Is the church or organization (1) attracting and (2) maintaining a profile of individuals that is multi-generational? For a church, a profile of children, youth and adults is critical for a ‘healthy’ church representative of the Old Testament. For organizations, a diverse profile creates a strength in the type of ideas and power in implementation.
Growth Barriers for the church or an organization can be likened to ‘that thing’ that everyone sees, but no one says anything. After time passes, it becomes normalized to almost being part of your culture. The Strategic Leadership Forum is there to ask the important question of ‘why?’.
Any church or organization is only as strong as its leadership. Leadership can break or make the life of the organization. What is a leader? Peter G. Northouse defined a leader as ‘an individual who influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal’. Each junior leader in an organization should know and believe in the mission to the degree that they are able to communicate it effectively to the tier for which they are responsible. If they cannot, one of two things is true. Either the mission isn’t present or clear, or the mission hasn’t be adequately communicated or cast by the senior leader. New initiative communication, conflict resolution, leadership transitions A number of initiatives and strategies fail because of poor communication by timing and/or content. A leader can carry the mission/vision instead of casting it to those who are to be following. An unclear message can cause confusion and/or disengagement among people. It is hard for people to follow what they don’t understand.CEO Wanda Walker is the Chief Strategist of the Strategic Leadership Forum. Ms. Walker is a former Director at the United States Patent and Trademark Office and a member of the federal Senior Executive Service (SES). Within her 35 years of federal service, she specialized in leading and influencing faltering teams of thousands into meeting congressionally measured goals, while empowering hundreds of managers by modeling the desired behavior. Her motto for leading … ‘people over process’.
Ms. Wanda is a dynamic preacher, teacher, leader, strategist, and mentor who within the church has over 30 years of church leadership. She has structured, implemented, and led ministries in evangelism, community outreach, women’s, single’s, finance, and discipleship training in an advancing manner. Ms. Walker excels in placing the right person in the right position according to their gifting, while edifying individuals into leaders and unifying individuals into a prolific ministry team that advances the goals of the church.
Ms. Walker enhances her decades of practical experience with decades of formal education. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in Strategic Leadership (Lancaster Bible College Capital Seminary, 2020). She possesses a Master of Divinity (MDiv, Lancaster Bible College Capital Seminary), a certificate of Advanced Public Administration (Syracuse University), a Juris Doctorate degree (JD) with an emphasis in intellectual property (University of Baltimore), and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Civil Engineering (Howard University).
“Action without vision is only passing time, vision without action is merely daydreaming, but vision with action can change the world”
~Nelson Mandela
WHAT IS A ‘HEALTHY’ ORGANIZATION?
A healthy organization is defined by the degree in which it accomplishes its mission.
A healthy church is most effective when the six parameters outlined in Acts 2:42-47 (fellowship, worship, ministry, discipleship, evangelism, prayer) are apparent and effectively operating. The parameters lead to a number of very important questions in reference to its people.
A healthy organization is most effective generally when its people are ‘healthy’. Are they leading from their hearts (i.e. passionate, connected)? Are they leading with their souls? Are they leading with their minds (i.e. exercising their instincts and inspiration)? Are they leading from their strength (i.e. right people in the right place, match of gifts/talents and tasks)?
These questions and others should be asked and analyzed on a regular basis by a professional consultant from outside the church. It’s hard to see a concern when you are within its midst.
