At Fusion I shared very briefly on where our event planning structure is moving. I said that it was a work in progress and that I would go into more detail later but wanted folks to understand and be part of the shaping of our future. My invitation is to all who want to figure this out with me. Here is a bit more on all this.
Why this structural shift now?
My experience in life has been that some of what I want to make happen takes years before the time is right. Usually this is due to factors outside my control. Obviously some dreams and goals move very quickly. A major factor in this situation is the change in leadership styles above me. Our new bishop describes himself as more player/coach than autocrat or benevolent dictator. In other words, he is not one to call the shots from a position of authority but prefers to work with groups or teams to decide together. He still guides the process and his voice obviously carries a lot of weight but there is ownership by the people in decisions made. This is a significant shift really. Our previous structure for planning events was based on a hierarchy where the top person (me) was somewhat removed from the process. It mirrored the style that the diocese was working with in general. However, that did not work for my leadership style, as I too prefer to be a player/coach. I want group decisions not one person calling the shots for each event. I would rather not be consulted on only the really big decisions. Rather, I have tended to check in on things, throw in my two cents, and try to serve alongside on teams. With our old structure, this caused problems as I stepped on toes or created confusion as to who was in charge. To any that suffered from this, I am truly sorry. So I find myself invigorated by the leadership above me as it directly relates to who I am. If you have never noticed, your leadership abilities and style are very affected by how you are being led.
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