My friend Will Mancini wrote and interesting article in mid-December and challenged all of his readers to learn to drip vision.  He followed that post up with a challenge to drip vision every day.  Today Mac Lake, leadership guru/practitioner extraordinaire, entered the game with his own 5 visiondrip ideas…actually saw Mancini’s 5 and anted up 5 of his own.

I like the way this game is shaping up!  I’m in.  Here’s my 5:

1. This is more permanent, but I love the way crossroads in Corona, CA, has used a combination of faces and scripture in their worship center lobby to call out their vision for people everyday.  I know PlainJoe Studios played a role in the design.  Very cool…and always on.
2. Speaking of always on, I love the way Gateway Church in Austin, TX, has integrated their slogan “no perfect people allowed” into their website.  At the same time, the line “come as you are” appears prominently above the fold on the home page.
3. When you find a quote that really resonates with your vision, type it out, change the layout to landscape, and enlarge the font.  A little fold near the top allows you to hang it where everyone who visits your office can see it.
4. Point your leaders to online messages that drip your vision.  I love this Andy Stanley message that was done at LifeChurch.TV in 2009.  I’ve never heard a more insightful look at Acts 15.  Powerful.  Watch for Andy’s quote near the end of his message.  “We need local churches that have all the rungs on the ladder.  Because church is for everybody.”  Awesome…and right at the heart of what North Point is about.
5. Make it a daily practice to send an email or write a note that points out a way that the recipient is living out the vision.

Actually, I want to see Will and Mac’s 5 and raise them 1.  Here it is:  Use upfront time and casual conversation as opportunities to make heroes out of those who are living out the vision.  We all get to choose who will be the heroes in our organization.  Choose wisely.  And do it everyday.  Always on.

I love the spirit of this video.  I linked to it 3 years ago.  Still one of the most popular pages here at StrategyCentral.

How do you know your business is dying?  Or maybe really sick?  I don’t mean the business (although it could be that).  I really mean your location.  I was thinking about this today.  Are there signs that the business you’re in is winding down, on life support, or at least will require a major overhaul to survive?  I think there are definitely signs.

For example, I think one of the signs that your business is dying might be that you speak a language in the conduct of your business that needs a lexicon or an interpreter.  For example, if you’re speaking Latin that may be a sign that you’re toast.  ‘Course…you might be a Latin student, but the sign that you’re in a dying business would be that you think there’s some merit in continuing to speak a language that requires translation.  Or you think you’re "dumbing down" what you’re doing by speaking the language of the people.

Or how about this one: You’re meeting a need that no longer exists in the mind of the customer.  Not to say the need doesn’t exist.  Just that you’ve positioned your business to meet a need that has moved out of the mind of your potential customer.  You might even still have a loyal customer base, but if you’re positioned in a way that isn’t relevant to people you aren’t currently reaching…well, maybe you’re just not relevant.

Got other earmarks of a dying business?  What do you think? 

Got a vision statement?  Sure you do.  Happy with it?  Probably not.  Just a guess…but it may not even be your vision statement.  Might be a slightly doctored version of another organization’s statement.  Might not even be slightly doctored…might be word for word.  Truth be told?  Been there, done that.  Want to develop your own?  Here are the five rules of a contagious vision statement from Church Unique: How Missional Leaders Cast Vision, Capture Culture, and Create Movement:

• The Junior High Rule: Can a 12-year-old boy who has not been to church understand it? (Clear)
• The One Breath Rule: Can it be stated in one breath? (Concise)
• The Resonance Rule: When people say it do they want to say it again? (Compelling)
• The Actionability Rule: Does it inspire action on the part of the participant? (Catalytic)
• The Bouquet Rule: Do the words communicate biblical truth arranged for the listener’s time and place? (Contextual)

When you run your vision statement through these 5 rules, how does it come out?  Weak?  Or strong?

Want more?  You can pick up your copy of Church Unique right here.

You may have already read the text of the commencement address that Steve Jobs gave at Stanford a couple years back.  It’s now available as a video from Stanford on iTunes.  You’ll see it on the top downloads.  Just 15 minutes long, but a great way to start the year.