Is it just me, or have you ever stepped out of the shower and then wonder if you remembered to wash your hair? Sometimes I really can’t remember, so I jump back in again and wash it just in case. Don’t you hate it when you walk into the kitchen and as soon as you get there, you forgot why you went there in the first place. Usually, you don’t remember until you are comfortable on the couch again. We’re not stupid people, we just have an amazing capacity for so many thoughts, ideas and tasks that sometimes things get buried in all of that. Sometimes, the things that get buried are important.

Yesterday I spoke about how we often get so focused on our work that we can’t see the forest from the trees. We lose site of the vision. This happens even more so for those who work for us. Staff and volunteers sometimes see less of the whole picture than we do and sometimes the individual ministry that they’re seeking to fulfill is their big picture. This is why it is so important for ministry leaders to recast the vision on a regular basis. Not only does this keep the vision fresh for us, it gives the rest of the staff a fresh picture of how everyone is working toward a common cause. I don’t have to tell you how easy it is to get mad at another ministry area or staff person because their actions are in conflict with what we’re trying to do. However, in light of the vision, it may just be a simple misunderstanding.

I’ve been on staff where the attitude toward some changes were toxic. The attitude was so rotten because people were more focused on how the change would affect them, not on how the change might help them better achieve a grand vision. This is why vision needs to be recast again an again. As I write this, I embrace my inadequacy in this area. I can’t think of the last time I’ve cast the vision to my staff in a compelling way, which is no wonder why some have a little vision amnesia.

So, this week, think about five or six different ways you can creatively cast vision to your staff, volunteers, manager or whoever runs into you at the grocery store.