Focus on Mission

How focused are you on your mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-10-07T10:53:14+09:00

Leaders who are focused on their mission do 5 things. To what extent do you do these 5 things?

To learn more about achieving your mission, explore these 4 questions

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-08-04T07:46:27+09:00

You want to learn more about achieving your God-given mission. You want deepen your understanding of:

Your mission
What it takes to achieve your mission
How you’re doing on achieving your mission
How you can close the gap between the words of your mission and the reality of your situation

Question: How can you learn more about achieving your mission?

Answer: By exploring the following 4 questions.

How can you learn more about developing student objectives?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-07-29T10:43:43+09:00

You want your school to achieve its mission. You know you need to define what it takes to achieve your school’s mission. You’ve hear that developing student objectives (schoolwide learning outcomes) might help. So, you want to learn more. Good.

Question: How can you learn more about developing student objectives?

Answer: By exploring the following 7 questions:

How can you define what it takes to carry out your school's mission?
Are student objectives right for you and your school?
What's developing student objectives look like?
What questions should you consider before developing student objectives?
What makes good student objectives good?
What are some reasons for developing student objectives?
How are mission, student objectives, and curriculum connected?

Focus on your mission. Use student objectives to define the achievement of your mission. Today.

How are mission, student objectives, and curriculum connected?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-07-29T13:37:31+09:00

You’re considering developing student objectives (schoolwide learning outcomes). Before doing so, you’d like to get clear on the big picture. You’re wondering, “How are mission, student objectives, and curriculum connected? Is there a framework that connects these?”

Yes! The MOSAIC framework helps you connect mission, student objectives, and curriculum:

Mission
Objectives
Standards
Assessments
Instructional strategies
Children

What are some reasons for developing student objectives?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-07-29T13:16:18+09:00

You’re thinking about developing student objectives (schoolwide learning outcomes). It’s going to take time and energy. You have limited amounts of these—so, you know that developing student objectives means other things won’t get done. Now you’re wondering, “What are some reasons for developing student objectives?” Good question.

Here are 5 reasons why you might want to you invest time and energy into developing student objectives.

What makes good student objectives good?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-07-29T13:08:11+09:00

You want to define your school’s mission in terms of student learning. So, you’re working to develop student objectives (schoolwide learning outcomes).

Question: What makes good student objectives good?

What questions should you consider before developing student objectives?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-07-29T12:56:15+09:00

Before developing student objectives (schoolwide learning outcomes), do some reflection. I encourage you to reflect on the 8 questions below.

What's developing student objectives look like?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-07-29T12:28:49+09:00

School Year 1: Panic—we started in a state of panic. And panic is not a good place to be. I sat in my office, looking Focus on Learning, the reaccreditation manual from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). I liked the title. I liked that the reaccreditation process had been boiled down to two questions: (1) “How are students doing with respect to the [student objectives]…?” and (2) “Is the school doing everything possible to support high achievement of these [student objectives] for all its students?”

I didn’t like it that I couldn’t answer the questions. “Great!” I thought. “This reaccreditation process is predicated on student objectives. We don’t have them. What are they? I don’t get it.” At this point, I did an understandable thing—I panicked, got to work, and tried to unsettle everyone as little as possible.

Are student objectives right for you and your school?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-07-29T12:18:52+09:00

“There’s a gap.” Helen sits in her office, mulling over the gap between her school’s mission statement and the reality of her program. “This is a Christian school—Christian teachers, devotions, Bible class, chapel, a positive environment. These are good, but only take us so far in achieving our mission. We need more. I need more. I need an additional way to close the gap.”

How can you define what it takes to carry out your school's mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-07-29T12:08:24+09:00

You’re working at a Christian school. Your school’s mission is to equip students to impact the world for Christ.

Question: How can you define what it takes to carry out your mission? How can you define what it takes to equip your students to impact the world for Christ?

Answer: By defining the “equipment” students will receive. In other words, by defining student objectives (schoolwide learning outcomes).

