Organizational Roadmaps
Have you ever gotten lost even though you knew exactly where you were going? Many of us pride ourselves on thinking we can multitask, but for the most part, few of us can. There are some limited situations in which we can do so, but the real problem comes when you try to achieve two or more tasks that draw upon the same part of your brain.
Like many, I find it difficult to drive without a GPS...
Like many, I find it difficult to drive without a GPS, but despite having this tool, I still find myself distracted by my surroundings, my four kids in backseat, or incoming calls (hands-free of course). While I have the roadmap provided for me, I still tend to lose track of where I am going if I don’t pay close enough attention to the task at hand.
In an over-simplification of the technology, a GPS device takes your desired location, communicates with satellites from the skies above, then designs and presents a standard roadmap for you to follow to ensure you arrive at your destination. As drivers, I think we find ourselves depending on standardized routes and maps that a GPS is designed to prescribe for us.
As leaders, I believe we often find ourselves doing the same thing – following a prescribed roadmap of industry standards that tell us how to get to where we want to go. We are placed in the driver’s seat of an organization and asked to make decisions about where the organization needs to go, while delivering our teams to a destination safely. But shouldn’t God and our missional calling be the driving force behind our organizational roadmaps?
God’s Protection System
As a kid, the ongoing joke in our family was that GPS was an abbreviation for “God’s Protection System.” It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized how relevant this message really is. We often ask God to provide a path or a sign that tells us where we need to go. However, the reality is, he has already done that through the Word, the Holy Spirit, and his call.
One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Psalm 91, “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” The message continues to ensure God’s protection, from above, to those who seek his path. Those who call on him, he will answer; when we are in trouble, he will deliver and honor us with salvation. Wouldn’t this passage apply to our leadership and organizational goals too?
Designing Your Roadmap
Many organizations and their leaders feel like their technology is limiting their ability to carry out their mission. As a result, the outcomes of the organization suffers. Computers in Ministry (CIM) is called to support nonprofit organizations to help align technology with their goals. One of the first steps we take to realign their technology with their missional goals is to create a technology roadmap that is led by God’s vision. This starts with asking the right questions, such as: What is? What caused? Why? Why not? Who? What if? We start here because we believe God’s vision is different for all ministries, and the roadmap to fulfill their mission should be unique, tailored to their distinct needs and the individuals within them.
The value of designing a roadmap is that we can set a direction, measure, track, and celebrate the accomplishing of goals to bring a sense of belonging to everyone in our organization. When we create roadmaps that are designed with God’s calling and vision at the center, it allows our missions to follow a path that brings belonging and impact for all.
Fulfilling the Call
Having a desired destination is great, but what is the next step in fulfilling the call?
Having a desired destination is great, but what is the next step in fulfilling the call? While designing your roadmap, you should begin to think about the people who will join you on this route and the resources they will need to effectively contribute to the mission. Do you have the right people? Do you have the resources? Do you have the right technology? If not, who can you call on to support?
If your organization is still following the standard route that you’re told is the way, I urge you to start asking questions about how that path is aligned with God’s vision and calling for your ministry. Are you a distracted driver that is losing track of where you’re going?
###
Jay Cordova is the Chief Executive Officer for Computers In Ministry, a full-service technology provider supporting faith-based organizations in accomplishing their mission. Computers In Ministry has been built on long-term ministry partnerships since 1996. They have worked with hundreds of nonprofit Christian ministry organizations with a global impact. Their newest initiative is a School of Ministry Technology, offering full-service technology education programs and courses for individuals and organizations seeking to upskill in technology, systems planning, and certifications to validate their expertise, knowledge, and experiences.
Jay Cordova will lead a workshop entitled "Develop Technology Roadmaps with Organizational Belonging" at The Outcomes Conference 2022, April 26-28, Louisville, KY (Register today!)