Change in Organizations - Part 2 Three Parts to Learning

There is a process we all go through every day, hundreds of times a day and the organizations we lead do this as well.

This process is often subconscious, just under our radar.
To simplify I'll make it into three parts.

1. Governing Values/Variables
2. Action Plan / Strategy
3. Results and Consequences

Below is a generic synopsis of how things might play out in the Traditiona, Single Loop and Double Loop Churches.


In the Traditional church described in the earlier post these three elements don't change.

Governing Values
Stability. Consistency. Comfort. Order.
How we have done things in the past, is the best way to do them in the future.
Maybe a few people are in charge and won't let new ideas happen.

Action Plan / Strategy
Our strategy stays the same. Same pot-luck dinners. Same worship services. Same youth fundraisers. Same people doing it all.

How do we decide who will lead VBS next year? whoever did it last year. How will we do VBS? How we have always done VBS.

Results and Consequences
Things stay the same. We reach the same people we connected with last year, unless they move away.

Summary:
In the traditional church, the results and consequnece rarely influence or change the strategy of how things are done. This can be frustrating for pastors.



The Single Loop church

Governing Values/Variables
A Commitment to excellence.
"Change is good."
Top Down Leadership structure.
Our particular interpretation of the Bible
Innovation is important
Leadership is a word used a lot.


Action Plan / Strategy
Seeker Sensitive.
Staff Driven for quality assurance
High Quality production of worship services\


Results and Consequences
Positive Results:
Attendance rises.
People feel they are being taken care of.

This positive result encourages us to continue our Seeker Sensitive, Staff Driven high quality services. When results are less than negative, we question our strategy.

Imagine a loop that moves from RESULTS/CONSEQUENCES to ACTION PLAN.
In Single Loop Churches questioning is OKAY as long as you only question the strategy, not the Governing Values.

Make sense?

The Double Loop Church too, encourages questioning and change of their Action Plan and Strategy but also allows for change related to their Governing Values.

Imagine a loop from the Results to both the Action Plan AND the Governing Values.
(a double loop)