What can you do to close the gap?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-06-23T08:32:54+09:00

To close the gap between the words of your mission statement and the reality of your current situation, do 4 things: focus on your mission, empower others, work smart, and pursue excellence.

How focused are you on achieving your mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2010-02-08T08:20:00+09:00

Want to achieve your mission? If so, focus even more on your mission. Why? Because the more you focus on your mission, the more you will get it done.

3 questions:

On a scale of 1-10 (10 being high), how focused are you on your mission?
On a scale of 1-10 (10 being high), how focused on your mission do you want to be?
What will you do?

Focus on achieving your mission. Today.

How are proposals related to your mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-12-12T08:18:00+09:00

Tomorrow, you’re presenting a proposal to the Leadership Team. The proposal is about how to orient new staff better. You feel good about the proposal.

But something is bothering you.

Then you realize what is bothering you. When developing your proposal, you didn’t think about your organization’s mission. You didn’t ask yourself, “In terms of the mission, what do new staff need to understand, be able to do, and value?”

As you consider this question, other questions come to mind:

How can we help new staff understand the mission?
How can we help new staff understand where we are in terms of achieving our mission?
How can we help staff understand how they contribute to the mission?
How can I help the Leadership Team see how this proposal supports the mission?

Good news! The presentation isn’t until tomorrow. So, you have time to revise it. You have time to make clear how the proposal supports the mission.

Consider 4 questions:

What proposal are you working on?
What do you hope to accomplish through your proposal?
How does your proposal support the mission?
How will you help others understand how your proposal supports the mission?

Connect your proposals to your mission. Today.

How focused are you on closing the gap?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-06-02T11:14:46+09:00

You developed a mission statement. You feel good about it. It reflects how God has been leading you.

Question: Now what?

Do you equate your God-given mission with busyness or productivity?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-06-19T08:06:13+09:00

Imagine asking 3 Christian leaders what their God-given organizational mission is. Imagine you got the following 3 responses:

To look busy.
To be busy.
To be productive.

How would you feel? I'd be stunned. And I'd feel discouraged and sad.

How do your daily activities contribute to your mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-10-13T08:03:00+09:00

Your team is on a mission. First team to make the puzzle wins. Your team has found the edge pieces and has connected them to make a rectangle. And now your team is at a loss.

There’s a gaping hole inside the rectangle.

Unfortunately, this puzzle did not come with a picture. You wish it had. Everyone on your team wishes it had. Why? Because knowing what the picture looks like would help your team work more effectively and efficiently to finish the puzzle.

Point: In an organization, the mission statement is like the puzzle border. Daily activities are like the pieces that fill in the gaping hole. Knowing how the daily activities are connected to the mission and to each other can help you work more effectively and efficiently.

Consider 3 questions:

What do you do each day?
If you didn’t do your job, what would happen?
So, how does your job contribute to achieving the mission?

Find out how your daily activities contribute to the mission. Today.

How often do you talk about your mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-08-14T08:00:11+09:00

Want to focus on your mission? If so, talk about it. Why? Because talking helps you focus. The more you talk about your mission, the more you’ll focus on it.

Want to find out how focused you are on your mission? If so, find out how often you talk about it. If you regularly talk about your mission each day, you’re focused on it. If you don’t talk about your mission each day, you’re not fully focused on it.

Consider 5 questions:

What do you talk about with others?
What priorities do your daily conversations reflect?
How does talking impact what you focus on?
If you talked more about your mission, what might happen?
What will you do?

Talk about your mission. Today.

To achieve your God-given mission, make sure of 4 things

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-04-02T08:49:18+09:00

Make sure you ask God for help, define mission achievement, measure mission achievement, and take action.

To achieve your mission, what 3 things should you focus on?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-02-23T17:54:25+09:00

Want to achieve your God-given mission? Then focus on 3 things:

Your mission statement.
The results you need to achieve your mission.
The measures that tell you if you’ve achieved the desired results.

