8. Faithful Presence
“So we do not lose heart … because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18
The eighth trait, Faithful Presence, is one that should underline your whole change project. When we pray, ‘…thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven’, we are looking forward in anticipation and simultaneously building God’s kingdom retrospectively until his Son returns. In the meantime, we continue to faithfully serve in the areas we have been called to.
However, the ‘in the meantime’ can present some challenges for leaders when it comes to transition. For example, some people will naturally want to revert to their old cultures and do things the way they did them before. Others can become impatient when it seems the new vision isn’t working out and promises made have not materialised. For the transitional leader, this can be exhausting and lead to anxiety, frustration and, at worst, burnout.
Freezing the Change State
Keeping a culture for a faithful presence in transitional periods
Aim to create short-term wins (low hanging fruit) to build confidence in others. This shows that the changes are needed and we need to stay on course with the vision.
A faithful presence maintains focus on the answer to the question, ‘Why are we doing this?’
You can download the Faithful Presence video here
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Video: Making Vision Stick: Part 4: Repeat it Regularly (Rev Andy Stanley)
Video: Making Vision Stick: Part 5: Celebrate it Systematically (Rev Andy Stanley)
Video: Making Vision Stick: Part 7: Launching New Initiatives (Rev Andy Stanley)
Book: Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Unchartered Territory by Tod Bolsinger