Last summer, Dr. Molly
Marshall, president of Central Seminary, was asked to speak to a Doctor of
Ministry seminar on “Entrepreneurial Leadership” and share some of the things
she has learned in leading a “new generation seminary.”
One of the learnings she
identified is a key leadership lesson:
“Seek wise counsel. An
isolated leader cannot impose vision; rather, vision arises out of thoughtful
collaboration. Leadership entails being a ‘keeper’ of the vision, however.”
Dr. Marshall shared two
ideas here that are very important in the development of a vision.
First, the most effective
vision arises from a process of collaboration. In a church, it rises up among
the people of God as they engage their missional context. In a judicatory, vision is birthed by the
shared experiences of congregations. In
an organization, vision comes from the experience and abilities of the members
of the team as they respond to opportunity.
Second, once vision is
identified, the leader becomes the champion of the vision, encouraging and
defending it as it is implemented. The
leader keeps the vision alive and facilitates alignment of all resources to
realize that vision. When members of the
organization begin to falter, the leader exhorts and encourages them to “stay
the course.”
Effective leaders learn
both how to work with others to birth a vision informed by deep spiritual and
theological concepts and how to champion that vision internally and externally.
Vision is the work of
leaders but it is collaborative task.
(A version of this blog originally appeared on the CBTS website.)
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