Strategic Planning with God?

Recently we were in Washington DC doing a Heaven in Business workshop. The second day was all about how to do strategic planning with the Holy Spirit. We flew in our friend Philip Licht who leads Set Free Alaska. Philip was involved from it's inception having grown this from 3 to over a 100 employees and now a $20M revenue in about a decade. The feedback and time together was so good we thought to share some of the key points with you! 

Find out more about Set Free Alaska here, and watch the testimony Philip referenced here: 

Philip reveals his strategic planning approach, starting from seeking God's guidance for overall strategy to setting weekly priorities based on divine insight. He discussed tools like the IECD (improve - expand - change - dump) model and the Boston matrix (impact vs. effort) for program evaluation, emphasizing setting "impossible" goals that require divine intervention. Philip also offered consulting for organizations needing strategic planning assistance, underlining the importance of aligning with God's vision for effective leadership.

1. Start with the right belief: God is our wonderful counselor. This means "extra-ordinary strategist". So why wouldn't we FIRST seek his input/advice/counsel?

Declare that God will speak... and take the time to listen!

Tell stories (testimonies) of what He has already done to set expectation.

2. Get away, alone with God

As the leader you cannot lead people where you have not first gone yourself. Take time to get away and prioritize worship and then listening. What is on the Lord's heart for you and your organization for this coming season? What are His priorties? Where does He want you to focus for growth? Where are there constraints that need removing?

3. Leverage Strategic Planning Tools

Philip mentioned some books and training that he has done (see links below). He also mentioned a couple of tools:

- Improve : Expand : Change : Dump (IECD) model

- Boston Growth Share Matrix switching out profit for impact (https://www.bcg.com/about/overview/our-history/growth-share-matrix)

- Team strategic planning - meet with the board for the big picture vision, mission and focus. then meet with executive team (directors/managers) for priorities and goals in alignment with the focus.

- Probable : Possible : Impossible - write the goals down in one of these three categories. Is there anything impossible - that only God could do? What could you believe for in that category? How could you make practical steps towards the impossible goal? Philip shared the testimony of three impossible goals (buy a building with no debt, receive significant donor grant, fully fund employee health insurance) and all three were realized that year.

4. Set weekly priorities FIRST listening to the voice of God

Philip talked his Monday strategy of connecting with the Wonderful Counselor - extraordinary strategist and asking God what shoudl be his focus for the week. Philip writes down the top five priorities and the top one of the five to focus on first. This then shapes all other tasks for the week. 

NEXT STEPS:

- Join an upcoming Heaven in Business workshop near you: https://www.heaveninbusiness.com/events

- Grab a copy of Mastering the Rockefeller Habits by Verne Harnish: https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Rockefeller-Habits-Increase-Growing/dp/0978774957

- Grab a copy of Relactional Leadership by Ford Taylor: https://www.amazon.com/Relactional-Leadership-Relationships-Transactions-Practical/dp/1946615927

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