aloud.\u00a0 It was a lovely way to complete a semester full of amazing books!<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    [1]<\/a> Greg Satell, Cascades: How to Create a Movement that Drives Transformational Change<\/em>. (New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2019), 178.<\/p>\n

    [2]<\/a> Greg Satell, Cascades,<\/em> 19.<\/p>\n

    [3]<\/a> Ibid., 19.<\/p>\n

    [4]<\/a> Ibid., 66.<\/p>\n

    [5]<\/a> Ibid., 22.<\/p>\n

    [6]<\/a> Julian Treasure, How to be Heard: Secrets for Powerful Speaking and Listening. <\/em>(Coral Gables, FL: Mango Publishing Group, 2017), 38.<\/p>\n

    [7]<\/a> Greg Satell, Cascades,<\/em> 184.<\/p>\n

    [8]<\/a> Ibid., 186.<\/p>\n

    [9]<\/a> Julian Treasure. How to be Heard<\/em>, 184.<\/p>\n

    [10]<\/a> Greg Satell, Cascades, <\/em>21.<\/p>\n

    [11]<\/a> Ibid., 229.<\/p>\n

    [12]<\/a> Ibid., 230-236.<\/p>\n

    [13]<\/a> Ibid., 198.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    One of the main reasons I am in this doctoral program is because I have a vision for tomorrow. My days of full-time missionary service may be over. I hope not. I have had a vision of coming along side and supporting ministry leaders in our family of churches for a while. Something feels unfinished. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":184,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2310],"tags":[2489,2691],"class_list":["post-32534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-doctor-of-leadership-3","tag-dlgp02","tag-satell","cohort-dlgp02"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32534","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/184"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32534"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32534\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32574,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32534\/revisions\/32574"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32534"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32534"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32534"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}