Long-view Leadership, Part Two: Long-view leaders “write it down”

“Write it down! You don’t really know what you believe until you put it in writing.” So said one of my mentors early on in my ministry career.[1] I found this to be true personally. The painful experience of writing a personal doctrinal statement for ordination forced me to clearly define what I believed at the time (and revealed areas of weakness that needed to be addressed!) As business author Dan Pink puts it: “Writing is an act of discovering what you think and what you believe.” Words captured on paper (or on a Word document or on a blog) will stick around long after you pass off the scene. That’s why “write it down” is such a vital part of long-view leadership.

Anchor points for doctrine

Throughout the centuries, many orthodox believers have safeguarded doctrinal beliefs by writing out and adopting creeds, covenants, or statements of faith. This practice of affirming doctrine in writing has long provided a stable anchor, tethering churches or ministries closely to Scripture. Those who cling to the truths articulated in these corporate documents position themselves to avoid the treacherous shoals of doctrinal heresy. But essential beliefs are just the starting point.

A long-view leader understands the importance of defining “why we do what we do”[2] in clear and compelling language: not only to help guide immediate decision-making, but also to train future generations of leaders. Even though future generations will likely need to adjust these documents as they respond to new challenges in their day, at least they won’t be starting from scratch.

“Write it down” takes various forms

These guiding documents can take a variety of forms: doctrinal statements, position papers, a statement of faith, policy manuals, philosophy statements, or, my favorite, white papers.[3] At the 30,000-foot level[4], “write it down” encompasses strategic planning, capturing mission and vision statements as well as core values.[5] But long-view leaders know that more than just general guidance will be needed to chart a clear course for the future.

A clear process

For leaders who are interested in pursuing this important element of long-view leadership, I offer these practical steps, gathered from a wide range of professional writers.

Step 1: Assemble a writing team

• How many people should be involved in this effort?
• What strengths and abilities are needed for this particular project?
• Who is best equipped to guide this team?

 Step 2: Establish a specific purpose and audience

• What do we hope to accomplish with this document?
• What pitfalls need to be avoided?
• Upon completion, how will we know if this document is successful?
• Who is the ideal audience we are seeking to reach?

 Step 3: Gather and digest relevant resources

• What does God’s Word say about this subject?
• What pertinent books have been written on this subject?
• Are there other contemporary resources that might be helpful? (Journals, articles, white papers, position papers, etc.)
• Do we know anyone who has experience in this area who could be interviewed?

 Step 4: Develop an outline for the document

• How should the content that has been discovered be organized?
• What categories best synthesize the content we need to cover?
• Where are we seeking to lead our primary audience?
• What conclusions do we want our audience to draw?

 Step 5: Write a first draft with the audience in mind

• Who is the best person to write the first draft of the document?
• Has the project been divided into smaller sections?
• What target goals should be set for this portion of the process?
• Who (if anyone) should see the first draft before it is submitted to the entire writing team?

 Step 6: Hone the message through collaboration

• What is the most effective format for the team to collect and collate input?
• What is the proper sequence for collecting feedback?
• Who will incorporate the changes?
• Would it be helpful to bring in a focus group at this point in the process?

 Step 7: Incorporate appropriate layout and design

• Will the document eventually be released to the public?
• How can the target audience best be engaged visually?
• Does an outside designer need to be employed?

 Step 8: Distribute the document to the target audience

• Have we adopted a distribution strategy?
• How will feedback be tracked and collected?
• Is the leadership team prepared to act on the practical recommendations?
• Is there a mechanism in place for regular review of the document?

Leaving a long- lasting foundation doesn’t happen accidentally. It takes planning, preparing…and capturing it in writing. Short-view leaders don’t usually go to the trouble of “writing it down” because they want others to look to them for guidance instead.

[1] I’m indebted to Ken Hay, founder of The Wilds Christian Association, for stressing the importance of establishing a written philosophy of ministry and following it carefully.

[2] A simple way to define “philosophy”.

[3] White papers can be defined as “a persuasive document that usually describes problems and how to solve them.” (Michael A. Stelzner, Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep them Engaged (Poway, CA: WhitePaperSource Publishing, 2007), 2. I was so intrigued by the potential use of this genre of writing for ministry purposes that I chose to explore the subject in my Doctor of Ministry dissertation: Leveraging White Papers for the Benefit of Christian Ministry. The results were extremely helpful.

[4] A concept taken from David Allen, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (New York: Penguin Books, 2001). 

[5] The most helpful strategic planning book for ministries that I’ve encountered is Advanced Strategic Planning: a 21st Century Model for Churches and Ministry Leaders by Aubrey Malphurs.

Photo by Dylan Gillis on Unsplash