Conceptualization
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The practice of conceptualization boils down to thinking past the short term small ideas into the larger long term dreams you hold both personally and organizationally. Further more, it is about knowing the potential obstacles and pitfalls on the way to achieving those long term dreams. As servant leaders we need to find a balance between day to day duties and pursuing the long term big ideas and dreams.
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Practices for Individual Reflection:
Name one personal and one organizational long term idea or dream that you would like to focus on for the month.
Each day, identify one step you can take towards each. Additionally, identify the nearest possible hurdle or pitfall you may see and make note of it.
Who do you need to empower with the vision of the big idea? Are there relationships either personally or professionally that could help you reach your long term goal?
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Mentor long term planning session:
As the participant, arrive to your mentoring meeting with one long term personal goal in mind.
With your mentor, take times of discussion paired with times of silence and reflection on that long term goal.
Build a step by step plan of how you will reach you goal. Don’t forget to note any possible hurdles, pitfalls, or new skills needed to attain your goal.
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Questions for group discussion:
In Dream Big, we see big ideas and even bigger results from those ideas. What is one idea that you have that seems too impossible to attain? Take the time to share it with the group to receive encouragement to go after it!
Conceptualization is more that just having big ideas, it is about how we plan to lead our people to them. What are some practical steps you need to take to reach your organizations big dream/idea?
As leaders, how do we balance the day to day tasks with trying to reach big goals? Do you find those being mutually exclusive or are you able to move both forward simultaneously?
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After exploring this practice, here are outcomes we would like to see established in participants:
Participants will be able to identify one personal and one organizational big dream/idea with a practical timeline in mind for each.
Participants will develop a long term plan with their mentor for their personal big idea and will have the tools needed to follow that plan.
Participants will have a better understanding and skill at balancing day to day responsibilities and long term goals in their personal life and organizations.
Featured Scripture
Luke 14:28-33
Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