How can a scorecard help you increase your focus on your mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-12-12T08:51:35+09:00

You and I both know that focusing on the mission is vital and challenging. It’s vital because if we don't focus on the mission, we get off track. It’s challenging because mission statements are broad and because we face distractions.

Here’s some good news—a scorecard can help!

How can measurement help you increase your focus on your mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-10-08T08:11:32+09:00

Like you, I have a mission. Here’s mine: Empowering Christian leaders and organizations to close the rhetoric/reality gap. And like you, I want to increase my focus on my mission.

Question: How can measurement increase focus on the mission?

How can training help you increase focus on your mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-04-06T08:01:15+09:00

You and I want to achieve our God-given missions. To do so, we know we need to focus on our missions.

Question: How can training increase focus on the mission?

How can storytelling & celebration help you increase focus on your mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2009-02-13T08:58:43+09:00

I like telling stories. I also like celebrations. You know, parties. Food, fun, fellowship. And the good news is that storytelling and celebration can help you and me increase our focus on the mission

Question: How can stories and celebration increase focus on the mission?

To increase your focus on your mission, what do you need to KeepStartStop doing?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-08-15T08:56:21+09:00

To pursue God’s calling, you want to increasingly focus on your mission. Good.

Question: To increasingly focus on your mission, what do you need to keep doing, start doing, and stop doing?

How can you increase your focus on your mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-06-10T10:41:17+09:00

You have a mission statement, and you want focus on it. Good.

Question: How can you increase your focus on your mission?

How focused are you on your God-given mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-04-09T10:04:09+09:00

How focused are you on your God-given mission? To find out, take the following self-assessment.

Identify, measure, then take action

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-03-14T07:43:19+09:00

As a leader, you want pursue excellence in order to achieve your organization’s mission. Good. These 3 steps can help.

How do you contribute to mission achievement?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2008-02-12T11:52:29+09:00

You’re working for a Christian organization. You believe in the organization’s mission. And you want to help the organization achieve its mission.

What does it take to achieve your mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-12-07T10:42:58+09:00

I have a mission: Empowering Christian leaders and organizations to close the rhetoric/reality gap.

I have defined the achievement of my mission in terms of 5 measurable goals.

How important is your God-given mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-10-03T07:10:16+09:00

Michael: How important is the mission God has given your organization?

Bob: It’s really important. God gave it to us, asked us to carry it out, and used it to impact the lives of others.

What makes a good mission statement good?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-08-17T08:40:49+09:00

A good mission statement is usable. When it comes to mission statements, an effective organizationu uses the mission statement. It doesn’t just hang the mission on the wall.

How does measuring the mission help?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-08-04T06:38:31+09:00

Quick Answer: Measuring the mission helps staff to focus, stay on track, know how to improve the program, and enhance unity.

What is a mission statement?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-06-13T13:37:15+09:00

A mission statement is your answer to…

Who are we?
What do we do?
Whom do we serve?

Use a scorecard to “budgetize” your God-given mission

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-05-03T10:34:28+09:00

Your organization’s budget system works. Your organization uses common categories and common line items. Individuals track expenditures. Individual data is compiled into the overall budget. Your organization uses budget data to make decisions. What if your organization could do the same with its God-given mission?

How can you maintain and increase commitment, participation, and accountability?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-01-10T07:00:46+09:00

“God has given us a mission, and we’ve got to get our mission done. I’m committed to this. It’s a big goal. To achieve it, every staff member needs to be involved. Every staff member. Definitely me. What do I need to do?”

How can you demonstrate commitment to your God-given mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-09-08T06:59:27+09:00

Your goal: To be a good steward of what God has given you by pursuing excellence. Your plan: To demonstrate commitment to your God-given mission. Your question: How?

To what extent do you and your staff focus energy on achieving your God-given mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-10-27T06:57:42+09:00

Your goal? To meet or exceed the following organizational standard: The leader focuses organizational energy on achieving the mission. To reach your goal, start by imagining.

