Thought Life
On this new blog, we’re going for bigger and better. I want to update this site more often than I did the old one and keep things really humming along. Here’s a new feature I hope to use often: “Excerpt Provocateur”, which will give an interesting quotation that you (and I) might agree or not agree with. The point is not to simply post what I think, but to get your thoughts going. I’ll try to interact with your reflections on the excerpt as we go.
Today’s excerpt concerns the idea of “vision-casting”. From Will Mancini’s new Church Unique:
“Great vision-casting moments start by looking back momentarily before looking forward. It is critical that you draw attention to shared connections and experiences. You have to remind people why they would want to listen to you. Who are you to them, anyway? Many times the leader is relationally close to the people and doesn’t feel the need to retell the stories. But this is shortsighted. Other times, the leader is vision casting in a larger environment and is anxious to get to the meat. But you cannot deliver the meat of your vision without connecting first. My favorite quote from John Maxwell is that “leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand.” (185)
As a young, maturing man, I want to be open to wisdom from all sources. There seems to be something to this matter of connecting with one’s audience and, when possible, making a “heart” connection.
Of course, this sort of thing can get way out of hand, and the language in the excerpt (as with the book it comes from) can be rather business-focused. However, if one wants to be a leader (and I do, and I hope you as a reader do as well), one who helps people and blesses them by giving direction and inspiration, it makes sense to seek to help and connect with people.
Your thoughts?
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