How can you unleash the power of your mission statement?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-10-26T06:53:42+09:00

Christian school staff know answers, know what the answers mean, and use the answers appropriately. Just ask Christian school staff, and you’ll find out.

Christian teachers and accreditation agencies, target mission achievement

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-04-24T12:43:11+09:00

Christian teachers, your mission is to equip students to impact the world for Christ. To achieve your mission, you need to increase your students’ understanding and use of a biblical perspective of course content.

What would happen if...?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-01-13T15:28:43+09:00

What would happen if your school defined its God-given mission in terms of measurable student learning by developing student objectives (also known as expected student outcomes)?

What 4 questions should you consider?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-04-28T15:27:32+09:00

Christian schools work hard to achieve their missions. Four key questions to consider regarding mission achievement are...

If you don’t measure the achievement of your mission, how effectively can you lead?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-05-24T15:27:15+09:00

You’re coaching a game. You're not sure of the score (because there’s no scoreboard). You don’t have game stats. And you don’t have a handle on how well your players should be performing, given the team you’re playing.

Rally around mission achievement

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-05-26T15:26:53+09:00

In crisis, we rally, we focus, and we collaborate at a high level towards a common goal. And while we don’t live in constant crisis and wouldn’t want to, we do want to collaborate at a high level towards a common goal—on a regular basis.

How can you be a good steward of your God-given mission?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-05-31T15:26:33+09:00

God has given your school a mission. You are committed to it, you want to achieve it, and you believe that achieving it will impact the world for Christ. But it’s Tuesday morning.

How does defining mission achievement help?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-06-13T15:26:08+09:00

At Christian Academy in Japan, we define mission achievement in terms of achievement of our student objectives, accreditation standards, and core values. How has defining mission achievement helped us?

How can you increase your mission intelligence quotient (MIQ)?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-07-13T15:25:54+09:00

Increasing your mission quotient (MQ) can help you achieve your God-given mission. To increase your MQ, answer the following 15 questions. Better yet, get a team together to answer the questions.

How can you achieve your God-given mission—without feeling hurried?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-09-01T15:25:30+09:00

Achieving your God-given mission takes work. Hard work. A lot of hard work. You know that working to achieve your mission means you’ll be busy. Busy you can deal with—but feeling hurried is something you can’t deal with.

Are you a player or a spectator?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-09-08T15:25:05+09:00

The game is achieving your God-given mission. Are you a player or a spectator? A player plays, knowing 3 things.

How can you lead effectively?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-09-15T15:24:48+09:00

Let me answer your question by comparing coaching and leading. You’re coaching a sports team. Here are 7 tips that can help you coach effectively.

If you don’t define the achievement of your God-given mission, how effectively can you work?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-10-12T15:24:34+09:00

You: God has given me a mission. Knowing my mission is important. It gives me a goal. I don’t really want to define what it takes to achieve my mission. I just want to get at it. There’s so much work to do. And yet, I’m starting to wonder, “If I don’t define mission achievement, how effectively can I work?”

What do you need to know?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-10-18T15:24:08+09:00

You’re a basketball coach. Your team is playing in the tournament finals. It's halftime. As you enter your basketball team’s locker room, what’s the single most important piece of information you need?

Do something now, collaboratively

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-11-17T15:23:33+09:00

You: I want to close the gap between the words of our God-given mission and the reality of our situation. How can I close the gap?

You and your staff are now a passenger airplane crew—how successful are you?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2006-12-14T15:23:14+09:00

15F, 16F, 17F, and 18F—my family and I are all in window seats on UA7590, traveling from Grand Rapids to Chicago.

To achieve your God-given mission, what has to be accomplished? To what degree?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-01-24T15:22:55+09:00

Your goal is to run fast. You want to achieve your goal. Any questions?

What do you need to do to effectively define mission achievement?

learnmore@closethegapnow.org — 2007-02-21T11:21:59+09:00

God has given you a mission. To achieve your mission, you know you must define what it takes to achieve it. To define your mission effectively, do 5 things